Complete scramblers on Irish roads ban coming ‘imminently’ vows minister pushing for law to have seized bikes destroyed

A TOTAL ban on scramblers on public roads will be passed “imminently”, Minister for Road Safety Sean Canney vowed.

And he said that he will be pushing for new laws to make sure seized bikes are “destroyed” rather than being returned to their owners.

The Government has been urged to move quickly to ban scramblers after the tragic death of Grace Lynch, 16, on Sunday.

Grace died in hospital after she suffered catastrophic injuries after being hit by the scrambler while crossing a road in Finglas on the way to meet her boyfriend.

Her heartbroken mum has told how “life will never be the same” as hundreds of mourners gathered for her funeral in Dublin today.

Following her death, the Government has faced pressure to rush through legislation to ban the bikes – with aims for it to come into force in the coming weeks.

Minister Canney, told The Irish Sun: “You won’t see them on public roads or in public parks.

“If they’re to be used, they’re to be used in places where they were always intended to be used, for racing and not as a mode of transport.”

Canney said that enforcement of existing laws on scramblers has been hindered by a shortage of gardai on the streets, although numbers are now growing.

When asked why gardai have failed to seize scramblers in the past, the TD said that often it is too dangerous to chase thugs driving quickly on the bikes.

But he said cops do have the power to seize the bikes when they are parked.

The Independent TD for Galway East added that destroying seized scramblers will mean that there are consequences for those who use the bikes illegally.

He said this would also discourage parents from buying dangerous bikes and e-scooters for their kids and registering them in their name.

He added: “I think it’s important that we take them off them and that they don’t get them back or the parents don’t get them back, because they’re breaking the law.”

‘PUTS EVERYONE AT RISK’

And Minister Canney has his sights set on cracking down on souped-up e-scooters along with scramblers.

He said that some can travel at up to 50kph, 30kph over the legal speed limit for an e-scooter.

He explained that people using these e-scooters need to understand that they are a machine that can kill them and others.

The Deputy said: “I would appeal to all parents to realise that if they buy an e-scooter for a child who is under 16 years of age, they’re breaking the law.

“They’re putting their child at risk and putting the general public at risk as well.”