Shadow Transport Minister Michael Fahy has withdrawn his remarks on the bike bill, conceding that the PLP never intended for those breaching a teen rider curfew to be imprisoned – and that jail time had never been listed as a proposed punishment.

The UBP senator had initially criticised the PLP for what he saw as "draconian" measures to clamp down on dangerous teen riders, citing jail time as part of the amendment. Premier Ewart Brown issued a statement to clarify matters following Sen. Fahy's comments, saying: "There is no reason to believe teen riders or their parents will be jailed as a result of the proposed Auxiliary Bicycles Amendment Act. As it relates to parents, there is no new penalty measure in this proposed legislation.

"Parents face the same potential punishment for the actions of their children they have always faced and as far as I know no parent has ever gone to jail based on the road infractions of their children. The amendments to the Act do not change this."

However, Sen. Fahy maintained that the bill initially contained reference to imprisonment, claiming that the PLP had removed jail terms from the list of punishments for breaking curfew after their Wednesday caucus meeting.

On Friday, he accepted his mistake, saying: "I would like to take this opportunity to withdraw remarks made about the Auxiliary Bicycles Amendment (No. 2) Act and the issue of discretionary jail sentences for young people who breach 'curfew' in respect of the use of auxiliary cycles and those people who cause or allow young people to breach the 'curfew'."

"Upon further consultation with my colleagues, it is accepted that imprisonment is not a proposal; rather those that cause or allow young people to breach the curfew could be taken off the road for a period of time."

"There of course remains the issue that there is a potential under the Bill as currently drafted that parents may be taken off the road due to the actions of their children. This is a form of parental responsibility legislation. Of course, if fines remained unpaid by people who cause or allow a young person to breach the auxiliary cycle curfew then there remains the possibility of a jail term being imposed by the courts."

The Auxiliary Bicycles Amendment Bill Act will make it an offence for any person under 18 to ride a moped between midnight and 5 a.m. Those breaking the curfew will face a fine up to $300 and five to seven demerits.