Call for mini motorbike ban

Safety campaigners today called for fashionable miniature motorbikes to be banned from the roads.

Thousands of 2ft tall "Monkey Bikes" - which cost around ?2,000 and have a top speed of less than 30mph - have been sold in the UK in the last year.

Robbie Williams is the proud owner of one of the two-wheelers, which have become increasingly popular with teenagers.

But The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents today said they are a danger and should be banned.

The news comes the day after a fouryearold boy was killed when his 50cc bike collided with a car in Belfast.

Under the current law riders must be over 16 - and hold a provisional licence - before they can take a Monkey Bike out on the roads.

But in reality there are no checks to prevent under-age riders and little understanding of the law associated with the toy-like bikes.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at RoSpa, said: "Even if they are legal to ride on the road we are concerned that their small size will make it harder for drivers to see the riders - especially in traffic and at junctions." He added: "The small bikes are more appropriate for off-road use, but even then they need to be used in controlled environments so riders don't endanger others. We are also concerned that users will not be trained to use this specific type of bike."

The Japanese Monkey Bike, which cost up to ?1,895, was created by Honda during the Sixties. The Duke of Edinburgh is a fan, and is said to race round Windsor Park on his model.

David Blackwell, managing director of Monkey Bike UK, said the problem was the cheap imitations of the bike which are now flooding the market.

"Every Jack-the-lad is selling them down the car boot and that's where some of this market is going at the moment," he said.

"Half a dozen are getting together, putting in ?5,000 a piece to buy a container full of them before flogging them at a boot sale to the public, without documentation or the proper training.

"With the lack of quality and the fact they are being sold out of the back of Transit vans there are certainly issues over their safety."

Monkey Bikes are a particular problem in Kew, according to Liberal Democrat councillor Jane Arneil, of Richmond council. She has had several complaints from residents who say the bikes are so small they are hard to see from behind the wheel.

She says: "I have asked police to educate and stop the youths from playing this dangerous, illegal game and also to target any shops that may be selling the bikes inappropriately."