CANCELLATION NOTICE
FOR
ANNUAL HARRY REYNOLDS, BEN MCKENNA AND JIM “JAZZER” WHERITY MEMORIAL RACES
SATURDAY 28TH AND SUNDAY 29TH MARCH 2015
Balbriggan Cycling Club (BCC), has been running cycling road race events safely and successfully, without incident over many years. Unnecessary restrictions were imposed on the running of the Club’s Annual Memorial Races in 2014 which it dealt with and overcame at the time. In the meantime there have been ongoing discussions with Cycling Ireland, the governing body of cycling in Ireland, and the various statutory bodies including Fingal Co. Co. which has failed to resolve the matter. The preparatory work, the financial outlay involved and the management structures have been in place for some time for this year’s events. However, because of the continuing difficulties with the statutory bodies, BCC regrets that, at this late stage, it is necessary to cancel this year’s cycling road races.
Response to Fingal Co. Co’s. (FCC) Press Release
Balbriggan Cycling Club (BCC) informed and copied FCC with its Cycling Race Cancellation Notice prior to release. The Club would have expected the same courtesy in return and not receive the Press release from a third party.
BCC does not wish to be in conflict or dispute with FCC or any other Government agency in this or any other regard.
BCC does not wish to be in conflict or dispute with FCC or any other Government agency in this or any other regard.
- BCC has received great assistance from Balbriggan Town Commissioners/Council and the FCC Roads Department personnel in Old Fancourt, Balbriggan, over the years, in preparation for its cycle races.
- BCC volunteers have always swept the cycle race circuits manually and where impracticable have employed and paid private contractors to do so. In this regard deposits of assorted debris on roads are within the control of FCC but do not appear to be enforced.
- FCC is correct in that, in common with many other Cycling Clubs, BCC has been running cycle races in rural north Fingal long before and since FCC was established in 1994. However, in recent years BCC is the only Fingal Cycling Club that runs its two one day events, (for a period totalling four hours annually), exclusively in north Fingal.
- For many years since FCC’s inception BCC filled out a generic events form, leaving many sections blank as not applicable, for the Council.
- All the safety measures associated with the running of its cycle races were instigated and developed by BCC.
- Cycle race participants have never considered that their safety was compromised in any way.
- Local access arrangements were never provided or required as residents and other road users had free access, under appropriate direction to the cycle race circuits used
- Cycle race circuits have been adapted over the years and moved away from centres of population to minimise inconvenience to other road users and services. Originally cycle race circuits were based in Balbriggan, ran through the town, around the town or by using combinations of these.
- The first indication of any changes in conditions for “Road Races on Public Roads” by FCC was received by BCC in January 2013. These were produced without consultation and many were impracticable and incompatible with cycle racing. However, the BCC’s Annual Cycling Memorial Races took place in 2013 under the same safety arrangements as previously.
- FCC’s requirement for Temporary Road Closures is based on Section 74 of the Roads Act 1993. The Club and others have pointed out to the Council many times over the years that this Section is not operable and this has only been accepted by the Council last week.
- No supporting documentation has been provided to indicate that the race marshals would have the authoritative powers stated. BCC has never requested that marshals be given such powers. Written Guidelines for Marshals were always given. Marshals were always encouraged to engage positively with other road users and to explain the reasons for the minimal delays involved in the cycle race passing any given point on the cycle race circuit(s).
- Section 74 required BCC to “give at least one month’s notice to the Superintendent of An Garda Síochána within whose district the road race is to be held”. Up until recently BCC has always enjoyed and greatly appreciated the support of An Garda Síochána, Balbriggan in the running of its cycle races.
- BCC had two meeting with FCC officials. Further meetings were considered a waste of both the officials and the Club’s volunteers’ time as no meaningful discussions took place in the context of reaching an agreement or compromise on the matter.
- FCC and other Government Agencies appear not to be able to distinguish between the different types of road racing events and in particular those incorporating a cycling race element.
Fingal County Council Press Release 19-3-2015
The Balbriggan Cycling Club has been staging cycle racing events on Fingal roads for many decades. As with other similar event organisers, they have liaised with Fingal County Council in advance of each years’ races, giving prior notification of race routes, stewarding and marshalling resources, local access arrangements and so on. A standard procedure has been followed by all race organisers in this regard and is based largely on the procedure set down under Section 74 of the Roads Act 1993.
