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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Jacob Farr

Dangerous Edinburgh dirt bike rider pulls rash one-handed stunt while overtaking

A fed up resident has spoken of their dismay as antisocial youth bikers running amok in his community.

The resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, captured footage on their dashboard of a youth doing a wheelie on a dirt bike on Broomhouse Road.

The incident is understood to have taken place on April 29 2022 at around 2:30pm.

In the footage, a motorbike can be seen racing down the road before performing a wheelie with one hand while overtaking the cars in front.

This takes place just in front of the sports pavilion that is used by local sport teams in the Sighthill/Broomhouse community.

The driver that captured the dash cam footage said that the issue has is getting worse.

They said: “It has become significantly worse over the past couple of years and probably since the first lockdown.

“Now I'm seeing it with cars as well. I saw a car that looked like it had been dragged off the scrap heap, no reg plates, being thrashed around the Bankhead Drive area.

“It was pipping the place up, belting black smoke all over the place.

“Does someone have to die before action is taken? Is that what we're waiting on?

“Generally it's just ridiculous that the police are "Not Allowed" to chase them.

“Why are they not allowed to do their job? That needs to change.

“They changed the law in England to allow it. So they should follow suit here as well.

“It's a major worry because these people just don't give a s**t. It is totally reckless.

“If they scrape your car you think they're stopping to exchange details?

“If they knock over your granny, your dog or your cat. You think they're going to stop? Of course not.

“There is absolutely no point in reporting it to the police anyway. I have done so before with other reckless and dangerous driving but they just fob you off.

“So I don't waste my time anymore.”

Local councillor Ashley Graczyk said that she has been receiving a number of complaints from residents in the area and has said that she has been working alongside her colleagues and Police Scotland to try to find a solution.

Cllr Graczyk has said that she shares the concerns of residents that the problem does not seem to be getting any closer to be resolved and has chased the issue of bikes being confiscated from the drivers.

She said: "I have received a lot of complaints about concerning anti-social behaviour and vandalism in Sighthill, Broomhouse and the surrounding areas, including our public parks.

“There have also been reports of a woman being attacked with stones, and riders going about on E-bikes, E-Scooters and, of course, the off-road motorbikes in our parks, roads and pavements.

“I have again made it very clear to Edinburgh Police Division that there are many angry and concerned residents contacting me as well as on local social media community groups, and I have highlighted that there is a feeling of nothing is being done due to the lack of obvious progress.

“I have also shared how many residents are wondering why none of the bikes have been confiscated yet and are concerned at the lack of visibility from the police in our community especially for community engagement and patrolling.

“Due to some conversations between the police and councillors that have to be restricted, I’m limited in what I can share.

“But what I can say is, the police are as keen as many others to take these off-road motorbikes off the users for a number of reasons and they have not given up, and they do understand the impact this has, on not only in our local area, but also the physical and mental health of those using the parks for exercise and leisure.

“The police are continuing with their lines of investigations and enquiries and are working with the council and other agencies."

Cllr Graczyk urged anyone who witnesses such anti-social behaviour to contact police by phone or online - www.scotland.police.uk/secureforms/contact/.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "As always, we’d urge anyone with concerns about antisocial driving to call 101."

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