ACCESS to a cycle path could be blocked off for speeding off-road bikers who use the route as a “rat run” following an accident last month.

An air ambulance and the emergency services were called to a male who came off his motorcycle in the area of Burnmoor Avenue, in Mirehouse, Whitehaven, on June 20.

Now Johnnie Carr, who represents Mirehouse west on Whitehaven Town Council, wants to restrict access on the cycle path with barriers, to help tackle the problem.

Speaking at the latest Whitehaven Town Council meeting Cllr Carr, said: “We know there was an incident and somebody fell off a motorbike. The air ambulance had to come.

“The cycle path is basically getting used by certain individuals, flying everywhere.

“There are barriers you can buy now that will fit mobile scooters and all the rest through but the shape of it will stop anyone on a motorbike.

“We need to get one by the foot bridge at Burnmoor, one at the end of Croasdale which leads to the football pitch and one at the main bridge which leads to Nisa.

“That is the main rat run. If we get these cut off, it will stop them because they are still doing it. They’re blatant. No helmets, they’ve no licences.

“More needs to be done. Everyone is just sick of it. That was an unfortunate accident with the person that was injured but if he wasn’t doing it, it wouldn’t have happened.

“If we cut these gaps off, they are going to have to stick to the roads and that’s going to give police more of a chance to get them.”

Carl ‘Wammo’ Walmsley, a community champion for Mirehouse, who runs the #MirehouseMatters Facebook page, said: “I fully support the idea but I’m not confident of it ever getting the go-ahead, sadly.

“Any issues we have had in the past regarding the cycle track has just been passed from pillar to post. I hope I'm wrong on the matter as I know how much effort Cllr Carr will put into it.”

He added that the cycle path was still being used ‘constantly’ by off-road motorcyclists.