In assessing the race management plan submitted for this year’s Balbriggan Memorial Cycle Races, scheduled for March 28 and 29 and having regard to the ever increasing focus on improving safety on our roads, Fingal County Council formed the view that the event management plan submitted by the organisers was satisfactory subject to a temporary road closure (under section 75 of the Roads Act 1993) being in place for the events. Having such a measure in place would give legal clarity and status to the role of race marshals and stewards during race events, and would give stewards legal authority to control race traffic and non-race traffic through the race routes.
A series of meetings were held with the Council and the race organisers and the Council made every effort and gave every assurance to the organisers that it would fully support and facilitate the running of the races under a temporary road closure. All advertisement and administrative fees relating to the road closure application were waived in this instance by the Council. However, the organisers refused to apply for a temporary road closure and the Council remains at a loss to understand why. It should be noted that the Gardai, who had been consulted in relation to the running of the events, fully supported the Council’s position in relation to the requirement for a road closure in this regard.
Following on from one of the many meetings held with the race organisers and Cycling Ireland, it was confirmed by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport that Section 74 of the Roads Act is in fact ‘inoperative’ as it relates specifically to a prescribed class of race, and no such races have to date been prescribed by the Minister. Therefore, whilst the procedure which has been followed for several years by all parties in relation to the running of the races is sound, the role of the roads authority (local authority) in deciding whether or not the races can take place is effectively stopped until such time as races are prescribed by the Minister under this part of the Roads Act.
The consequence of this is that road races such as the Balbriggan Cycle Races now require the agreement of the Gardai, who in this instance have confirmed the Council’s original position that a temporary road closure is required. Fingal County Council, as the roads authority for the area, will consider applications for temporary road closures under Section 75 of the Roads Act. The normal process involves public notice and consultation, although an emergency road closure can be considered in exceptional circumstances.
The Fingal area has a long and close association with road racing and many road race events are held annually on Fingal County Council roads. The Council facilitates these events in a variety of ways and fully supports the staging of road races in a safe and managed environment, having regard to the needs of all road users and locals. Fingal County Council wants to clearly put on record its full support for the running of the Balbriggan Memorial Cycle races and other similar events which are traditionally run on our roads and we will continue to work with race organisers, the Gardai and local communities in this regard. We are still available to discuss this year’s events with the organisers of the Balbriggan races.
In assessing the race management plan submitted for this year’s Balbriggan Memorial Cycle Races, scheduled for March 28 and 29 and having regard to the ever increasing focus on improving safety on our roads, Fingal County Council formed the view that the event management plan submitted by the organisers was satisfactory subject to a temporary road closure (under section 75 of the Roads Act 1993) being in place for the events. Having such a measure in place would give legal clarity and status to the role of race marshals and stewards during race events, and would give stewards legal authority to control race traffic and non-race traffic through the race routes.
A series of meetings were held with the Council and the race organisers and the Council made every effort and gave every assurance to the organisers that it would fully support and facilitate the running of the races under a temporary road closure. All advertisement and administrative fees relating to the road closure application were waived in this instance by the Council. However, the organisers refused to apply for a temporary road closure and the Council remains at a loss to understand why. It should be noted that the Gardai, who had been consulted in relation to the running of the events, fully supported the Council’s position in relation to the requirement for a road closure in this regard.
Following on from one of the many meetings held with the race organisers and Cycling Ireland, it was confirmed by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport that Section 74 of the Roads Act is in fact ‘inoperative’ as it relates specifically to a prescribed class of race, and no such races have to date been prescribed by the Minister. Therefore, whilst the procedure which has been followed for several years by all parties in relation to the running of the races is sound, the role of the roads authority (local authority) in deciding whether or not the races can take place is effectively stopped until such time as races are prescribed by the Minister under this part of the Roads Act.
The consequence of this is that road races such as the Balbriggan Cycle Races now require the agreement of the Gardai, who in this instance have confirmed the Council’s original position that a temporary road closure is required. Fingal County Council, as the roads authority for the area, will consider applications for temporary road closures under Section 75 of the Roads Act. The normal process involves public notice and consultation, although an emergency road closure can be considered in exceptional circumstances.
The Fingal area has a long and close association with road racing and many road race events are held annually on Fingal County Council roads. The Council facilitates these events in a variety of ways and fully supports the staging of road races in a safe and managed environment, having regard to the needs of all road users and locals. Fingal County Council wants to clearly put on record its full support for the running of the Balbriggan Memorial Cycle races and other similar events which are traditionally run on our roads and we will continue to work with race organisers, the Gardai and local communities in this regard. We are still available to discuss this year’s events with the organisers of the Balbriggan races.
