'New scrambler park will take nuisance riders off the streets'.

Byline: By Anna Hammond South Wales Echo 

An off-road motocross course is to be developed in an attempt to bring relief to residents plagued by nuisance bikers.

Several specially designed courses will be set up on former industrial land near Rover Way in Tremorfa, Cardiff

Cardiff council is planning to spend around pounds 81,500 on setting up the centre, which will be supervised, for bikers.

And it will be welcomed by residents across the city who have complained bitterly about the menace of bikers who ride through parks, tear up grassed areas and cause dangers on city streets.

Councillor Nigel Howells, the executive member for leisure, said: 'The aim is to provide a range of courses with varying difficulty. We hope that with the various obstacles and banking available bikers will lose interest in riding through places like Tremorfa Park causing a nuisance.

'The aim is to create an exciting experience and I'm sure it will prove very popular. The site we have chosen is council-owned and away from homes to avoid the noise issue.'

He said they was taking advice from the motocross experts on developing the course, which could be run by the council or offered to a commercial operator if there was interest.

'This sort of activity could also attract companies interested in laying on away-days for staff in the same way as adventure or paint-balling days-out are organised,' added Coun Howells.

Running costs of the site - which could be up and running in the new year - are expected to be around pounds 90,000 a year.

Police have recently been targeting areas plagued by mini motorbikes and scrambler bikes, confiscating bikes and arresting people riding illegally .

Children who ride mini motorbikes on the road are breaking the law as they need insurance and a licence but are too young.

And if bikers ride off-road without permission of the land owner they are committing an offence. 'Idiots going around streets pulling wheelies gives us bad name': The plans have been welcomed by both fed-up residents and keen bikers.

Off-road motorbike enthusiast Craig Green, 28, from Coed-y-Gores, Llanedeyrn, said: 'It's definitely a good idea. We would use it as long as it's well organised.'

Craig usually travels with his family including six-year-old son Joseph, who also rides, to Bath where there is a practice track.

'There is nothing around here and you get idiots going up and down streets pulling wheelies which gives people like us a bad name,' said Mr Green.

'We use our bikes on proper tracks. We find the right places and to have somewhere local to go is great.

'Everyone around here has been gunning for a facility like this and it will stop people riding in parks and on the school fields.'

And Matthew Burns, 32, chairman of football club the Llanedeyrn Bulldogs, said: 'Anything which tackles the problem is good. The fact that there is going to be somewhere local for them to go is great. I'm over the moon.'