Road racing banned in NSW

[VeloFlash]

The police in New South Wales, Australia's most populous State, have announced that permits for cycle races on public roads will not be granted unless the course can be made totally free of motor vehicles and barricaded. (25 June 2003)

All clubs (and Cycling NSW with some exceptions) that use public roads have conceded that all future road races have been cancelled until further notice.

Watch for NSW producing future time trial champions! (Reference back to the dark ages when road races were banned in UK and secret TT's were held in substitution)

 

[mnetherc]

So effectively 99% of upcoming road races in NSW have been cancelled, only 5 or 6 are still permitted to run.

If you would like to read more go to:
http://www.nsw.cycling.org.au/files/cycling_approvals.htm

The most interesting sentence is on the FAQ page:
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I hope this clarifies how your Club can still maintain activities on the Road and therefore, in the interim, requires a mind shift as to how you can safely work within the gambit of the Law. In doing so you will not be contravening Police instructions or Council requirements.
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Hmmmmm read into that what you will!

 

[steve]

There is a great article on cyclingnews.com:

UCI Vice-president Godkin hits out at NSW attack on road racing
By John Stevenson

Current UCI Vice President and former senior police officer, Ray Godkin, is outraged by an Australian State Government's decision to effectively ban bicycle road racing, and is one of a group of major cycling community figures seeking a meeting with New South Wales Police Minister John Watkins to demand an explanation.

Godkin and associates are seeking an urgent meeting with Government representatives as many in the Australian cycling community fear that the NSW interpretation of the road laws could spread to other states, effectively shutting down bike racing in Australia. As reported yesterday, State governing body Cycling NSW has been verbally advised by police representatives that races on public roads will only be allowed under conditions of total road closure.

New South Wales is Australia's most populous state, and has produced riders such as Bradley McGee, Graeme Brown, Scott Sunderland, Sean Eadie, Olivia Gollan, Paul Rowney and many more.

Disaster
In a phone interview with Cyclingnews today, Godkin said of the decision, "It's a bit of a disaster to say the very least. To me it's ridiculous."


Like many in the New South Wales racing community, Godkin is clearly angered by the decision, but also mystified that discussions between Cycling NSW and the authorities have been cut short so abruptly.

"I don't know why something wasn't done by the legislators prior to this coming about," said Godkin. "Road cycling is a major part of the sport of cycling. Take out road cycling and you might as well pull down the velodrome because without road there's no track cycling - that's where [track cyclists] come from."

"The velodrome" is the Dunc Gray Velodrome at Bass Hill in Sydney's west. Built for the 2000 Olympics at a cost of Au$41 Million, Dunc Gray Velodrome would become an expensive and embarrassing white elephant without a strong road racing community to bring on riders to take part in the races regularly held on its 250m track.

Running road races in NSW has been becoming more and more expensive over the last few years. The NSW Government's 'user-pays' policy has increased the cost of police assistance for bike racing beyond the means of many organizers. Godkin said that many events had already been lost, including the Goulburn to Sydney race, which was the second-oldest continuous bike race in the world, and the Muswellbrook to Tamworth, a classic that used stretches of the NSW New England Highway.

Godkin himself has a deep familiarity with both the races that have been lost to Australian cycling and the traffic policing issues around bike racing. A former racer and winner of the 1976 edition of Muswellbrook to Tamworth, Godkin had a 30 year career with the police, including seven years as a traffic sergeant before taking on the creation and running of the NSW Action Squad (now called the Crash Squad).

You can read more about this issue at cyclingnews.com

I also recommend filling out the survey which can be found here which may be sent to the government of New South Wales?

cheers

 

[Brizza]

Damm.

The focus appears to be on rolling and full closures.
Newcastle will have a new Crit circuit this year as Steel River Estate has no traffic.
I could be doing more XC this season.

I'll pass the news on.

Brian

 

[mnetherc]

Originally posted by Brizza
I could be doing more XC this season.
Brian

Get yourself out to the Killingworth XC course for some races, the course there is a lot of fun!

 

[steve]

This is a handy link for all of you who want to write to your local gov contact. CLICK HERE

cheers

 

[Sprinter_989]

Does any1 know if Grafton- Inverell is on?

 

[mnetherc]

Cycling NSW <[email protected]>
wrote:Cycling NSW meets with the Minister of Police, Hon. John Watkins, MP

At 5:30pm on the 30th June, representatives from Cycling, Triathlon, NSW Police and Ministerial Staff met with Minister Watkins to resolve the issue of Road Racing and Triathlons taking place on NSW Roads.

The Minister had been well prepared on the subject and immediately expressed the wish to reach a speedy solution.

His hope was that Cycling and Triathlons continue in NSW and that every avenue be exhausted to see them take place as they have up until now.

Several options were suggested and all through the meeting there was unified agreement.Both Cycling and Triathlon presented their legal opinions which were sought to reinforce our arguments.

At the conclusion of the meeting Minister Watkins gave the assurance that his department would seek urgent legal advice on the options discussed.

At this point there is little doubt that Road Cycling will be continuing in NSW. The time scale in which this takes place and under what circumstances will evolve shortly. It was the Minister's view that this may be possible before the coming weekend and that it could be under conditions that we have all become familiar with.

Those attending the meeting on behalf of Cycling were, Ray Godkin, OBE (UCI), Tony Cook (Patron CNSW, VP Cycling Australia), Robert Bates (President CNSW), Tom Skulander (State Manager CNSW). CNSW would like to acknowledge the wonderful support of the former Minister for Sport Gabriel Harrison, who also attended.

The CNSW Office has received many many emails on this subject since sending out the notice on the matter last week. We thank those who have offered their support and helped to provide that extra bit of determination. We are not home and hosed yet but we feel that members should be more comfortable about the future.

Finally thank you to Minister Watkins and his staff for the speedy manner in which they have sought a resolution thus far.

Robert Bates, President Cycling NSW

 

[steve]

Some good news at last!

Racing back on the road in NSW
www.cyclingnews.com

In a quick turnaround from a potentially disastrous situation, Cycling NSW has announced that road racing is expected to return to the roads of New South Wales, Australia. Cycling NSW met again with the New South Wales Police and RTA representatives Tuesday and has reached an agreement to resume road racing. Road racing is expected to resume this weekend, following the agreements reached between the police and RTA over litigation and the responsibility of the various parties involved.

Cycling NSW is expected to notify police of locations where approvals for club racing have already been issued, so the police may then inform the localities of the new arrangements. Open Events will proceed where approvals have already been granted, while club officials are advised to contact Cycling NSW concerning planned events, particularly those in the near future.

In all instances of racing on shared roads, i.e., with a rolling road closure and a centre line rule, the police stressed that there would be no tolerance for cyclists crossing the centre line into the lane open to oncoming traffic.

"We believe that what looked to be a disaster a week ago has now been the catalyst for road cycle racing to take on a new status which will produce safer and better road racing in New South Wales," Cycling NSW president Robert Bates said in a written statement.

"Once again we must thank the tremendous co-operation from Minister Watkins, his staff, the NSW Police Service and RTA."

The RTA has been charged with the responsibility of formulating a new set of guidelines regarding road cycle racing. To date there have been no official specific guidelines regarding road cycle racing available, and Cycling NSW will work with the RTA on this endeavour.