THE problem of the lack of a space for off-road motorbike riders to enjoy their hobby has reared its head again after concerned environmentalists highlighted damage being done to a conservation area in the west of the borough.

The Oliver Road lagoons comprise 40 hectares of land that was formerly part of the West Thurrock power station site.

Following the closure of the power station, which was finally decommissioned in 1993, parts of the land were earmarked for industrial development but the lagoon were set aside as a natural habitat.

It is owned by the Land Trust and contains a wide variety of flora and fauna including the – including the incredibly rare Distinguished Jumping Spider.

The site is surrounded on all sides by large steel fencing, but it has been broken and entry gained by a number of scrambler bike riders – much to the consternation of wildlife enthusiasts who say the matter has been reported to Thurrock Council's environment team and the police – but there appears to have been no action taken by the regulatory authorities.

Thurrock Nub news visited the site this morning (Sunday, 28 February) and there were a number of bikers in action, albeit hidden from view in the main part by the dense bushes close to the fence.

Their vans that transported the bikes were, however, parked on Oliver Road. The bikes had been taken onto the site via gap in the fence which had been repaired earlier in the week but the riders forced entry in again in a new act of vandalism.

We recently reported on a similar situation where bikers, quad bikers and even drivers of off road four-wheeled drive vehicles had broken fences on land that has been set aside as a park off Walton Hall Farm Road near Stanford-le-Hope. Their aim was to ride in a disused quarry but when that became inaccessible through security measures implemented by its owners, some took to riding in the park.

Essex police recognise there is a problem and have even created a campaign of action under the banner 'Operation Ceasar' to combat illegal scrambler riding. We reported on some if its activities last September.