Reckless motorcyclists and smelly wheelybins are being targeted in a Tory campaign to tackle a town's summertime blues.

Conservative councillors today unveiled plans to clean up South Woodham Ferrers following their success at the Chelmsford Borough Council election.

Executive member Maureen Moulds said: "These are not little motorbikes - they are monsters being riden by men aged between 30 and 40, and there have been a number of accidents."

Gangs of motorcyclists have been racing and performing stunts on the Lower Burnham Road mostly on weekends.

"I was coming back from Burnham recently and there were two motorbikes who overtook me," said Mrs Moulds. "One zigzagged across the road and the other one did a wheelie in front of me."

PC Chris Roland, of Chelmsford Road Policing Unit, explained the road was one of the county's most popular motorbike haunts during the summer. We can use plain cars with spot detectors or hand held radars and target it, if there is a problem."

The councillors hope to press Insp Chris Macintosh to tackle the town rubbish problem - and put more beat police on patrol.

With household waste only collected fortnightly, overflowing bins were identified as a problem by the Tories - now controlling all six of the town's seats.

"The problem is particularly in the summer," said Mrs Moulds, "when they leave a smelly black bin for two weeks."

The Tories hope to persuade the borough council to collect the refuse on a more regular basis during the hotter months.

Published Monday, May 26, 2003

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