GLOUCESTERSHIRE Police are urging riders and the parents of young riders to be aware of the responsibilities of owning and riding scrambler bikes, quad bikes and other off-road motorbikes.

Inspector for Roads Policing, Jason Keates, said: “When the weather is nice more bike users are eager to get out and enjoy their hobby but it’s important that they do so safely and legally, not only for their own safety but also for those around them.”

Riders of bikes, such as quad bikes, scrambler bikes and mini motors, which are powered by an engine or electric motor, should all make sure they are aware of the law and safety requirements:

  • If a bike is not manufactured or adapted to use on the public roads then it can only be used on authorised tracks or with the landowner’s permission.
  • It is illegal to ride these bikes on any public spaces (including parks, pavements, waste grounds or parkways).
  • If a bike is built for road use then the rider must be over 16-years-old, with a licence, and the bike does still need registration documents, MOT and insurance.
  • The rider must also wear a helmet at all times and it must fit correctly and be securely fastened.

“We don’t want to put people off from enjoying riding safely and legally,” continued Inspector Keates, “but we are committed to tackling their illegal use, as well as anti-social behaviour that is sometimes associated with them.

"In the wrong hands, these machines are potentially lethal and people need to understand the legislation in relation to where they can ride their bikes legally and the potential consequences of driving it irresponsibly.

"We can and do take action on irresponsible riders who take to the roads illegally and pose a danger to other people and riders should make themselves aware of what they risk by not following the law. In the very worst case scenario, if reckless driving results in injury or death the rider will face a prison sentence.”

The consequences of riding one of these vehicles inappropriately could result in:

  • Injuring yourself or someone else
  • The bike being seized
  • Points on your driving licence
  • A fine
  • Being disqualified from driving
  • Imprisonment
  • An Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO)

On Friday, July 5, a 19-year-old man from Gloucester was sentenced at Cheltenham Magistrates Court having been found guilty of two counts of failing to wear headgear on a motorcycle, two counts of using a motorcycle without insurance and riding a motor vehicle on a footpath.

He was sentenced to a £135 fine, ordered to pay costs of £200, issued with six points on his driving licence and disqualified from driving for six months.

The charges were in connection to an incident in Chatsworth Avenue in Tuffley in August 2012.

A 20-year-old man from Tuffley was also charged and sentenced in connection to the incident earlier this year.