Debate contribution: Antisocial Scrambler and e-Scooter Use

Debate contribution by Ms Cheryl Brownlee on 21 April 2026.

MLA

Ms Cheryl Brownlee

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

21 April 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Antisocial Scrambler and e-Scooter Use

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5497966

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. Only last week, I received video footage of a young child and his father walking from their home to the car. As the child stepped on to the footpath, a scrambler came past at speed. Only the quick reactions of the father in pulling him back prevented what could have been a devastating incident in my constituency. Sadly, we have lost lives because of such incidents. Today's debate is really important, because we have come together to discuss something that really matters to people on the ground. It is not even about potential loss of life, because there has been loss of life. It is about what we are doing to ensure that we make real, tangible changes that will genuinely make a difference. As a public representative, I am extremely frustrated, as, I am sure, are all of us in the Chamber. Parents are in distress. Communities are getting angry. Whilst we can all sit here and, as I certainly do, encourage reporting to the PSNI, we know rightly that it does not have enough powers to deal effectively with this growing problem. I do not think that any of us wants to stand here in another few months, there having been another death that could have been prevented. Between 2021 and 2025, there have been 176 road traffic collisions involving e-scooters, in which 51 people were seriously injured. This is our opportunity to discuss that and to act here today. We know that, at present, there are clear limitations on what the PSNI can do. Officers are often unable to pursue due to risk to life, particularly on footpaths and greenways. Offenders know and exploit that, and, in some cases, they actively seek the chase as though they get from it some sort of weird enjoyment. They are confident that, even if they are caught, the consequences will be minimal. That is where technology such as drones could be utilised to better address the issue through the use of aerial monitoring to track and pursue offenders properly.

In the first three months of 2026, 22 vehicles were seized. That is good news, but, often, the reality is that a small fine is paid, and then they are back out on the streets, and the hands of the police are again tied. That is little deterrent. The situation has to change. Police need the powers to properly seize, retain and, where necessary, dispose of the vehicles.

For you, anything.

Thank you. I absolutely agree. We have that technology. The PSNI has it. It is about how the technology is utilised not only in this instance but in other areas where we should look to technology to make things safer and ensure that we get the response right, keep people safe at the time and get it across the line. We definitely need to look at using that technology much more. We know that what we are discussing is not some hypothetical but is happening on our streets across Northern Ireland, although it may be happening in some areas more than others. We have all seen the footage of scramblers and e-scooters being driven recklessly through residential areas, which puts pedestrians, drivers and, indeed, those riders at risk. It makes me feel awful when an older person or somebody with a disability is terrified to go out of their home because of that. When somebody is scared to leave their property because of e-scooters or scramblers, we have to come down hard on it and ensure that we do as much as possible. As we know, such behaviour is not harmless. It is dangerous, illegal and deeply destructive to all communities, and people deserve to feel safe in the communities in which they live. Our amendment is about closing the gap between the scale of the problem and the powers that are available to deal with it. If we are serious about tackling antisocial behaviour, we need to be prepared to match enforcement with legislation, innovation, resourcing and, of course, education. Education is critical. I am a big believer in diversionary programmes: I have seen them in my constituency and know that they work well. It is about working together. No single method will solve the problem. It is about how we utilise all of them together to make the biggest impact. My colleague David Brooks, whom my colleague Phillip Brett mentioned, could not be here today, but he is at the forefront of the issue in his constituency of East Belfast, which has been particularly affected by the issue. The amendment that we have tabled was shaped by that engagement with local communities and front-line teams, grounded in practical experience, and it was tabled in a genuine effort to find solutions. Communities have waited long enough. The amendment provides practical but proportionate steps to restore safety and confidence in our communities. Let us send a really strong message. I urge Members to support our amendment.

832 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:26 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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