Manchester Police are cracking down on the use of motorcycles, e-bikes, and quad bikes for anti-social purposes, both on- and off-road, saying there has been a notable increase in incidents involving these vehicles being used for criminal activities such as drug supply, burglary, and theft. This misuse has also resulted in fatal and serious collisions, impacting the riders, their families, and local communities.
To address the issue, officers from the Specialist Operations Branch, including units such as Roads Policing (RPU), Drone and Motorcycle Unit, and the National Police Air Service (NPAS), will be working with neighbourhood teams to target specific hotspot areas. Their aim is to deter, detect, and disrupt offenses relating to the improper use of these vehicles.
Superintendent John-Paul Ruffle, from the Prevention Branch, emphasised that while most riders use their vehicles responsibly, there are individuals who pose a serious risk to themselves and other road users. “The police’s priority is to ensure the safety of all road users and open spaces”, he said.