‘If one of them goes out of control they would kill someone’
By Aimee Walsh
RESIDENTS of a local housing estate have expressed their concerns at the ongoing issue of scrambler bikes in the area.
One frustrated Glenview resident in Tallaght that contacted The Echo said, “It is only a matter of time before they kill somebody.
The end of the cul-de-sac was opened up in Glenview onto the N81
“The scramblers are here constantly, they come through almost every night I would say.
“My main problem is that the Council opened the end of the cul-de-sac to the dual carriageway, and never put back a gate.
“They come at such a high speed when they come in off the dual carriageway they fly across. I would like them to put an interior barrier. There is no need for it to be that open, it is just encouraging it.
“I have gone to reverse into the driveway and about five or six of them came down the footpath. When the last lockdown ended, I was with my grand-daughter and I had to jump out and try stop them, but my son said to not interfere with them.
“I feel that if one of them goes out of control they would kill somebody. I just cannot understand how these parents are letting them out. Shame on them.
“I have been constantly ringing and last night, the Guard said loads of your neighbours will be ringing us tonight to complain but our hands are tied.”
The issue of scrambler bikes has been ongoing and was raised by Councillor Charlie O’Connor at the Tallaght Area Committee Meeting last Monday, January 25.
In response to the question, the council said: “In 2017 [the council] convened a taskforce consisting of South Dublin County Council, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Dept of Justice, An Garda Siochana, the Road Safety Authority and Motocross Ireland to examine the issue of scramblers being driven in public parks and open spaces.
“We have been assured by the Dept of Justice that both ministers and the Garda Commissioner remain committed to finding a workable solution to this problem and in this regard we have been informed that there have been some recent seizures/prosecutions under the Road Traffic Acts which included seizures of scramblers in a public park.”
The Council added that there is not a requirement for new legislative powers to combat the issue of scramblers.
“In the absence of a need for new legislation, it is envisaged that an effective response to this anti-social behaviour will be informed by a combination of targeted enforcement measures, awareness raising, and youth engagement programmes.”
Despite this, legislation for new laws that will see quad bikes and scramblers banned from the roads and regulated off-road has been fast-tracked as priority as part of the Governments Spring legislative programme, which was published on January 13.
By subscribing to The Echo you are supporting your local newspaper Click Here: Echo Online.
TAGS news
