MPs Back Licence for Quad-Bike ‘Bungee’ Tracks

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

An urgent proposal to create a legal category for quad-bike circuits has been approved by MPs after operators of so-called ‘bungee’ tracks were ordered to shut because no licence exists for the activity.

 The Council of Representatives agreed on Tuesday to an urgent motion calling on the government to register ‘operation of bungee tracks – Bungee Vehicles / 4Wheel’ as a new activity under the Renting and leasing of recreational and sports goods register. The change is intended to give existing operators a clear legal route to resume work and to bring these tracks under a formal permit system. In Bahrain, ‘bungee vehicles’ is the term widely used for four-wheeled quad bikes.

The proposal was lodged by MP Mamdouh Al Saleh, Second Deputy Speaker Ahmed Qarata, MP Mahmood Fardan, MP Jalal Kadhem and MP Abdulwahid Qarata. Their explanatory memorandum links the move to the recent growth of Bahrain’s tourism sector, which they say has expanded in step with government plans to widen leisure options, diversify income sources and improve quality of life.

They note that quad-bike circuits using four-wheel all-terrain vehicles have become common in destinations such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and several East Asian countries. When run in a purpose-built arena with recognised safety measures, the memorandum states, these tracks attract young people, families and visitors looking for a controlled thrill.

According to the MPs, Bahrain already has sites that have offered this type of attraction for years. Those operators, they say, were recently told to close by the competent authorities because there is no specific licence category for quad-bike circuits. At present, there is no listing in the Renting and leasing of recreational and sports goods register that would allow permits to be issued for this activity.

The memorandum states that this gap in the system has created economic pressure for the owners of these small projects, whose income depends mainly on running the tracks. It adds that operators have expressed full readiness to meet any legal and technical conditions once a proper licensing channel is available.

The MPs argue that the absence of an official classification for the activity is the main reason for the shutdowns, rather than any failure to comply by the operators. Leaving the sector without a clear status, they warn, risks pushing some activity outside formal oversight.

They say bringing ‘operation of bungee tracks – 4Wheel’ into the register would place quad-bike circuits on a firm legal footing and allow the authorities to set clear safety rules and operating standards. According to the memorandum, this would support local small and medium-sized businesses that rely on the tracks as a main income source and would help keep unsafe makeshift venues out of the market.

The authors also argue that recognising quad-bike circuits as a formal activity would add to Bahrain’s pull as a tourist destination by offering an entertainment option already familiar and popular elsewhere. It would, they add, open up new economic opportunities in line with wider plans to diversify revenue and raise the tourism sector’s share of the economy.

The proposal urges the government to move quickly to add the four-wheel quad-bike circuit activity, known locally as ‘bungee tracks’, to the Renting and leasing of recreational and sports goods register and to allow