'Mini Hell's Angels of Treforus!' (From South Wales Guardian)

'Mini Hell's Angels of Treforus!'

10:00am Monday 21st May 2012 in News

BETWS residents are being plagued by the twin menace of kids riding miniature scooters and mini motorbikes, community councillors have reported.

Andmembershavewarned it is only amatter of time before a rider or pedestrian is seriously injured. The issue was raised by Alderman Arnallt James, who said he knew of one man who had been knocked down by a scooter.

He added that he had seen miniature motorbikes being ridden around the old colliery site. “What if an accident happened up there?” he asked.

Pc Kevin Jones said it was a difficult problem to combat.

“These little scooters are not vehicles – they are toys,” he told members.

“It’s very difficult for us to do anything other than to tell these youngsters to slow down – sometimes it’s just like talking to a brickwall. As far as the law goes, this particular problem is very hard to address.”

Cllr Annette Price demanded to knowwhat action was being taken against “the mini Hell’s Angels of Treforus”.

Pc Jones said one of the machines had been sold and police had not received any recent complaints.

“If we could catch these kids on a public highway, we could take these bikes off them and crush them,” he added. “As far as quad bikes are concerned, they are legal and riders do not have to wear a helmet.

“What we’re talking here are miniature scrambler bikes. If they could find a patch of private property whichthey could use with the permission of the owner, then they’d be fine.”