Nuisance bikers have returned to a playing field, annoying neighbours with the incessant revving of their engines and potentially putting other park-users at risk.

The situation at the Mangravat Playing Field in Maidstone was a frequent problem for those living nearby during 2022, but had eased of at the end of the year after police issued some of the bikers with warning notices.

However, the bikers have returned with the New Year.

One pensioner from Longfield Place said: "Clearly someone got a scramble bike for Christmas. The noise has been going on hour after hour and day after day over the holidays."

Richard Hunt o,f the North Loose Residents' Association, is monitoring the situation.

He said: "It's a big problem that occurs every Bank Holiday and on many weekends."

But he saw some cause for optimism.

The field is accessed via a gate off Mangravat Avenue, but also via a footpath that stretches between Pheasant Lane in North Loose and Cliff Hill.

Previously police have found it difficult to catch offenders, because if officers responded to calls from the public, the bikers had a choice of escape routes.

But Mr Hunt said: "Our local councillor Brian Clark (Lib Dem) has convinced KCC to erect barriers at either end of the footpath, which should make it more difficult for the bikers to reach the field, and also make it more difficult for them to flee from the police."

The barriers will be installed this month.

Now Mr Hunt is working on persuading Maidstone council to follow suit and upgrade their gates into the playing field to prevent vehicle access. A council spokesman said: "We are working closely with the North Loose Residents Association to identify a solution to the issue."

A police spokesman confirmed: "We are waiting for the local authority to instal some barriers in this area to prohibit and deter access."

Mr Hunt is hopeful then of a more robust police response.
One of the problems last year was repeated complaints that residents were finding it impossible to get through to the police on the 101 number to report incidents.

But Mr Hunt said: "One of the first things that Tim Smith, the new Chief Constable of Kent, did after being appointed in December was to transfer more officers to the control room to answer 101 calls, and from what I hear from our members that has been very helpful in reducing waiting times.

"So there are seeds of hope that he will soon deal with this problem too."