Road racing to return on England's public roads

New rules which came into force on April 10 have allowed racing to return to closed public roads. Road racing has always been very difficut to stage in England, requiring a special act of parliament to allow it, but the Department for Transport has cleared the way for racing to return.

The ACU now has the authority to issue race permits but they must first consult the council, police and other local bodies and be fully satisfied that the event will be safe. Local authorities have the final say over whether a race can go ahead, and may require additional safety measures before, during or after the event as a condition of allowing a race to take place.

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Gary Thompson MBE BEM, ACU General Secretary and Clerk of the Course for the TT, said: “A lot of hard work has gone into making this happen. Working with the MSA (Motor Sports Association) and the Department for Transport, putting this legislation in place will make a big difference to road racing in this country.

“Obviously this will make road racing more attractive as new opportunities come along but also will have a positive economic impact on those areas staging closed public road racing which can only be a big plus for motorcycle racing and those areas wanting to host such an event.”

The government first proposed changing the law to allow racing on British roads in 2014. There were over 6,000 responses from individuals, local authorities, police forces and other organisations, with the vast majority in favour of the proposals.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at Department for Transport Andrew Jones said: “Britain is a world leader in the motorsport industry and this will further cement our position. There are already races of this kind in some areas of the British Isles which are incredibly popular, attracting thousands of spectators.

“New road races will boost local economies through increased tourism and hospitality, and offer community opportunities such as volunteering.”

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