A “RECKLESS” scooter rider has been caught on camera travelling into oncoming traffic on a major road in Bradford - with a toddler on his lap.

The biker, who also had a passenger on the back of the machine, can be seen on the footage going the wrong way along Harrogate Road, Eccleshill, after going round a roundabout, next to the Co-op store, on the wrong side.

The toddler was wearing a helmet, but neither the rider - who looked in his late teens - nor his other passenger were wearing any protective headgear.

The driver who captured the incident on his dashboard camera wanted to remain anonymous, but said: “I cannot believe there is someone out there who would drive head on into traffic with a little kid on the front like that.

“I cannot believe these people.”

The man - himself a father - added: “The one at the front is definitely a toddler. It is upsetting. I am just shocked, really shocked.

“I was totally, totally stunned. It is a bit of a blur.”

The incident happened at about 12.35pm yesterday as the driver approached the roundabout from the direction of Greengates.

He said all three on the bike looked in his direction, and added: “I think they were a bit frightened that I was going to go into them, but I also think they were taunting me a bit.

“They carried on straight along the same side of the road.”

The driver said the scooter did have a registration plate on the back, but that he was unable to read what the number was.

Sergeant Cameron Buchan, who is leading the Operation Steerside crackdown on dangerous driving in Bradford district, said the maximum number of people allowed on any motorcycle, by law, is two.

He added: “It is incredibly reckless and very worrying. They are all potentially at risk of harm and other motorists might have had to swerve to avoid them.

“There is also a small child on there - so they have put them at risk as well. It is irresponsible.

“They are increasing their chances of being in a road traffic collision and increasing their chances of being injured.”

He added: “It is an attitude thing. It is about us trying to change the attitude of motorists in the district. It is a tough challenge and we hope to meet it.”

Councillor Brendan Stubbs (Lib Dem, Eccleshill) said people like those in the video were blighting residents’ lives, and added: “It is impressive that they have not managed to kill themselves by now, some of these people.

“I have been pressing police about re-doubling their efforts on motorbikes and quads. We have seen an increase in these bikes and police have undertook to do more work around the area,

“That, and the blatant drug dealing you see on street corners, are the two things that residents are most fed up with.”

On nuisance bikers, he added: “They don’t care about the highway or the road rules. Every now and then you have one coming down at you on the pavement, or flying out of cul-de-sacs and snickets.

“All these people who are getting on motorbikes know whether they are abiding by the rules.

“You would hope that once they get to teenage years they would know better. It is quite distressing to think small children are being dragged around on these things.”

Cllr Stubbs urged people to keep reporting incidents to the police, and added: “I have raised it with police since the moment I was elected in May.

“It continues to be a problem. We have to keep reporting to police when we see these things.

“The people on these bikes know what is right and wrong. They know when they are doing wrong.

“It is dangerous to everybody. These are going down the wrong side of the road. It could end up with a more serious accident than a couple of kids falling off a bike.”

He added: “The least we can expect as drivers is other road users to follow the rules.”

Cllr Geoff Reid (Lib Dem, Eccleshill) also condemned the riders who were caught on camera.

“It is pretty dire,” said Cllr Reid. “We have had the business of them being on the wrong side of the road, but going round the roundabout the wrong way without helmets on and with a young child on the bike is different.

“It is very grim.”

He added: “It is just taking risks for all sorts of people because it is a busy junction. People are crossing the road as well there.

“It is just absolutely putting other people at risk - whatever the risk to themselves.”