Batley and Spen MP takes action on road safety and antisocial behaviour concerns

Constituents across Batley and Spen have raised concerns with her about the risks posed by speeding drivers, off-road bikes, quad bikes and scooters, dangerous parking and other antisocial behaviour.

Having campaigned on these issues since her first day as an MP two years ago, Kim is continuing to push for multi-agency work and behaviour change to address the issues.

She held two roundtables at her office with residents, the police, the Deputy Mayor for Policing, council representatives, councillors and other local groups, and raised the issues during a debate in Parliament, referencing a number of local hotspots.

The cross-party meeting on road safety followed the successful launch of her ‘Pavements Are for People’ campaign at Fairfield School on White Lee Road in Batley. It was attended by local councillors, representatives of Kirklees Council, ‘Safer Kirklees’, and the fire service.

The participants discussed a range of specific problems, including off-road bikes, high performance cars being driven at excessive speeds, safety for horses and their riders and the problems caused by HGV’s using narrow roads that are unsuitable for them.

Speaking earlier in Parliament, Kim said: “Hardly a week goes by without people getting in touch about the risk to pedestrians and other road users, and the intimidating behaviour of what are, for the most part, teenagers and young men showing a total disregard for the safety of others.”

In reference to quad bikes and motorcycles, she quoted a constituent from Fieldhead Estate in Birstall who had told her: “It’s not just the noise that scares my children to tears, it’s the fact that they ride them around at speeds in excess of 60-70 mph, wear no helmets, ride on the pavement and between the houses and have absolutely no consideration for other residents around, including children that are playing in the streets.”

A Gomersal resident also told her: “Young lads on trial bikes are riding around our area wearing balaclavas and no helmets. They have no regard for anybody on the road, footpaths or anybody crossing the roads.

“I really do believe it is only a matter of time before these people kill somebody.”

Kim criticised the government for its cuts to police numbers and resources over the past thirteen years, adding: “At the same time that police numbers have fallen, there have been cuts to children, youth and community services.

“Too often the voluntary and private sectors have to step in to try and fill the void. I want to pay tribute to local charities and organisations that do a fantastic job providing activities for young people that give them a focus and help keep them out of trouble.”

She praised Jack Sunderland and his team at the Training Cave in Birstall, who encourage young people to put their time and energy into Boxing, BUMPY, also in Birstall, who offer on and off-road motorbiking sessions and qualifications in a safe environment, and Sustrans, who do a fantastic job of looking after the wonderful Spen Valley Greenway.

Kim added: “There are of course many other groups in Batley and Spen who do similar excellent work and are keen to be part of the solution to tackling the problems of anti-social behaviour.

“But the truth is, that without a systematic, government-led strategy to provide a range of sport and physical activity provision for young people, we are going to continue to have the kind of problems we have been discussing today.”