“Scramblers, used illegally, are not toys. They are powerful machines that can cause serious injury, damage community-use spaces, result in a criminal conviction and even be fatal.”
In the midst of the Christmas period, PSNI have issued a concern about the illegal and dangerous riding of scramblers — especially in the west Belfast area. As a result, the force are now asking for the public to assist them by reporting any incidents of riding scramblers which is dangerous or illegal.
A scrambler is a type of motorcycle that is commonly used on private land. Despite being perceived by many as toys, PSNI emphasise that these are powerful machines that have the potential to cause injury, or possibly death.
Tragically, at least one person has already lost their life in the area when a woman died after being struck by a scrambler. The incident occurred while the woman was walking her dogs in Colin Glen Forest Park back in 2016.
Colin Glen Neighbourhood Policing Team officer Constable William Kingsberry said: “Scramblers, used illegally, are not toys. They are powerful machines that can cause serious injury, damage community-use spaces, result in a criminal conviction and even be fatal.
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“We know scramblers are causing huge concern within our community through annoyance and disruption. What also worries us is that they are a big risk to the safety of both riders and the public, and I fear that someone is going to be seriously hurt as a result of their use. “We want everyone to enjoy a safe and peaceful Christmas. Please help our roads and communities’ safe spaces for all by making responsible, safe decisions this festive season.” A recent PSNI collaborative initiative called Op Chicquer resulted in a number of safety programmes, including bringing together community engagement and youth education through the provision of safe scrambling courses.
According to the PSNI, there has been a reduction in scrambler-related incidents, not only in west Belfast but across the city, with a 29.8% reduction in incidents seen from 2023/2024 to 2024/2025. “We are working closely with Belfast City Council to try and identify a suitable location for a dedicated scrambler site with the outcome of a feasibility study to be published early next year. We view a permanent site as a progressive solution to this problem,” said Constable Kingsberry. “This work is really encouraging and we don’t want to lose momentum here. We know the dangerous driving of scramblers and other off-road bikes remains a key concern in the community. We want to reassure you, it’s one we take seriously. “To anyone thinking about getting on one of these vehicles this Christmas, we urge them to think about where it is going to be used and the potential disruption and damage you could be causing to your own community. We will have targeted patrolling in place and will be detecting offenders. “Some scramblers, do not comply with Construction and Use Regulations and Vehicle Safety Standards and therefore are restricted to ‘off-road’ use only. This does not mean that they can be driven anywhere off-road. These vehicles should only be driven on private land where the landowner has given permission and should not be driven on pavements, roads, public property or parks. Insurance and safety equipment must be complied with as well in order to drive these vehicles legally. “We’d also ask that the community continues to report the illegal and dangerous driving of these bikes so we can help make our roads and parks safer for everyone. “Call us on 101 or report online here. If you want to anonymously provide us with information on those responsible for this nuisance in our community, you can do so via the charity Crimestoppers, which gives you the power to speak up and stop crime. “They can be contacted on 0800 555 111 or online at Crimestoppers.”
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