THE fight against speeding motorists is revving up - as civilian camera wardens receive motorbikes.

Two bikes have been bought by the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety and will be deployed in rural locations, as well as other areas cars find hard to reach.

The partnership has met criticisms for sending the mobile wardens out on narrow roads, leaving them to park cars on pavements.

But bosses hope the motorbikes will help avoid the problem - with the vehicles designed to stand out so drivers can spot them clearly.

The 12 civilian wardens must stay within the speed limit and are not allowed to pursue vehicles. Special training has been given in riding a motorbike.

Chief Inspector Tracie O'Gara said: "The bikes are a welcome additional resource to our fleet and will assist road policing officers in rural areas, specifically targeting high-speed motorcyclists and car drivers."

The wardens hit the streets in June, taking over the running of mobile speed camera sites from the police.

In their first five weeks they booked 6,000 motorists, prompting road safety groups to claim the partnership was obsessed with issuing speeding tickets.

The 12 mobile technicians, as the partnership calls them, were chosen from a 900 applicants who reportedly command a £16,000 salary.

Two are deployed in each policing division, including Pennine which covers Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale, and Eastern covering Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley.