🚓 Off-road Bikes (Police Powers)

• Issue Addressed: The session focused on a Bill proposed by Luke Akehurst to address the problem of off-road bikes being driven dangerously and antisocially.

• Current Problem: Off-road bikes, including quad bikes, motorbikes, and electric motorbikes, are being used in ways that cause nuisance, damage, and injury. Despite knowing the location of these bikes, police cannot always seize them, particularly if they are stored in private dwellings.

• Proposed Solution: The Bill seeks to amend existing legislation (the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Police Reform Act 2002) to allow police to enter private dwellings to seize off-road bikes driven without insurance or in an antisocial manner.

• Legal Safeguards: Akehurst acknowledged that entering private homes is intrusive and emphasized the need for rigorous legal safeguards and proportionate use of this power.

• Public Support and Government’s Stance: The issue has been raised by many constituents and is a concern across the UK. The government has pledged to tackle antisocial behaviour and is planning to introduce a crime and policing Bill to destroy seized bikes quickly.

• Next Steps: The Bill was given leave to be brought into Parliament and will have its Second Reading on 7 March 2025.

The session transcript shows no disagreement among the members of the House. Luke Akehurst (North Durham) (Lab) introduced the Bill with a clear explanation and purpose, and the motion was put and agreed to without any recorded opposition or discussion from other members. The Bill was passed unanimously on its first reading, indicating a lack of disagreement during the session.