Police threaten to fine Covidiots in souped-up cars and on motorcross bikes illegally taking advantage of quiet roads and parks in Lancashire

Coronavirus restrictions – including the order for people to avoid needless journeys – has left the roads as quiet as Christmas Day even during rush hour, which some motorists are taking advantage of.

The sight of modified cars belting through the streets has become almost as common as hand-drawn rainbow paintings posted in windows, while teens on motocross bikes have also been spotted rasping across parks in recent weeks.

One in 10 drivers usually put their foot down to break the speed limit, but that has soared to four in 10, one north west top cop said this week, and now, inspector Andrew Trotter from Lancashire’s Road Policing Unit has issued a warning to dangerous drivers.

“Our aim is to encourage and support our communities to comply fully with the restrictions, and the vast majority of people are fully complying with the guidance and advice to stop the spread of the virus,” he said.

“However, when faced with non-compliance, we can enforce the new coronavirus legislation for individuals who continue to flout the rules where public health is at risk.”

Lancashire Police has issued 380 fines for breaching lockdown rules, more than any other force.

Off-road bikes have been spotted on the back fields in Bispham and just off the Rock Gardens in North Shore, while traffic cops said officers took “numerous reports of quad bikes riding along the beach in an anti-social manner between Blackpool and Fairhaven Lake”, with one quad bike seized in St Annes.

Anchorsholme councillor Tony Williams said: “With the roads being relatively quiet, it would appear some motorists and bikers seem to be oblivious of speed regulations.

"It’s also a lot quieter out there and those noisy little rasping motorbikes and scooters are even more of a nuisance at this time.

"It was quite noticeable when two or three of these bumble bee bikes were riding around.”

Blackpool Council said only a "relatively small number of incidents" had been reported to police, "with three recorded in one particular park", which it said was Kingscote Park in Layton, since March 1.

"The council will continue to monitor the situation, as motorbike nuisance tends to be a seasonal problem across the county with the arrival of warmer weather," a spokesman said.

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