Edinburgh crime: Police seize off-road motorbikes after spotting couple driving them on footpath in Wester Hailes

Police confiscated off-road motorbikes from a man and a woman, who were driving them on a footpath in Edinburgh.

On Wednesday afternoon, officers on patrol spotted the pair driving their motorbikes on the walkway in Murrayburn Place, Wester Hailes.

Police stopped the pair and seized their bikes. Both individuals were charged with offences under the Road Traffic Act.

The charge was announced in a Twitter post, where the two drivers were criticised for being “not very clever [..] or safe.”

Antisocial use of off-road bikes is a major issue in various locations across Edinburgh. Several locals have complained about feeling harassed or threatened by bikers driving in parks or on footpaths.

Police recently launched Operation Pillar to tackle this issue. They have introduced high visibility patrols at peak times and increased CCTV coverage to discourage the behaviour and help identify those responsible.

However, Councillor Ashley Graczyk, who represents the Sighthill/Gorgie ward, said her constituents had recently complained about a “lack of visibility from the police”.