Police continue clampdown on illegal off-roading despite funding cut

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

Police are continuing to enforce restrictions on off-road scramblers despite dedicated funding having ended, councillors have been told.

A major scheme that saw three Gwent councils support the area’s police force to tackle illegal off-roading by bikes and other vehicles in upland areas was launched in December 2023.

Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly councils invested £122,000 from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund in Gwent Police’s fight against off road crime which included a Land Rover and quad bike and a drone to act as an “eye in the sky”.

It also assured one PC and one police community support officer were assigned to the upland areas, such as around Blaenavon, for 60 per cent of their working time.

That funding came to an end in April but Councillor Peter Jones, Torfaen’s Labour cabinet member responsible for finance, said police remain committed to enforcement, along with all the other demands on the service, and talks over further council support are ongoing.

But Cllr Jones said if the council, through the Blaenavon World Heritage Partnership, was to provide funding for a warden it would require a commitment from all other partners in the body.

The Cwmbran Two Locks councillor also said if the partnership was to employ a warden it would be “to support implementation of the upland management plan rather than fulfil an enforcement role like the police.”

He said the previous funding had “unfortunately ended” and it had “left” Gwent Police to manage the issue along with other demands on its neighbourhood teams but he said the force is committed to operations once a month “if not more frequently depending on local resources”.

Additional resources

He also said the police are planning activity on key dates and to use additional resources including Special Constables.

“Gwent Police remain committed to tackling off road bikes and vehicles and continue to do so,” said Cllr Jones.

Blaenavon independent councillor Nick Horler said off roading around Blaenavon, where the landscape forms part of the World Heritage site, is eroding the hillsides and contributing to flooding with increased water running off the hills impacting commoners who graze sheep.