Scramblers are 'killer machines', warns Cork City councillor

Garda chief says road traffic legislation applies to scramblers regarding driving licences and insurance 'because they are mechanically propelled vehicles under the Road Traffic Act and the NCT rules and regulations apply as well'.

A Cork city councillor said scramblers were “killer machines” which would end up injuring a child “or worse”.

Worker’s Party councillor Ted Tynan was speaking at the Cork City Joint Policing Committee meeting, which also heard concerns about a dramatic increase in the number of vehicles stolen across the city since the start of the year.

Cllr Tynan told the meeting he received three phone calls on Monday morning from the Avonmore Park and Mount Brosna area of Mayfield about the amount of scrambler activity in recent days.

He said: "Youngsters, some of them not even old enough to go on a pushbike, are driving these machines. Some of them have their younger brother or sister then sitting up on the bike with them. They are racing along on footpaths and greens. 

"I got a call from a woman who had to rush outside and bring her children in from the green and put them inside the locked gate of their front garden for safety.” 

He added: “They are potentially killer machines. It is only a matter of time before we get a report of a child badly injured or worse by one of these machines.” 

Chief Superintendent Tom Myers said the city’s community policing unit were working on the ground in relation to the issue, which he said was a very serious matter.

He stressed that road traffic legislation applies to scramblers regarding driving licences and insurance “because they are mechanically propelled vehicles under the Road Traffic Act and the NCT rules and regulations apply as well.”

Chief Supt Myers continued: “They are very powerful machines and could cause very, very serious, if not fatal, accidents.” 

63 vehicles stolen in Cork

Meanwhile, Chief Supt Myers said 63 vehicles were stolen between January 1 and February 28 in Cork City. The figure included 32 motorcycles, he said. The figure was a 320% increase on the same period last year.

He said motorcycles were being accessed too easily by thieves and are “being used for a joyride” before being abandoned.

He urged vehicle owners not to leave their keys lying around in visible places in their homes and to ensure doors of homes are locked to prevent people going in to steal keys.

He welcomed a reduction in the number of thefts from vehicles.

The meeting was also told gardaí have arrested 17 people for begging in the city centre in the past seven days.