Just before Christmas we reported
the sad news
that the famous Brighton Speed Trials looked in peril after the council refused permission for
Brighton and Hove Motor Club
to run the event. Not ones to take such a ruling lying down the club immediately set in motion a publicity campaign and petition to lobby the council into letting the event run.
And thanks to the 12,400 who signed the petition organised by Save The Brighton Speed Trials, 7,000-plus likes on the Facebook page and public support from the likes of Stirling Moss, Nick Mason and Tiff Needell it seems sense has prevailed and The Brighton Speed Trials will take place on September 6 this year. "After the council initially declined an application to run the event in 2014, its Economic Development and Culture Committee voted unanimously last night to allow the event to continue," says a press release from Brighton and Hove Motor Club.
The club credits the public support, including "online forum discussions" like the eight-page topic right here on PH, for helping convince the council that the Speed Trials were worth saving.
"The council has listened to its constituents and acted in the best democratic interest of the City of Brighton and Hove," says Tony Watts of BHMC. "We are thrilled to be able to now start the planning of the 2014 Brighton Speed Trial and the subsequent two years events. With the support we have had this year promises to be the best Speed Trials yet."
So here's to people power and a hearty well done to PHers who got behind the campaign. While we're on a roll maybe we should now turn our attention to that consultation for a 60mph limit on the M1...
Lead image: Joe Fry in his Freikaiserwagen at the 1948 Speed Trial from LAT Photo