RE: Closed road motorsport: approved!
Friday 11th July 2014
You may remember a few months back the MSA convinced Culture, Media and Sport secretary Maria Miller to launch a campaign promoting more motorsport on public roads in Britain. Rather than having to resort to an Act of Parliament, they wanted local authorities to be able to suspend the Road Traffic Act independently. It was only possible in Ireland, the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland.
Any suggestions?Today on a visit to the new Williams F1 HQ, Prime Minister David Cameron has confirmed a change in the law will happen giving 'power to suspend speed limits and some traffic regulations, in certain conditions'. He said it was "great" for motorsport and would mean "more races, more events and more money coming into our country".
Closed road motorsport: approved!
MSA lobbying sees PM allow local authorities to close roads
Any suggestions?
It's not that often a change in the law proves advantageous to motorists, but it would seem this move should appeal to PHers nationwide. More freedom for authorities should mean additional local involvement at events, whether that be marshalling, spectating or racing. It's hardly as if Britain wants for decent country roads, is it?
The benefits could of course extend to two wheels, with more motorbike races possible as well. Dare we mention the Birmingham Superprix?
Anyway, the decision appears good news for now. More as we have it.
Discussion
Brilliant news, but I don't think legislation was really the only issue in the way of closed road motor sport in the UK. So many consultations have to take place with local residents and the like that it is almost certain that someone will complain and their reasons have to be listened to by the local council etc.
There was due to be a Kart race in Cheltenham with electric karts, but it was stopped not because of legislation, but because of one residents group who complained about it.
Still, a step in the right direction!
There was due to be a Kart race in Cheltenham with electric karts, but it was stopped not because of legislation, but because of one residents group who complained about it.
Still, a step in the right direction!
Timing is everything though I am not sure we will qualify; I have been trying today to organise a road closure for our soap box race next June. Having been passed from County to Region and Borough Councils to get permissions and having to quote an obscure 1847 Town and Police Clauses Act to the borough I have now established that they are going to want their pound of flesh to take my enquiry!!
I've organised the website so far, discussed the charities which are going to be the beneficiaries (Ashgate Hospice and Clic Sargent) and will be moving this forward in the next few weeks.
I've organised the website so far, discussed the charities which are going to be the beneficiaries (Ashgate Hospice and Clic Sargent) and will be moving this forward in the next few weeks.
Edited by aarondbs on Friday 11th July 16:35
Where I live in Mid Wales we have a rally organised by the local rally club go past once a year, usually in the early hours of the morning (midnight to say 4am).
My old home, around 30 miles away, there ended up being a fatal involving someone being driven to hospital. The organizers said they had stopped the race upon being called, but clearly there were still a couple of cars on 'track'.
Here I'm not even totally sure that they seal off the road. Residents are warned in advance, but we have seen cars heading down the road against the flow of the race which suggests to me that tourists/visitors to the area are not always kept off the roads (there are hundreds of small lanes that join the course).
The actual rally cars here are essentially bangers, they are pretty slow 80s/90s scrapheaps with a cage thrown in and made as loud as possible. They are impossibly loud for the speed they actually go, but for one night a year that is perfectly acceptable if that is where people's passion lays.
What is far more worrying is that you hear and see these exact cars 'practicing' at least a few times a week on this road, sometimes even months outside of the event times. Being the middle of the night in a fairly rural area, they know they are highly unlikely to get caught.
What's probably most annoying of all about these events is that there are hundreds of miles of forestry fireroad around here that the clubs could just as easily use.
I'm only in favor of these events if organizers take their duties of safety to the general public and local residents very seriously, and local police are willing to keep a very close eye on the 'course' in the preceding and following months.
My old home, around 30 miles away, there ended up being a fatal involving someone being driven to hospital. The organizers said they had stopped the race upon being called, but clearly there were still a couple of cars on 'track'.
Here I'm not even totally sure that they seal off the road. Residents are warned in advance, but we have seen cars heading down the road against the flow of the race which suggests to me that tourists/visitors to the area are not always kept off the roads (there are hundreds of small lanes that join the course).
