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Police visit Schools to
talk about scrambler bikes
SCHOOL children in Sefton are
putting their artistic skills to the test to illustrate the dangers of
scrambler bikes, as Merseyside Police run a series of talks about scrambler
bikes.
The Force has set youngsters in 3 Schools, across South Sefton, the task of
creating posters to warn other young people of the dangers posed by off road
bikes as part of the talks.
The 10 winning designs will then be displayed at locations in and around the
Merseyside.
Scrambler bikes have been involved in the deaths of 5 youths aged 16 to 25,
over the past 3 years and Officers from Merseyside Police are determined to
reduce the damage the bikes cause to young people and their families in
Merseyside.
Police, an Emergency Department Sister from Alder Hey and Sefton Council
have all visited Year 6 pupils, aged 10 to 11, at Lander Road Primary
School, Bootle and Bedford Primary School, Bootle, on Thursday, 7 January
2015 and also visited Rimrose Hope Church of England Primary School,
Seaforth on Friday, 8 January 2015.
They are speaking to youngsters about the laws around scrambler bike use and
the dangers, as well as associated gang crime.
Roads Policing Inspector Ian Jones said it
is essential that youngsters are made aware of the dangers of scrambler
bikes at an early stage. He said:- "If we can make young people aware
of the dangers of getting involved in the illegal and anti-social use of
scrambler bikes, we are hopeful that when they are older they will see no
attraction in becoming involved with the gangs who use them. We know
scrambler bikes are used by people involved in serious and organised crime,
and their use has been linked to incidents in which firearms have been used.
That's why it is so vital that we change the attitudes of children to
hopefully influence their behaviour when they are a little older. It is also
important that parents understand the danger of their children riding on
scrambler bikes, so we want the youngsters involved in this project to go
home and speak to their families about what they have learned. The anti
social use of scrambler bikes causes massive annoyance and nuisance to law
abiding people in our communities. We hope activities such as this reassure
the public we are committed to driving the anti social use of off road bikes
out of Merseyside and I am confident the posters the children create will
deliver a powerful message to anyone considering using scrambler bikes
inappropriately. As well as seeing their work displayed around Merseyside,
the 10 winners will also enjoy a complimentary trip to PGL Winmarleigh Hall
Adventure Holidays, near the Forest of Bowland, and Uber have agreed to take
the children there free of charge. We hope that the experience of mixing
with children from other areas of Sefton will encourage youngsters from each
area to appreciate their neighbours and help build bridges between different
groups."
Councillor Trish Hardy, Sefton Council's Cabinet Member Communities and
Housing, said:- "We are delighted to be working in partnership with
many different agencies from across the borough in tackling the problem
which scrambling and anti-social behaviour can cause. This initiative will
enable the partnership to engage with young people before they could get
involved with such anti social behaviour and it encourages them to embrace
the principles of positive behaviour. We hope the programme will contribute
significantly to help young people use their time in a positive way."
Jo Noblet, Emergency Department Sister, at Alder Hey, added:- "We see
many young people pass through the doors of the Emergency Department at
Alder Hey who have received injuries as a result of using scrambler bikes,
including fractured bones, chest and abdominal injuries and serious head
injuries. I am delighted to have the opportunity to visit Schools in
Merseyside to try to change the attitudes of young people who may be drawn
to that lifestyle and hopefully reduce the number of teenagers attending the
emergency department. We know the majority of young people are responsible
so it is frustrating to see a minority hurting themselves and others through
the use of off road bikes. I can't wait to see the designs the children come
up with and hope they have a real impact on communities in Merseyside."
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