A bid to crackdown on dangerous quad bike riders with tougher rules has been taken forward by a Glasgow MP.
There have been several incidents and deaths in the city as a result of people riding quad bikes irresponsibly in recent years.
Anne McLaughlin, Glasgow North East SNP MP has presented a Private Member’s Bill in the House of Commons following concern and complaints from constituents about anti-social and dangerous use of such bikes.
READ NEXT: Pilot bid to give free public transport to 1000 people
She said she has heard of bikes being a menace, driven in parks and on pavements at speeds of up to 70mph, leaving residents terrified.
The Bill would mean bikes would need to be registered and a registration mark visibly displayed.
The MP said there would be exemptions for legitimate industrial purposes like farming or land management use.
She said: “I have heard from so many constituents about the trouble caused by the anti-social, improper and frankly life threatening use of motorbikes and quads in Glasgow North East.
“I’ve been hearing from families who are scared to let their kids out to play in fear that they are run down by off-road bikes travelling on pavements and in playparks at speeds in excess of 60 – 70mph, and that’s just not fair.
READ NEXT:Holyrood committee backs abortion buffer zone Bill
“Worse than this, there have been fatalities involving unlicensed and unregistered off-road trail bikes in my constituency and I want to do something to prevent that ever happening again.”
The MP said she has the support of the National Motorcyclists Council and cross-party MPs who want action as it is an issue that affects areas across the UK.
She said it is not easy for the police to catch people on bikes when they are speeding through parks and on pavements and feels that a registration mark will mean the owners can be identified and tracked down.
McLaughlin added: “I know how much fun people can get from riding these off-road vehicles, and although it might not be for me, I do see the appeal in the sport.
“I don’t want to try and ban anything or stop the genuine enjoyment of riding an off-road bike, I just want it to be safer for everyone involved. It terrifies me when I see these people riding at high speeds with no helmets and no concern for their own safety or the safety of those around them.”
Incidents involving quad bikes in Glasgow have ended in fatalities on a number of occasions.
In June 2022, a 36 year-old man died in Lambhill Cemetery after his bike crashed into a headstone.
READ NEXT:Quad bike rider dies after crashing into headstone in Lambhill Cemetery in Glasgow
The crash took place early on a Sunday morning.
Margaret Meldrum, 75, was killed when Kurt Kilgour ran into her on a off-road quad bike in Knightswood.
Kilgour, 25, who had been drinking and taking drugs went on the road, mounted the pavement and crashed into Margaret who was walking to nearby shops.
READ NEXT:Quad bike driver pleads guilty to causing death in Glasgow's Knightswood
In November 2019 a man died after he crashed a quad bike.
David McMillan, 27, died after he struck traffic lights in Archerhill Road, Knightswood.
He had been riding on the road with two others on quad bikes at the time.
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel