MEASURES to stop motorbikers terrorising cattle on a York nature reserve have been criticised by cycling enthusiasts.

Plans to change the barriers leading on to Hob Moor's cycle track to keep out motorbikes would unfairly inconvenience cyclists, according to the York Cycle Campaign.

A planning application has been submitted to City of York Council's planning and transport committee to replace the existing barriers with kissing gates.

The council hopes the gates will put an end to misuse of the Hob Moor cycle track by motorcyclists.

Tom Blair, a council feasibility engineer, said: "There has been some motorcycle abuse of the moor. It is a nuisance to residents, and there have been reports of motorcyclists chasing cows around the moor. One of the things we do not want to happen is interference with the cattle grazing there."

He added that if the farmer had to remove the cattle the ecology of the area could be damaged.

In response to worries about disabled access, the council has been installing gates with RADAR (Royal Association for Disability And Rehabilitation) locks to help disabled people use the moor.

But members of the York Cycle Campaign have objected to the proposed cycle barriers. Campaign chairman Adrian Setter said: "We are very unhappy about this. The council do provide some excellent facilities across Hob Moor, but the changes they are proposing are going to make the route virtually unusable for some cyclists."

He said the new gates could prevent cyclists with tandems, child seats and trailer bikes using the route at all.

Some cyclists have also expressed concern that they would have to dismount every time they went through the new gates, and that motorcyclists would still be able to get through them.

Mr Blair said: "This is a move we are having to make reluctantly, as we would rather keep the existing arrangements. But I cannot see us ever marrying the need to allow access with the need to keep motorcyclists off the moor. We will just have to sacrifice the principle of keeping cyclists in the saddle."

The proposed changes, which would cost £15,000, are to be discussed at a council planning meeting next Thursday.

Updated: 08:23 Friday, August 13, 2004