MP calls to tackle off-road vehicles terrorising Darlington

Peter Gibson, Conservative MP for Darlington, spoke in a Westminster debate to highlight the issue.

He spoke about how the vehicles have been designed for rural farmland and should not be used on the streets.

Mr Gibson described how hundreds of people had come to him about the issue.

He said: "One such threat to people’s feeling of safety and security is anti-social behaviour, and in particular the use of illegal off-road vehicles. 

"These types of vehicles are great pieces of equipment for going scrambling on, or for getting around rural farmland.

"However, they were not designed to be used on our streets, by people intent on causing terror and fear.  They were not designed to be used by criminals wearing balaclavas or masks to evade police detection. 

"They were not designed to create a noise nuisance and safety fear in our community."

The MP did praise the work of Durham Police and the Darlington Borough Council Civic Enforcement Team.

Both teams are focused on gathering information about the people to stop them offending.

Mr Gibson recommended to the Minister for Policing, Chris Philp, further funding for police forces and 101 services, tracking such vehicles and stopping offenders being able to purchase them to re-offend.

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He also suggested the vehicles should be destroyed promptly after being seized from the culprits.

Minister Philp responded by stating that the Government is committed to stricter sentences for offenders to deter this type of behaviour.

He particularly focused on the expansion of the Criminal Justice Bill which will give police greater powers over face coverings.