The actual rally cars here are essentially bangers, they are pretty slow 80s/90s scrapheaps with a cage thrown in and made as loud as possible. They are impossibly loud for the speed they actually go, but for one night a year that is perfectly acceptable if that is where people's passion lays.
What is far more worrying is that you hear and see these exact cars 'practicing' at least a few times a week on this road, sometimes even months outside of the event times. Being the middle of the night in a fairly rural area, they know they are highly unlikely to get caught.
What's probably most annoying of all about these events is that there are hundreds of miles of forestry fireroad around here that the clubs could just as easily use.
I'm only in favor of these events if organizers take their duties of safety to the general public and local residents very seriously, and local police are willing to keep a very close eye on the 'course' in the preceding and following months.
m444ttb said:
Has anyone found any negative response to this yet? I can imagine certain organisations saying how roads are there for all tax payers, are there for transporting hard working families and wont for the love of god someone think of the children.
great news
You don't have to look far.great news
From a forum very near here.....
'Sorry, but no. I value being able to get out of my house. It was bad enough with all the bloody cycle races making me effectively a prisoner in my own home, without any consultation...'
see the other thread.
Personally I think it will be a mixed blessing for all sorts of complex reasons.
Thank god!! Its about time!
This has been irritating me for a while now. Doubtless there will be millions of complaints and petitions from professional bitter-faced whiners but why shouldn't we get to enjoy our hobby as much as any others get to enjoy theirs.
I'm not a big fan of road cycling for example but I understand that to some people it is a fantastic and enjoyable hobby so I treat road cyclists with courtesy and let them crack on. And when there is an event like the Grand Depart and hundreds of miles of largely major British roads are closed I don't campaign against it attempting to have it banned or curse all road cyclists I accept it and even support it (because that's the British way )
However it would be nice for other people to treat our hobby (cars/motor sport) with the same respect.
The difference is of course cycling is a socially acceptable activity and can therefore do no wrong, so it doesn't matter if people disagree with it or not but motor sport is an easy target because it is the preserve of irresponsible, antisocial, hooligans hell bent on destroying the planet and killing everyone by doing more than 43 mph and using more than 40% of the available rev range so the chances of miles of public road being closed off so people can drive fast (safely) is almost inconceivable and its F***ING irritating as well as a real shame.
Who can and cant enjoy their hobby should not be dictated by (ill formed) social perceptions.
I hope this new bit of legislation will change that and that we will finally be allowed to indulge in our hobby in the same way other can. Its only fair after all.
This has been irritating me for a while now. Doubtless there will be millions of complaints and petitions from professional bitter-faced whiners but why shouldn't we get to enjoy our hobby as much as any others get to enjoy theirs.
I'm not a big fan of road cycling for example but I understand that to some people it is a fantastic and enjoyable hobby so I treat road cyclists with courtesy and let them crack on. And when there is an event like the Grand Depart and hundreds of miles of largely major British roads are closed I don't campaign against it attempting to have it banned or curse all road cyclists I accept it and even support it (because that's the British way
)However it would be nice for other people to treat our hobby (cars/motor sport) with the same respect.
The difference is of course cycling is a socially acceptable activity and can therefore do no wrong, so it doesn't matter if people disagree with it or not but motor sport is an easy target because it is the preserve of irresponsible, antisocial, hooligans hell bent on destroying the planet and killing everyone by doing more than 43 mph and using more than 40% of the available rev range so the chances of miles of public road being closed off so people can drive fast (safely) is almost inconceivable and its F***ING irritating as well as a real shame.
Who can and cant enjoy their hobby should not be dictated by (ill formed) social perceptions.
I hope this new bit of legislation will change that and that we will finally be allowed to indulge in our hobby in the same way other can. Its only fair after all.
iloveboost said:
That's good news and it should mean more road rallies with some hopefully near to me. 
Any chance that this will increase the chance of getting a UK Nurburgring?
road Rallies are the last thing that's going to benefit from this!.Any chance that this will increase the chance of getting a UK Nurburgring?
I suggest you check out what a road rally is and not take your information from ignorant press reports.
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