In July last year police called for a meeting with the council and BHP Billiton to discuss a proposal to build a fenced-off motorbike park for riders with uninsured and unregistered motorbikes.

Although police are not the ones proposing the facility, they acted on requests from riders after they were reported for riding their unregistered and uninsured motorbikes in town.

“Police just facilitated the convening of stakeholders to research a community solution to the extensive damage to the sand dunes in the area,” Sergeant Stuart Paxton told The Roxby Downs Sun.

“This is a complex issue, you can not just allocate a parcel of land and leave it at that … insurance and liability factors have to be addressed.

“Stakeholders left the meeting with the commitment to contact their various legal departments to look at options and return for a follow up meeting.”

He explained the only option for the park was to increase the size of the land holding for the motocross club.

However this cannot be addressed until legal issues and complications are resolved, because of this there has not been another meeting yet.

“I will make contact with the Municipal Council of Roxby Downs and BHP Billiton on this issue for any outcomes to the previous meeting,” he said.

Sergeant Paxton confirmed extensive damage to sand dunes and the environment was still occurring due to off-road riders.

“BHP Billiton already have in place that no person may ride or drive a vehicle on any of the lease area without their permission.

“No person to date has permission.

“If a person is found riding whilst unlicensed and on an unregistered or uninsured motor bike, three or four wheeler bike then they will be dealt with and issued fines in relation to the offences.”

Council administrator Bill Boehm said the council would continue to meet on the proposal.

“The issue of dedicated land being made available for off-road motorbike riding has a number of liability, insurance and indemnity issues that will be very difficult to be resolved,” he said.

“Council however has assisted various groups … to facilitate authorised off road riding in a controlled environment.”