Praise for Darlington off-road scheme
New measures to combat noisy off-road bikes in a Darlington hotspot have been praised.
Several gates and logs have been installed on Wylam Hill in the Springfield area of the town after a major spike in anti-social behaviour in the area.
There have been 38 recorded incidents on the hill since January, according to figures, compared to 59 between 2022 and 2024.
The £8,500 scheme was launched by local Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Aymie Parker in partnership with Darlington Borough Council to prevent anti-social behaviour.
Councillor Nick Wallis, Labour ward member, said: “This is a fantastic experiment to help make Wylam Hill safer for the walkers. Now we want the community to get involved for the next stage to make the hill a haven for wildlife, and hopefully improve facilities for residents.
“Wylam Hill is at the heart of Springfield’s community, and sits on the former site of the Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn Locomotive Works (known locally as ‘Stivvies’).
“In the year of the 200th anniversary of Darlington’s world-leading role in creating the modern railways, now is a great time to look at Wylam Hill afresh.”
PCSO Parker’s work with Cllr Wallis and other ward members, Chris McEwan and Dawn Storr, is a great example of partnership action in the community,” Cllr Wallis added.
Local members say the recent measures are part of a move to make the hill safer, encourage community use and promote nature.
PCSO Aymie Parker said: “We’re always working to make Darlington a safe and enjoyable place to live and visit and will use all of the tools at our disposal to do this.
“From feedback received by the residents in Springfield, it was clear that something needed to be done to allow local people to enjoy our parks, nature reserves and walkways.
“We will continue to work alongside our partners and listen to community feedback to combat off road and anti-social vehicle users.”
Durham Constabulary’s current Operation Endurance programme works in partnership with local communities to seize bikes on the spot if they are being ridden illegally and anti-socially. Drones are repeatedly being used by officers to track off-road bikers and pursue offenders.