SDLP West Belfast Councillor Paul Doherty has urged the Justice Minister to act on the growing misuse of scramblers and e-scooters on the roads.
He was speaking ahead of an Opposition Day motion from the SDLP at the Assembly on Tuesday.
Councillor Doherty previously brought a proposal to Belfast City Council looking at alternative ways of addressing issues around the vehicles.
West Belfast Councillor Paul Doherty said: “Too many communities across the North are being plagued by the misuse of scramblers and e-scooters. I regularly receive reports of vehicles racing through residential areas and near misses on pavements, and this is happening far too often.
“Efforts to deal with these issues have been too slow. Across this island we have unfortunately seen people seriously injured and even killed in incidents involving these vehicles and that cannot be allowed to continue. While other jurisdictions have taken action, we continue to lag behind.
“Nobody wants to see our young people criminalised or hurt, but this issue cannot be ignored. I have brought forward proposals in Belfast including dedicated sites for scrambler use, alongside proper training on the risks and responsibilities involved.
“We have seen up to a 90 per cent reduction in illegal use through programmes delivered alongside local schools and youth centre initiatives that take this activity away from our parks, roads and community spaces, and instead point young people towards safer, more responsible use – rehabilitating and upskilling towards positive use of these vehicles.
“This week the SDLP Opposition is calling on the Justice Minister to build on that good work, alongside giving the PSNI stronger powers to seize vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour. We need to end the scenes of scramblers and e-scooters being driven dangerously across our pavements, parks and greenways, putting both riders and pedestrians at risk.”
