who ride bikes illegally on the Railway Trail.

And they have revealed two new weapons in the war against people who break the rules -- two 400cc off-road bikes capable of handling broken ground.

Insp. Stuart Crockwell -- commander of the crime-busting Task Force -- unveiled the bikes at Police Headquarters this week.

The new scrambler-style bikes -- designed for off-road use -- will replace the heavyweight bikes, which run up to 750cc, currently used by Police.

Insp. Crockwell said the superbikes were too wide to fit through the pedestrian gaps in barriers designed to stop cars -- while bikes used by tearaways could slip through.

It is also understood the heavy weight of the normal Police bikes, combined with low ground clearance, place them at a disadvantage over smaller and lighter machines over some ground conditions.

But Insp. Crockwell said: "These new bikes will be able to handle this terrain and catch the people responsible -- we will be able to give a full chase and apprehend these people.'' The crackdown comes as the summer -- a peak trouble time on the Railway Trail -- kicks in.

Insp. Crockwell said: "We are meeting the needs of the community.

"People have complained about bikes being raced on the tracks and vacant property -- places where the big bikes are not able to cope with that kind of terrain.

"The problem peaks in the summer because kids are off school. But the summer is also the peak tourist season and visitors want to use these areas -- it's not just an annoyance, it's dangerous.''