RESIDENTS of a Hampshire estate have called for tougher action following the death of a motorcyclist in the area.

Kane Morgan, 22, died after striking a tree while riding through a woodland on his motorcycle in Lordshill on Friday.

Now concerns have been raised over the safety of motorcycles driving on local roads as well as illegal riding in woodlands and heathland in the area.

And there are calls for more patrols in the area to crackdown on the motorcyclists.

The issue is one of the priorities targeted by the Coxford neighbourhood policing team.

It comes after police reported that they received complaints about the criminal, dangerous and anti-social use of motorcycles in the Coxford and Lordshill area more than several times a week.

Only last month officers reported that of a 16-year-old male had been prosecuted after be spotted riding a black scrambler motorbike dangerously with no protective headgear and without a license on Olive Road, Lordshill.

One resident, of Sutherland Road, Lordshill who didn’t want to be named said: “It is clear that nuisance bikes cause distress and anti-social behaviour posing a danger to the public and their riders.”

Current rules mean police officers cannot chase suspect riders on roads because of safety fears and have to use video cameras and community-based intelligence to swoop on the riders, many of who are unlicensed and uninsured.

But, Royston Smith, Tory MP for Southampton Itchen, expressed a ‘firm footing’ on enforcement is the answer.

He said: “We have had incidents like this all over the city involving mini moto’s, it’s a tragedy for that young lad to be involved, these types of incidents have complained about time and time again.

“There is clearly an enforcement issue but what other resources the police can commit to, I’m not sure.”

Southampton Independents city councillor Andrew Pope added: “There clearly should be more enforcement regarding motorcyclists which the police should spend more time looking into.

“Motorbikes if not driven in the right way can be very dangerous, so motorcyclists should be exercising more restraint when riding them but if rode responsibly, it wouldn’t be a problem at all.”

Hampshire Police were unavailable to comment yesterday but they have appealed for any information following the death of Mr Morgan.

Hampshire Roads Police have launched an investigation into the accident and have asked anyone with information to call police on 101.

An air ambulance and a number of police and road ambulance units were called to Buchanan Road at 2.45 pm on Friday, April 14 but Mr. Morgan was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tributes to him have been paid by family and fiends while scores of flowers and balloons have been left by the trees where the crash happened.