Cllr Aidan Mathers calls on Council to stop the unauthorised use of off-road vehicles on Council-owned land
Cllr Aidan Mathers calls on Council to stop the unauthorised use of off-road vehicles such as scramblers and four-wheeled buggies on Council-owned land belonging to Newry Mourne and Down District Council.
There are many key aspects to this, the main one being public liability… what happens if there is an accident ? Who is responsible ? Who coughs up ? The ratepayers ? So the council decided to go ‘into committee’ to privately discuss the important issue of public concern to many parents, neighbours and members of the public.
These ‘offenders’ are often thrill-seeking younger children and teenagers who enjoy the excitement but they can also cause noise nuisance.
But is this actually achievable to block these ‘offenders’ from racing around on their bikes and buggies? A lot of council property isn’t fenced off such as big parks and beaches, and probably notices and signs in the small print of officialdom may carry little truck in some areas with young bikers and racers. But something clearly needs to be done to get the situation under public safety control.
The timely motion just in advance of the summer holidays was received from Councillor Mathers and read to the chamber (but the discussion was held in private).
“Cllr Mathers read his motion saying: “That this Council notes the ongoing and widespread community concern regarding the dangerous and unauthorised use of scramblers, quad bikes and other off road vehicles on Council owned land, open spaces, parks and public pathways; that our parks and public spaces are vital resources for the people of Newry Mourne and Down, and should be protected, enhanced and kept safe for people; the increased risk these vehicles pose to members of the public, including children, older people, dog walkers and other users of shared public spaces; the sometimes considerable damage caused to green spaces and sports pitches by repeated off road vehicle activity and the negative effect this has on biodiversity and our local environment; that existing legislation which restricts the use of mechanically propelled vehicles on land without the landowner’s permission.
“This Council will proactively engage with police and the community to enforce this policy; audit all parks that are currently being used by these vehicles to ensure that entrance and exit points are properly secured and access to these sites are safe and pedestrian friendly.
“Calls on the Council to develop and enforce an implementation plan in collaboration with the PSNI and local stakeholders, including:
“Regular joint operations and patrols in hotspot areas.
“Clear reporting pathways for the public.
“Use of signage and all other appropriate deterrent measures.”
Down News will post the Council decision once its available after their marathon meeting which started at 6.30pm and ran until 10pm. But in the absence of a decision, it’s quite possible that the matter will be referred back to council officers to create a report to feed to the councillors at a subsequent meeting (unless of course that has already been done!) which would have saved a lot of time!
