Traders in Bury have raised concerns about cyclists, electric bikes and scooters causing a "safety hazard" in the town centre.
A petition calling for urgent action has been signed by traders on The Rock, which has been a pedestrianised area since 1986 and means that bikes and other vehicles are prohibited from the busy high street.
It includes 16 signatures from Athams Travel, British Heart Foundation, Lloyds Bank, Greenhalgh’s Craft Bakery, Post Office, TUI and more.
Robert of Robert Daniels Jewellers has been trading on The Rock for more than 21 years.
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He set up the petition after becoming frustrated with the amount riders coming through the busy area “at excessive speeds and endangering the lives of the public".
Robert said: “Our customers are having to look left and right before leaving the shop and we’ve seen some electric bikes riding past at around 40mph.
“There are a lot of children and elderly people about, especially on busier market days.
“I’m worried about an accident happening if nothing is done soon - it’s simply not safe.
“It used to be just cyclists but we have noticed an increase in e-bikes and e-scooters.”
Robert has raised his complaints with the council and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) but claims he is “getting nowhere” and is growing frustrated about the “lack of action”.
He said that the council has asked concerned traders to keep a log of any incidents and has allocated an anti-social behaviour caseworker to offer support, however, Robert claims this is not a practical solution.
Robert added: “We’ve been asked to log everything but it’s not just possible or fair.
“We are working hard to run our business and do not have time to stand at the window all day watching every interaction.”
There are traffic signs at either side of The Rock advising people of the rules but Robert claims these are “not adequate".
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“I’m a cyclist myself and find the signage to be confusing and too small”, he added.
“There are plenty of respectful and sensible riders who are happy to dismount while passing through.
“The food delivery riders are great and most use the bikes racks at the bottom of the street to park up and walk to collect their orders.
“These riders are not the issue. It’s the ones who ride recklessly that are causing concern for us.
“There is no deterrent for them and the complete lack of any enforcement in the area isn’t helping."
Robert suggested fines for nuisance riders could be a deterrent and "prevent something terrible from happening".
Robert said that he has witnessed pedestrians being knocked down by bikes “on more than once occasion” with the latest incident occurring outside Pound Bakery just last week.
During a short visit to the area on Tuesday, three cyclists and one electric bike were seen riding at speed through the area.
One trader, who did not wish to be named, has had their shop on The Rock for more than 20 years.
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They claimed they were hit by a cyclist “several years ago” when leaving the premises and regularly sees “near misses” happen outside.
Another said that although they had signed the petition, they did not expect much to be done, stating that the route has become “a well-known shortcut for bikes”.
The area is not managed by The Rock retail and leisure scheme, which was established in 2010.
Superintendent John-Paul Ruffle from GMP’s prevention branch said: “We understand the majority of motorbike, e-bike and quadbike riders, use their vehicles in a safe and considerate manner and abide by the law.
“But sadly, there are those that don’t and this poses a serious risk to not only themselves, but other road users also.
"Anti-social behaviour (ASB) can take many forms and if it's a problem for you, it's a problem for us. It can disrupt our lives, make us feel unsafe in our communities and lead to further and more serious crimes.
“While some people may use off-road bikes in the way they were intended, others use them to ruin parks, playing fields and flagrantly violate traffic laws - which is exactly what this operation is intending to prevent.
"We target ASB in multiple ways - enhanced hotspot patrols, partnership work, and providing opportunities for young people to keep them from falling into criminality. While we always seek to engage, we will also enforce; anyone using these bikes irresponsibly will be spoken to and all appropriate action taken.
“We will use every tool at our disposal, which includes specialist GMP resources to crackdown on this type of crime. I would also like to encourage residents to report incidents to us so we can take appropriate action.
“If you know who is using motorcycles anti-socially or to commit crime, let us know. Report online or call Greater Manchester Police on 101, or 999 in an emergency. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
“We also want to know where these bikes are being stored. Please reach out if you have any information that will help us in our quest to reduce motorcycle-related crime.
“Our priority is to ensure that our roads and open spaces are safe for all.”
The council has been contacted for comment.
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