POLICE are turning up the pressure on rough riders who disregard the law.

Motorcycle officers mounted on Suzuki DRZ 400 trail machines will make regular patrols in the area and throughout problem areas of Greater Manchester in an effort to combat nuisance off-roaders.

According to Sergeant Shahid Rasheed of GMP, who was at the Plank Lane launch, complaints have risen 62% in the past year.

Police are responding to grumbles that some motorcycle and quad riders create noise and drive unlicensed machines recklessly through residential areas when travelling to and from the Plank Lane site.

Wigan Council has erected signs warning the off-roaders that they are trespassing if they ride on the moonscape between Plank Lane and Bickershaw. And riders face having their machines confiscated if they ride where they shouldn't, and having to fork out a hefty recovery fee of over £100.

Ironically the Plank Lane site will probably be among those being surveyed for its potential to house some form of practice area as part of the Greater Manchester Off-Road Motorcycling Project which was highlighted two weeks ago in a Journal feature.

A Council spokesman said the land was in the Green Belt and there were no development plans.