OnTheWight always welcomes a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below.
This from Brighstone Parish councillor, Nick Stuart. Ed
Having started out looking at pro and anti issues, in my view, the arguments of safety, environmental damage and disruption are simply too overwhelming to support the Isle of Wight Road Races.
I spoke at length to key people on the Isle of Man and the advice was ‘don’t touch it with a bargepole’. Their view was the economics were overrated, with a death toll in races and year round racing visitors averaging over ten a year. Which suggests life changing injuries to 100 people a year.
Even some professional motorbike racers have called the West Wight a dangerous course, and a poor advert for motor racing.
Consultation lacking
Then you look at the efforts by the organisers to bounce the Island into accepting this commercial event. Their consultation was one PR event in Brighstone, a six-week online focused consultation and a few leaflets.
While the full results, like much of their information, is secret.
“Wooly words”
When they came to answer questions from Brighstone Parish Council recently, when asked about the major problem of copycat racers the rest of the year, they gave, in my view, woolly words about education and would not commit to paying for mitigation or speed cameras.
Asked about safety, they hide behind the ACU, who, with a vested interest in the event, said it was fine.
Analysis, study or assessment
They stated they have no economic analysis, would not be able to provide risk assessment or event management plan and would not be carrying out an environmental study.
As a small group of people they clearly believe this is a fabulous idea and a chance for them to make money. You might admire the commercial enthusiasm, but I dislike their “blindness to the problems”, and especially to the views of a large majority of the affected public.
Racing is fantastic fun; but on dedicated Racing circuits
I respect the vast majority of careful courteous motorbike riders and views of friends and neighbours who support this idea. I can recognise that Racing is fantastic fun; but on dedicated Racing circuits, not narrow rural roads close to front doors.
Like many, I expect the Isle of Wight council and Secretary of State to carefully consider all the issues and then sensibly reject this plan.
Image: vikram sundaramoorthy under CC BY 2.0
