THE enactment of a protection order for the nature reserves in the Dudley borough has been welcomed by MP Mike Wood.

Concerns over motorbikes and quad bikes being driven irresponsibly on green spaces in the borough have prompted Dudley Council to enact a Public Space Protection Order.

The order covers Fens Pool, Barrow Hill and Buckpool nature reserves, open space at Russells Hall, plus Woodside Park, Marsh Park and Mullet Park.

Public open space in Milking Bank, Pensnett Technical College, Lapwood Avenue/Ketley Fields in Kingswinford and Pheasant Street in Brockmoor is also included.

The PSPO, which will last for three years, will give police and local authority officers the power to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £100 for those caught using an unauthorised motorised vehicle on any of the green spaces affected.

After the issue was brought to his attention by various residents around the near Fens Pool Nature Reserve, Mr Wood organised a petition for local people to sign, calling on the council to take out a PSPO around the affected nature reserves.

More than 2,000 people signed the MP’s petition earlier this year, which Mike presented to the House of Commons in February.

Residents in Brockmoor and Pensnett, who have been the worst-affected by these illegal bikes, have had to put up with the situation for a long time.

The aim of the PSPO is to grant the police increased powers to seize illegal bikes and take further action to stop riders from continuing such anti-social behaviour.

Mr Wood said: “It has been a long process, but I am very pleased that the necessary framework is in place for the Public Space Protection Order to go live.

“These illegal bikes have been a long-standing nuisance and danger to some of my constituents for too long now, which is why I am very pleased that Dudley Council and West Midlands Police have listened to my calls for action to be taken.

“I would like to thank local people for bringing the problem to my attention in the first place and also to the previous administration at Dudley Council for acting upon my petition.

“Hopefully we will see a real step-change in the number of illegal bikes roaming across our green spaces, so that local people can once again live in peace.”