Cynon neighbourhood police continue to relentlessly pursue offenders riding off road bikes on roads and in our town centres.
The rider of this bike was 14 years old and not wearing a helmet, posing a significant risk of injury to themselves if they had an accident. It was also putting other members of the public at risk of harm.
This bike will now be crushed.
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Off-road motorbikes can only be ridden on private land with the landowner’s explicit, ideally written, permission. Using them on public land—including parks, pavements, bridleways, and beaches—is illegal under the Road Traffic Act 1988, allowing police to seize vehicles and potentially prosecute riders for dangerous or antisocial behaviour. The House of Commons Library +4
Key Legal Requirements:
- Private Land: You must have express permission from the landowner to ride. Riding on council-owned land is prohibited. Crimestoppers +1
- Public Highway/Green Lanes: To ride on roads or legal “green lanes” (publicly accessible unsealed roads), the bike must be road-legal: registered with the DVLA, taxed, insured, MOT’d, and equipped with lights, mirrors, and a horn. RideTo +1
- Rider Requirements: On public highways, riders must hold a valid driver’s license, valid insurance, and wear a helmet. Wyre Council
- Police Powers: Under Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002, police can seize vehicles being used in an antisocial manner, such as on footpaths or public land.
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‘We will be relentlessly focussed on getting public services right’- Kirsty Williams AM
