When Superintendent Gerry Smith says ?on your bike? he is not getting rid of his garda members but instructing his new late-night ?mounted? patrols.

Two gardaí on mountain bikes are now operating from 10pm around the town centre and West Street areas.

Getting on their bikes at the weekends has significantly boosted the garda presence around West Street according to businesses and revellers alike.

Superintendent Gerry Smith says the two gardaí on mountain bikes have proved to be highly effective.Gardaí on bikes will continue to patrol the centre of town at weekends, particularly between 10pm and 6am on Friday and Saturday nights,? he told the Drogheda Independent.Not only do these gardaí provide extra mobility, they are a highly visibility gardaí presence on the streets providing extra mobility and support to other gardaí. They will continue to be an ongoing feature of garda work in the town in the weeks to come,? he added.

The bike gardaí wear high visibility vests and can negotiate Drogheda?s narrow streets better than any vehicles.

Mounted patrols were introduced during day-light hours earlier this year but have only started making a regular appearance at night in recent weeks, giving reassurance to revellers, pubs, clubs and also business which operate late at night.It means that if something happens at one end of the town, they can be there within minutes when it could take the patrol car much longer. It makes us feel safer because we can see them on patrol around the streets or standing watching what is going on. It really is a great idea,? said one regular woman who is a nightclub regular.