Mini motos, scrambler type motorbikes & quads

Antisocial use of motor vehicles.

 The police have wide ranging powers to deal with people who use their vehicles in an antisocial manner. Apart from prosecuting offenders for motoring offences that could lead to being disqualified from driving, the police can also rely on a power to seize motor vehicles using Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002. The keeper of the vehicle will be liable for recovery/storage costs when they eventually get the vehicle back.

Section 59 also covers any such use of a motor vehicle off-road, such as common land, moorland, bridle paths, footpaths, tracks and fields. An official complaint does not even have to be received by the police for them to enforce the law.

Mini moto's, scrambler type motorbikes & quads are regarded as ‘motor vehicles’ by the government and must be constructed to a specific standard in order to be ridden on a public highway.

What is ‘off-road’?

 Section 34 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 makes it an offence to drive any vehicle on any common land, moorland or land of any other description, not being land forming part of a road, or any road being a footpath, bridle way or restricted byway apart from some exceptions like to save a life! If a vehicle is used in this way, the police can seize it immediately or they may serve a notice to the owner and driver/rider. The notice warns all concerned that if the vehicle is used again in that way by anyone, on that occasion, it will be seized. It also warns the offending driver that if they drive or ride in the same way during the next year, the vehicle they are using may be seized - whoever it belongs to.

For the latest crime prevention advice visit: www.westmercia.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/

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For crimes in progress call 999. 

For non-emergencies report online: www.westmercia.police.uk/report.

 If you are unable to report online, you can contact the police via the 101 non-emergency number.

Thank you,

Shrewsbury East & West Safer Neighbourhood Teams