BIKERS and residents have blamed Southend Council for putting off motorcyclists from coming to the seafront during the unofficial Southend Shakedown event.

The huge bike meet, which has been an annual fixture in Southend for 20 years and usually sees thousands of bikers descend on the seafront, was a washout on Monday - with only a handful turning up.

Those taking part this year criticised the “overreaction” of the council after railings were installed along the seafront and there was a high police presence.

Few bikes stayed for the event, leaving many people unhappy with the way it had been handled.

David Yew, who travelled from Chelmsford to Southend to take part, said: “It wasn’t the weather that put people off, it was what the council had done with the barriers and parking. The council are ruining the seafront.”

He said that the council’s cash that was spent on policing the event and installing barriers would have been better spent on fixing potholes.

Catherine Morris, 74, who walked from Ruskin Avenue to the seafront to see the bikes, was disappointed by the “heavy handed approach” and said: “It spoilt a lot of people’s day out.”

The Shakedown was originally organised by Ace Cafe until 2016 when they pulled out due to spiralling costs of policing. However, bikers still turned up to unofficial events.

A Southend Council spokesman said: “Southend Council is not anti-bike nor anti-event. Indeed, the council has supported the Southend Shakedown for many years. Any individual, business or motorcycle group wishing to organise an official event in future would also be supported. We have officers who can give advice and guidance on how to put together an event management plan. What we cannot and will not support are unofficial events that have no safety plan in place. To do so would be to neglect our duties to the wider public.”

During the day, a quad bike carrying a child passenger and a motorbike were seen driving in what appeared to be a dangerous manner in Ambleside Drive. The vehicles, and a third motorbike, were seized.

David Godman, 35, of Bellmaine Avenue, Corringham, was charged with dangerous driving and Simon Willats, 24, of Leicester Road, Tilbury, was charged with dangerous driving and driving other than in accordance with a licence.

Both are due to appear at Southend Magistrates’ Court on June 4.

A 29-year-old man from Westcliff who was driving a Seat car that was stopped by police in Boston Avenue has been released under investigation on suspicion of drug-driving, possession of drugs and driving without insurance and MOT.

A motorcyclist who was arrested in Queensway on suspicion of drug-driving and possession of drugs has been released under investigation.

The 24-year-old man from Southend was detained to appear at court for breaching bail conditions.

Chief Supt Rachel Nolan said: “Our paramount priorities were to ensure public safety and to deal with any crime and anti-social behaviour."

Echo:

TRADERS have called for a councillor to resign over what they feel was a “heavy handed” approach taken by the council over the Southend Shakedown event.

Paul Thompson, of the Seafront Traders Association, claimed that traders on the seafront lost out on business due to barriers being installed and so many police officers patrolling. He said: “I am extremely unimpressed.

“I had a massive amount of complaints from businesses and customers on Monday.

“The event has been going for 20 years and I have never seen such a heavy handed approach to what is just a day out at the seaside.

“A lot of traders think the council is deliberately trying to destroy the seafront - they got rid of the air show, they are trying to build on the Seaway car park and now they are trying to ruin this.

“We are a seaside town and we should be welcoming people here.

“We are therefore calling for the resignation of Ann Holland, councillor responsible for culture, tourism and the economy.

“I would say us traders lost a fortune. It created an awful atmosphere.”

Mrs Holland responded that this was an unofficial event and that the council would always be willing to work with official organisers. She added: “We had to make sure the event was safe.

“Last year we had some biker pulling wheelies and there was some behaviour that I got complaints about. We have to ensure public safety and families want to come out too. If there had been an accident I would have been the first one to get the blame.”