Queensland Police respond after England stars spotted breaking the law
Queensland Police have responded after a handful of England stars were caught on camera breaking the road rules of the State.
Queensland Police have responded after England cricketers were sprung with photos appearing to show captain Ben Stokes and teammates breaching the State’s road rules.
Photos of the English skipper have raised eyebrows after he was seen riding through Brisbane on an e-scooter without a helmet on.
The images of Stokes and teammate Mark Wood on their light vehicles have made headlines in the UK with The Telegraph reporting the pair “risked the wrath of Australia’s stringent police”.
On Tuesday afternoon, Queensland Police responded to the images with a statement provided to news.com.au.
“The Queensland Police Service (QPS) are aware of images being circulated of persons riding e-scooters without helmets within the Brisbane area,” the statement read.
“Officers have since engaged with those persons to inform and educate them on compliance requirements associated with E-mobility devices in Queensland.
“The QPS continues to actively engage with communities across the state to promote safe practices, educate users on compliance requirements, and enforce road rules when appropriate to reduce the risks posed by unsafe and non-compliant use associated with E-mobility devices, including E-bikes, personal mobility devices (PMDs) or e-scooters, and electric motorbikes.”
The photo drama is one of several public relations battles the team is fighting ahead of the second Test at the Gabba, beginning Thursday.
English wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was also spotted appearing to be without a helmet as he roamed the streets alongside his teammates.
Under Queensland’s transport operations road use rules, helmets are mandatory for all e-scooters, e-bikes and other personal mobility devices.
Smith was also riding a “Lime” e-scooter which had a helmet attached to the vehicle’s stem.
Section 256A(1) of the road use laws state riders without a helmet can face fines of up to $166.
Stokes’ scooter was notably branded as a “Lime” e-scooter that are accessible all over South East Queensland.
The most glaring detail spotted in the photos are the sight of Wood riding around with a leg brace and what appears to be a compression bandage.
The star fast-bowler is expected to be ruled out of the second Test after noticing soreness in his left knee following his nightmare first Test in Perth where he finished with figures of 0/44, having bowled just 11 overs as Travis Head blasted Australia to a 1-0 series lead.
Wood had surgery on the same knee in March.
He was battling to prove his fitness ahead of the first Test with England officials admitting he noticed “stiffness” in his left hamstring in the days leasing up to Day 1 of the series.
He looked far from ready to manage the demands of Test cricket when cruising the streets in Brisbane on Monday riding a granny-mobile sitting scooter.
This is far from the first case of English cricketers breaching local road rules during an Ashes Tour.
Kevin Pietersen was fined A$239 for speeding in a Lamborghini on the outskirts of Melbourne during the 2010/11 series.
Stokes, meanwhile, was back in action for England when taking part in the team’s first night-time training session at the Gabba ahead of the pink ball Test.
Stokes has come under fire for the team’s refusal to play in the England Lions’ tour match against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra.
The day-night Test was scheduled as an ideal practice match for English players to prepare for the pink ball — but the team’s top squad all skipped the match to head straight to Brisbane.
Sir Geoffrey Boycott and Sir Ian Botham have both criticised England’s preparation this series.
After losing the first Test in the team’s typically manic “Bazball” fashion inside two days, Boycott said the team’s refusal to make strategic changes was “stupid” and “brainless”.
“They never learn, because they never listen to anyone outside their own bubble, because they truly believe their own publicity,” Boycott wrote in a column for The Telegraph.
Stokes on Sunday bristled at suggestions the team is “arrogant”.
“You can call us rubbish, call us whatever you want to be and we didn’t have the Test match we wanted to,” Stokes said.
“Again, we were great in passages of that game but I think arrogant might be a little bit too far; that’s OK, we’ll take the rough with the smooth.
“Arrogant, sometimes, you’re a bit like, ‘Ugh’. I am not too sure about that one.”
Boycott has since taken another swipe at the under-fire all-rounder.
“It doesn’t help our chances of success if Ben Stokes keeps encouraging our batsmen to attack, attack with one finger hovering over the self-destruct button,” Boycott wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.
“Nobody is asking the players to stop being positive because they have given us some marvellous, thrilling and entertaining cricket. All we ask is for them to use their brains and realise there are times when they should throttle back and be aware of situations and bat accordingly.”
Australia heads to Brisbane brimming with confidence, having not lost to England at the Gabba since 1986.
England is till looking for its first Test victory on Australian soil since the 2010/11 series.
In the 17 Tests since that series, England has a record of zero wins, two draws and 15 defeats.
— with AFP
Originally published as Queensland Police respond after England stars spotted breaking the law
See the pics: England officially on the beers
