It is hoped creating designated sites for scrambler riders will make communities and riders safer
There has been a call for the creation of designated scrambler sites in Belfast in order to end their illegal use in communities across the city.
Police receive a report regarding the dangerous use of scramblers in Belfast two to three times a day with the issue putting road users, pedestrians and the riders themselves at risk of serious injury or death.
These vehicles, which can cost upwards of £5,000, are often not equipped for the roads and need to be properly maintained or they become even more dangerous as police and local representatives warn parents about buying and allowing their children to use scramblers.
READ MORE: Man, 80s, dies after collision involving pedestrian and vehicle in west BelfastREAD MORE: Two men arrested as teen remains in hospital after scrambler collision
The PSNI, working with Belfast City Council and Colin Neighbourhood Partnership in West Belfast launched a video this week highlighting the devastating impact that the illegal use of scramblers can have. It features Seamus Armstrong, who described the heartbreaking moment he lost his wife Valerie after she was hit by a scrambler in Colin Glen in July 2016.
The video also highlights the extensive efforts that police are taking to deal with illegal scramblers across Belfast, saying they will not pursue riders and are instead using helicopters to track their movements until they return home.
Another method to deal with the issue that has been described as a “scourge” on communities, is creating a designated site for scrambler users in the city. This has been supported by local representatives with the SDLP submitting a motion for the creation of at least one to Belfast City Council.
Officer William Kingsberry, who features in the video, told Belfast Live he would also be supportive of the creation of designated sites saying he was “not anti-scrambler at all, just against the bad use of scramblers”. He said that educating riders about the dangers is also vital and that when programmes are held in communities they notice a decline in reports.
The SDLP motion calls on the council to support the creation of a designated scrambler site and create a shortlist of potential locations.
West Belfast SDLP councillor and Deputy Lord Mayor Paul Doherty said: “Across Belfast, communities are living with the dangers scramblers bring. They are driven at speed through residential streets, across our parks, and along busy roads. This reckless behaviour puts lives at risk and leaves lasting damage to our green spaces. Tragically, in my own community, it has already cost lives. Families are worried, residents are frustrated, and people are demanding a solution. The time for action is now.
“Over an 18-month period, police dealt with more than 1,300 scrambler-related incidents in Belfast. That is two or three every single day. This is not an isolated problem; it is a constant, city-wide issue.
“What we need is a structured programme and a dedicated site that can make a real difference. That means:
- diverting young people away from offending behaviour
- rehabilitating those already caught up in crime
- providing vocational training and learning opportunities
- creating a safe, managed environment that removes scramblers from our streets and parks
“This is about more than enforcement. It is about changing the culture, tackling the dangers head-on, and giving young people structure, responsibility and safer choices.”
West Belfast Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey said that parents need to take responsibility in helping to end the “scourge” of illegal scrambler use.
He said following the launch of the new safety video: “This shows the consequences that illegal scrambler use can have. Seamus, who tragically lost his wife, showed the impact of this and I know it would have been difficult for him to speak about it.
“This is a scourge in our community, a scourge on our roads and a scourge to pedestrians and it is a problem right across the city that is not isolated to West Belfast.”
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