Grand Prix style events on English roads get go-ahead
Discussion
Bizarre that this is even a thing. Almost everywhere else in the world has closed road events to the huge benefit of local economies. I don't give a s
t about F1 but events like the Tour of Mull provide a huge boon to areas out of season. And where would the Isle of Man be without road closures?
t about F1 but events like the Tour of Mull provide a huge boon to areas out of season. And where would the Isle of Man be without road closures?Jonmx said:
If there were some legislation introduced to cover using public roads for racing that encompassed cyclists.
There is the Cycle Racing on the Highways Regulations (1960, 1995)...Jonmx said:
Whilst I don't know too much about road rallying, I assume the organisers are responsible enough to ensure that their events don't break any laws.
Top trolling?
Yipper said:
Very bad news for racetrack owners. They are now going to be competing with street-circuits as well as other racetracks. For example, F1 or FE could end up in London rather than Silverstone. Wouldn't be a surprise to see some tracks go under in the next decade, as a result of this recent decision.
F1 won't be on British streets for +10yrs and even if it was that would only affect Silverstone who, by their own admittance, don't exactly make a huge amount out of F1 after they've paid to host it.Aside from the usual hillclimbs/sprints/rallies that were and could now be held, the only road event of any note that I can think of is the Birmingham Superprix, which was a single weekend per year, so hardly a threat to exisiting circuits.
Who wouldn't want to see the BTCC road racing again?
johnpsanderson said:
99dndd said:
Could make it easier for the Birmingham Superprix to come back?
I assumed the legislation for the Superprix (apparently called The Birmingham Road Race Bill) was still valid?What the MSA have been campaigning for is to hand that decision-making to local authorities best suited to decide if they can make it work for their area without the need to "waste" parlimentary time.
johnpsanderson said:
I assumed the legislation for the Superprix (apparently called The Birmingham Road Race Bill) was still valid?
Unfortunately not, Bomber Short had an obsolence clause built into the Bill meaning it expired without revocation.There is an excellent book which details the wrangling around the original events and a film project is rumbling slowly toward production too.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Superprix-Story-B...
There has been a lot of talk of bringing the event back recently and Conservative Mayoral candidate Andy Street has pledged to do just that if elected next month.
I was lucky enough to attend all of the four Superprix, here's a few clips for anyone who wasn't but would like to see what motor racing on UK streets actually looked like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg8DVTBx5wk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hamaRwRuhyM&t=...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCyUu8igF7c
groomi said:
The Birmingham Superprix used to be a great annual event. I'd like to see something like that again.
It certainly was a great event, lots of action, easy viewing, rock up and watch. The roads were well suited to a track too (well for a city). F3000's certainly made the right noise.Only problem is, most politicians will jump on the 'green' bandwagon and it will be formula e that gets any city race, and that to me holds no interest at all.
grumpy52 said:
I remember the discussion around closed road tarmac rallying back in the 70s .
The consensus was it was never going to happen .
Does this now mean that the ridiculous 30mph average for road events will be ditched ?
Not that it was ever practical to enforce .
No absolutely not grumpy52.The consensus was it was never going to happen .
Does this now mean that the ridiculous 30mph average for road events will be ditched ?
Not that it was ever practical to enforce .
The 30 mph maximum average is for open road events, IE road Rallies, Navigational Rallies and Historic Road Rallies. This bill is referring to closed road events. Even if the Road was to be closed for a section of a 'Road' Rally the same MSA rules would apply and it would be a 30mph maximum... officially.
I don't think most posters on this thread have any real idea how the organisation of Motorsport works in this country, I'd suggest that in reality we are highly unlikely to see large profile closed road events on the mainland in the near future. We might get a few Sprints and Hillclimbs, plus a few Stages of already well established Stage Rallies might use some roads local to their normal venues.
Judging by the attendance at most motor sport events in the UK I suspect that a high percentage of PH have never been nearer to live motor sport than the telly in their front room . Obviously it doesn't stop them sharing their expert analysis so we can at least be grateful for that .
DSGbangs said:
They have always been able to close roads?
When the wheels festival is on in Bournemouth they close public roads to do drag races and normal races on, every year???
It's not closing the road that has changed with the passing of this bill, it's the ability to lift the road traffic act. Up to now it has taken an act of parliament to temporarily suspend the rules of the road traffic act each time you wanted to close a road and race or rally on it. If you didn't lift the act, then the competitors would be breaking the law.When the wheels festival is on in Bournemouth they close public roads to do drag races and normal races on, every year???
This new legislation gives local authorities the right to lift the road traffic act at their discretion if and when they want too.
Incidentally whilst the cycle racing fraternity have been regularly closing the roads, the traffic act was still in place, so when the cyclist and their motorised entourage were charging through your town at a phenomenal speed they were actually breaking the law. Yet they seem to get away with it.
HerrSchnell said:
Unfortunately not, Bomber Short had an obsolence clause built into the Bill meaning it expired without revocation.
There is an excellent book which details the wrangling around the original events and a film project is rumbling slowly toward production too.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Superprix-Story-B...
There has been a lot of talk of bringing the event back recently and Conservative Mayoral candidate Andy Street has pledged to do just that if elected next month.
I was lucky enough to attend all of the four Superprix, here's a few clips for anyone who wasn't but would like to see what motor racing on UK streets actually looked like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg8DVTBx5wk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hamaRwRuhyM&t=...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCyUu8igF7c
I went to the first super prix, got in free , got there really early , started walking and walking, where do you pay, eventually we were stood in front of a grandstand , they hadn't set the payment booths up yet There is an excellent book which details the wrangling around the original events and a film project is rumbling slowly toward production too.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Superprix-Story-B...
There has been a lot of talk of bringing the event back recently and Conservative Mayoral candidate Andy Street has pledged to do just that if elected next month.
I was lucky enough to attend all of the four Superprix, here's a few clips for anyone who wasn't but would like to see what motor racing on UK streets actually looked like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg8DVTBx5wk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hamaRwRuhyM&t=...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCyUu8igF7c
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