A BATTLE against illegal off-roading on one of the country’s most spectacular landscapes is hotting up with a series of action days.

The antics of some trail bikers and 4x4 users are causing substantial damage to parts of the North York Moors and its wildlife and are making some routes virtually impassable for other users.

But the National Park authority, police and the Forestry Commission are fighting back and targeting the off-road hotspots.

The first action day focused primarily on Dalby Forest, an area which has been particularly hard-hit over the past year. Patrols were also carried out in Broxa, Harwood Dale, Wykeham and Langdale Forests.

Further action will be taken in known trouble spots over the coming months with the aim of offering face-to-face advice to riders and drivers - and also to take enforcement action in cases of blatant disregard of the law.

Such action can range from issuing warning notices for first-time offenders to confiscating vehicles for repeat offenders.

Area park ranger David Smith said: “Illegal off-roading is quite frankly ruining some areas of the North York Moors and is becoming increasingly costly for ourselves and others to repair the damage caused.

“Off-road vehicles churn up the ground creating deep ruts that make it difficult for people to walk, cycle or ride along.

“It also disturbs livestock and nesting birds, destroys rare plants and flowers and can ruin visitors’ experiences of what is on the whole a tranquil area.”

He added: “All our voluntary rangers have been trained to spot illegal activity and we fully intend to take enforcement action against anyone found repeatedly riding or driving where they’re not supposed to.”

Forestry Commission spokeswoman Tanya Rex said: "We're determined to send a clear message about tackling illegal off-road biking and inappropriate behaviour across the national park and our forests. It's a vital part of protecting our unique and much-loved environment.

“The feedback we've had from visitors is unanimous - they want this stopped as much as we do.”

PC Tracy Rogers pledged that the crackdown to protect t the landscape would continue.

“This is only the beginning as many more operations will continue so that the residents and visitors to the area have a peaceful quality of life, the wildlife are not disturbed and the countryside that we are so lucky to have around us is not destroyed.”

*The Motoring Organisations’ Land Access and Recreation Association has developed codes of good practice for recreational driving and riding in the countryside which are on their website at laragb.org.