Concerns raised about scrambler use in Newtownabbey

It is understood the police received a number of calls about the vehicles from members of the public on Sunday, January 7.

Commenting on the issue in a post on the PSNI Newtownabbey Facebook page, a police spokesperson said: “If you have one of these, you need to be aware that they are restricted to off-road use only. That being said, that doesn’t give someone an excuse to use them in public places and cause annoyance to others.

“If you’re identified as causing annoyance, you could have the vehicle confiscated.

“If you do want to take them on the road, you’re required by law to be 16 and over, and have a driving licence, a number plate displayed and registered with DVLNI, MOT, headlamps, rear lamps and insurance.”

The spokesperson added: “If you fail to do so, you risk having your scrambler or quad being confiscated and potentially crushed.

“Please also remember to wear a helmet. In the rare event of an accident, a helmet can be the difference between life and death.

“Please continue to contact us and let us know about issues with scramblers in your area. We’ll do our very best to identify and deal with offenders appropriately, although, not all of us are Usain Bolt so ‘catching’ them could be difficult.”