Police asked to crack down on bikes, skateboards at Lismore

Lismore City Council has asked Richmond police to crack down on bikes and skateboards in the CBD due to the potential for serious injury.

BIKE bandits and selfless skaters beware - the gig is up.

Lismore City Council has asked Richmond police to crack down on bikes and skateboards in the CBD due to the potential for serious injury.

Lismore Business Panel's June 27 meeting papers show the council's coordinator of traffic and emergency services, Bill McDonald, sent a letter to police Superintendent Greg Martin asking for help.

"Again at a recent CitySafe meeting at which Sgt Claudio Toscan was present, the Lismore Chamber of Commerce representative raised ongoing safety concerns for visitors and workers within the CBD - due to regular conflict and potential serious injury as a result of bicycle and skateboard riders using the footpaths within the main block as a means of travel - often at considerable speed and close to shop front doors," he wrote.

Apparently, speedy skaters and cyclists have been quite the annoyance to CBD businesses.

"I am sure you are aware that this is not a new issue or unique to Lismore however, these concerns appear to be justified, and a concerted effort in reducing this perception or otherwise would no doubt mitigate some of the strong opinions coming from sections of the business community," Mr McDonald wrote.

He also said police have known about the problem for some time.

"Sgt Toscan indicated at the meeting that police regularly discussed this issue at your internal staff meetings and, in fact, recent efforts in tasking police to deal with this issue were noted," he wrote.