£100 booze and off-road bikes warning in Rochdale borough

People in the borough of Rochdale caught drinking in the street – or riding off-road bikes – could be slapped with a £100 fine… and could find themselves in court.

A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) has been implemented by Rochdale Council, with boozing and driving ‘mechanically propelled’ vehicles to cause trouble banned. The three-year PSPO was initially approved, pending public consultation, at a meeting back in March.

The consultation was run between 3 April and 25 June, with 1,191 responses overwhelmingly in favour of the plan.

Of the residents responding to the survey, 86.65 per cent responded yes to ‘prohibit the consumption of alcohol in public spaces’ and 93.7 per cent responded yes to ‘prohibit the use of MPVs on public spaces and open land’. Following this the council has now put the plan into action, meaning those who breach the order could find themselves in trouble with the authorities.

Council papers highlighted that a total of 310 reported incidents of off-road vehicles such as motorbikes, scooters and quad bikes causing a problem in the borough between January and December 2023.

A a meeting of Rochdale Council's cabinet on 27 August heard how the main problems caused by off-road bikes are the loud noises they cause as well as the continuing damage inflicted on public spaces.

In some scenarios this has led to paths and parks not being available for public use due to the damage, the cabinet was told. Greater Manchester Police data shared in the meeting papers showed that 79 incidents in relation to antisocial behaviour involving alcohol were recorded between January and December 2023.

Chief superintendent for Rochdale police Danny Inglis, present at the meeting at Number One Riverside, told the cabinet: “Young people riding need to know off-road bikes can give you points [on your licence] before you even get a licence.

“Lots of people riding off-road bikes see this as just a bit of fun. We want to make it very clear the consequences of this. What I am trying to balance is that we are firm but fair.

“But there are certain behaviours where we all know it’s not acceptable.”

Councillor Susan Smith explained that youths wearing black masks and balaclavas were causing trouble in the Langley area of Middleton and asked to include that in the PSPO. She added that they can get away with their crimes because they can’t be identified.

The idea of including the use of balaclavas in public spaces is something that the council will look at in the future if problems continue, the meeting heard.

Councillor Shah Wazir said Yorkshire Street in Rochdale town centre sees street drinkers intimidating locals.

George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporter