Welsh Road Race postponed until 2019

Welsh Road Racing directors have confirmed the postponement of its inaugural event until at least 2019 after a recent change in legislation to the Road Traffic Act in Wales.

Following a campaign run by the Motor Sports Association, the Welsh Government has changed its laws to allow local authorities to suspend the Road Traffic Act for authorised motorsport events without requiring individual Parliament Acts, with similar legislation coming into action in England in April last year.

Despite the Welsh Road Race organisers previously gaining permission to host its maiden event the law changes means directors will need to obtain a new permission. The new laws have had the opposite effect for the World Rally Championship’s Wales Rally GB who have now been permitted to run more closed-road rally stages in the country and duly welcomed the decision.

Welsh Road Race directors have explained there would not have enough time to gain the new permission and carry out its previously plan of running the event on closed public roads in the Brecon Beacons on the 4-5th August.

“We are working closely with the ACU, Crown Properties and Powys County Council to organise the Welsh Road Race, and under the new changes in legislation, the new deadlines that have been imposed, will make it very difficult to carry out a safe and successful event,” Derek Smith, Managing Director of the Welsh Road Race, said. “The Board of Directors are absolutely devastated, for all the supporters and all concerned with the event. We have began steps to contact all our supporters and sponsors who are involved in the event.”

Paul King, Chairman of the ACU Road Race Committee, has outlined requirements which need to be met by the organisers within the new law changes and accepts the timeframe to implement these changes makes the 2018 event unfeasible.

“Following concerns raised with the Auto Cycle Union at the end of the year about the proposed Welsh Road Race in August 2018, Members of the ACU Road Race Committee recently met with the event organisers, to understand what was being proposed and what was required for the event to progress,” King said.

“In order for the ACU Road Race Committee to sanction the event, a list of requirements required from the Organisers was agreed. It would appear that the timetable to achieve the event for 2018 cannot be achieved.

“The ACU Road Race Committee will endeavour to assist the organisers in progressing the event for 2019.”