Crackdown on nuisance bikes revving up again

A joint Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire Police crackdown on nuisance bikes will hit the streets again in the coming weeks.

Operation Transom targets riders who damage green spaces and put the public at risk through the use of off-road motorbikes.

The operation is a partnership between Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Team and Staffordshire Police. It will see increased patrols in hotspot areas, with officers seizing bikes that are used to commit anti-social behaviour.

The increased council and police presence will also serve as a visible deterrent to those causing a nuisance in the community.

This crackdown is strategically timed with the start of the warmer months, as reports of nuisance bikes often increase as the weather improves.

Signage is displayed in hot spot areas, warning offenders of the laws that give Staffordshire Police the power to seize vehicles that are being driven in a way that causes - or is likely to cause - nuisance, alarm or distress.

The ASB Team will take enforcement action against anyone who is found to be a Stoke-on Trent City Council tenant or in any way linked to a tenancy.

Councillor Majid Khan, cabinet member for community resilience for Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We are continuing to work closely with colleagues at Staffordshire Police to tackle, deter and educate those who continue to blight our communities with anti-social behaviour.

“I want to reassure residents that we hear you, and action is being taken.

“We are so fortunate to have so many green spaces in the city. We will not let people ruin them with mindless, arrogant behaviour.

“Every one of us has the right to live in a cleaner, greener and safer city.”

In 2024, over 350 reports were received concerning nuisance bikes.

The local policing and ASB teams jointly investigated and took enforcement action including home visits, issuing Community Protection Warnings, and taking action against city council tenants.

Since October 2024, the Roads Policing Team has conducted 12 proactive operations across the city, leading to three arrests, the seizure of two stolen quad bikes, and the recovery of six off-road pit bikes.

Chief Inspector Dave Barrow, from the Stoke South local policing team, said: “Tackling reports of anti-social behaviour remains a neighbourhood priority for the team, and nuisance bikers are no different.

“They can be a constant source of concern within our communities and can put both the public and themselves in danger. We simply will not tolerate that.”

Alongside enforcement activity, a new programme of education will ensure potential riders – and their parents – know it is illegal to ride off-road bikes in any public space in Stoke-on-Trent. This includes parks, pavements, waste grounds and parkways.

It was announced in February 2025 that, under the Crime and Policing Bill, new powers will mean police officers no longer need to issue a warning before seizing off-road bikes.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper recently met with Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Ellison, Staffordshire Police and Fire Commissioner Ben Adams, and officers from the ASB Team and Road Crime Team at Staffordshire Police Headquarters.

The Home Secretary heard how Operation Transom had been jointly launched by Staffordshire Police and Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s ASB Team in 2021 – and that the work had seen increased patrols, along with regular operations in hotspot areas of the city.

To report nuisance bikes in your area to Operation Transom, please email operationtransom@stoke.gov.uk. You can also ring 01782 233400. Please provide as much detail as possible.

Incidents that are happening live should be reported directly to Staffordshire Police through the live chat on the website www.staffordshire.police.uk or by calling 101.