MAG has increased the pressure on Harlow Council for a resolution to the on-going dispute about an injunction which bans groups of riders from travelling through the borough at certain times of day.
‘The problem is that while the Council have a real anti-social behaviour problem to deal with in the area, they’ve taken the wrong path to address it,’ says MAG’s Essex representative, John Metcalf. ‘What the injunction actually does is prevent law-abiding riders from going through the town in the daytime, even if there are only two of them.
The Council says it won’t enforce the injunction against those who are riding sensibly, but no law which technically illegalises reasonable behaviour is a good law.’
MAG is making another effort to make progress with the officer of Harlow Council, and specifically the legal team there. However, if these talks fail to materialise, then the campaign may move towards more direct action. ‘MAG always prefers to achieve a negotiated solution,’ adds John. ‘But if we continue to find resistance from the local authority in terms of even talking about the options, then the next step is to create a series of events to test the stupidity of these rules. That’s a lot of hassle and potentially embarrassing for the Council, but since this injunction is being repeatedly introduced around the UK, we have to make a stand and put a stop to regulations which outlaw honest biking.’
Contact MAG at 01926 844 064 or central-office@mag-uk.org