Flintshire Police to use drones in crackdown on illegal off-road bikes over half term

As the half-term break begins, Flintshire North Police are issuing a stern warning to anyone involved in illegal off-road biking.

In a post on Facebook, officers cautioned residents about an expected rise in anti-social behaviour, including off-road biking in unauthorised areas.

So far this year, Flintshire North Police have already seized 11 off-road bikes, and they are preparing to ramp up enforcement using drone technology.

The drones will help track offenders back to their home addresses, where police plan to not only confiscate the bikes but also issue fines to parents.

In a direct message to parents, the post read, “We will be utilising drones, we will use them to follow you back to your home address, where we will attend and not only take the bike – but also be issuing parents with traffic offence reports for using/causing/permitting the use of a motor vehicle without insurance and without a licence.”

Parents are being urged to ensure their children only use off-road bikes in designated areas, as allowing them to ride illegally could result in fines and penalty points on their own driving licences.

The police reminded the public that road safety is their top priority and advised families to take advantage of proper facilities for off-road biking.

“So for those parents, if you do not want points on your licence, we suggest you take your children to the proper facilities and not allow them on the road,” the post concluded.

With the enforcement measures set to tighten, Flintshire Police are encouraging all residents to cooperate and help reduce anti-social behaviour during the school holiday.