Councillors in Chale say they haven’t been properly consulted about the planned Diamond Races motorcycle event, which will be zooming through the village next year.
Parishioners now want an open meeting with the organisers of next October’s event to gather more information.
At a meeting of Chale Parish Council on Monday night, chair of the council Cllr Ron Groves said he had received a lot of feedback about the races and pointed out Chale hosted the longest stretch of the proposed 12.4 mile route not on the Military Road.
Concerns about speeding were among the key issues discussed, including the potential copycat effect the races could have on other ‘boy racers’. Others said speeding through the village and Island-wide had been an issue pre-dating the announcement of the 4-day time trial event, modelled on the Isle of Man TT.
One resident said:
“From an Island point of view, bringing a top-class event is a good thing — I would be in favour of having the event here — but people outside the event treat the roads around here as a racetrack and may encourage more to do so. But I think we need to deal with that as a separate issue, irrespective of the event.”
Another said with the speed issues the Island already has, such an event would be inappropriate. Others, including members of the parish council, were disappointed they had not been consulted about the event which will race past their front doors, before it was announced to the public.
Cllr Dian McWilliam said talks seemed to have been going ahead between the Isle of Wight Council and Diamond Races organisers for the last year but residents were told suddenly via a scant leaflet, leaving them confused and needing more detail. She said:
“We need to know a lot more about this and particularly how it will affect residents on the route”.
Also attending the virtual meeting was chair of Niton and Whitwell Parish Council, Cllr Tim Addison, who has had a previous career in motorsport and who was the organiser of the Sandown Sprint car racing event which was postponed in March due to coronavirus. He said there were potential plans to have a roadshow-style event in Brighstone to address concerns but road safety awareness would need to be a key part of messaging going forward.
Cllr Addison also said, however, the races would bring investment to the Island outside of the summer months, attracting more visitors.
Que NIMBY protest comments below…….
It WILL NOT go ahead. Common sense will prevail in the end.
It’s never been a problem on the Isle of man trouble with islanders they are too small minded if it was anything to do with horse riding hunting & shooting they would be all for it !!!!
There is no real concerns it’s just all the oap village folk don’t like disruption and don’t want noise in there little village and they may not be able to go get there paper and there poor poxy pouch is frightened of the noise
Unfair comments. Not only “old folk” live there. People have to get to work etc so I can understand their concerns. I’m not against it as it will be great for the island but there needs to be more openness and reassurance for residents. It’s only for a few days so if they can address the main concerns and have alternatives then great. As usual the council have been rather secretive probably because they knew this would happen.
My OAP Father would be deeply offended by that remark lol. He’d blitz it on his :p !
I can see their point about not being involved in the planning but they will see so many benefits.
Their houses will be worth double the price, their village will be world famous and they will have ring side seats in the heart of the action.
Just renting a room would be worth a fortune!
There will be some disruption but it will be so worth it & I bet they will all end up proud of the event in years to come.
You have no idea what you are talking about, house prices would be slashed! Who would want to rent a room for 3/4 days when you could not get out!
You just know that when the council, in their wisdom get involved, it’s doomed.
Yes there will be speeding…. it’s a race.
There may be injuries or worse but the people know what they getting involved in.
But there will also be injection of money to island economy which is much needed.
It does make me laugh when some people say they moved here for peace and quite……. after living under airport flight line or next to motorway for years on end.
The boat does run both ways you know.
Who will see any money? No one in the area of the proposed race just the organisers and a few farmers. Who pays for the clear up afterwards?
wightlink and red funnel will make a bomb and we will pay for the clear up through our council tax or they will cut more essential services to pay for it
Quite frankly what ever the event you can guarantee that someone or a group will be there to raise objection:complain. In my personal opinion and I am not a fan of motorbikes and not a fan of speed however what I am a fan of is for local businesses to do business and for local businesses to thrive therefore I look beyond the speed element and I look beyond the noise of motorbikes and I look forward to seeing the success of the businesses who benefit from this event. Quite frankly, many of our counsellors/decisions makers on the island are stuck in past/old times And do not appreciate that we now live in a different world from when they grew up in the 50s 60s 70s and if this island and many businesses are to grow/continue then the island needs a new generation of events but also a younger generation of councillors but can I just say that whoever thought of bringing this event to the island deserves recognition. Maybe the change that should be made is that councillors should receive a salary and this would hopefully encourage a much younger generation of counsellors, if you look at the way the council as a perceived in the media quite frankly that often elderly busybodies and this needs to change to ensure that decisions made by councillors have no bias.
Stop finding reason to stop this race and listen to what people want the island needs this but the moaning old people of the isle wight find a way to bitch so we loose good opportunities let it happen and be bigger and better than the TT
What makes you think its just old people who dont want it i am 70 and i think it will be good for the island and i dont know anyone in my age group thats against the race. I think you will find its the yuppy types that retire here from the mainland that are complaining .so before before you make a stupid sweeping statement you might think about that. and i was a motorcyclist until last year when age and health problems forced me to stop,
You have moaned that Bob has made a sweeping statement and then you have gone and done the same.
I’m not old Bob just good at knowing what the youngsters are like on this island once they get in a car or on a bike. They don’t seem to have much sense or responsibility for themselves or other road users. Remember, SPEED KILLS!
Speed doesn’t kill, unless it’s in the wrong hands. Look at F1, or professional bike racing, there are rarely incidents let alone deaths… It’s the minority, as always, that tarnish the majority.
Except at the Isle of Man TT where deaths occur regularly.
What on earth! “including the potential copycat effect the races could have on other ‘boy racers” So are you saying to the millions of people that watch F1 go out & drive 200mph round corners just because they’ve seen it. Really! Come on if your gonna moan at least say something sensible.
As for breaking the speed limits of course they will, they will be racing, you can’t do that at 30mph! Wouldn’t be much fun to watch really would it.
You could say that about everything & do nothing.
These riders are skilled & train for a very long time to race, they are athletes & this is their job.
Its about time we put the island back on the map as a place for younger people to come visit. Not just the “old people” coach loads that flock here in the summer.
Let’s make this island earn money for the locals, think about the trade that will come with these races.
Hard core fans & followers will come, and they will be needing places to stay, eat and shop. B&B’s, campsites hotels etc….
I’m sure if you make a few grand over the week you won’t be moaning, oh no! They’ll be the best thing since sliced bread then.
Bring it on I say.
And for the moaners, if it was to be near me I’d still want it.
shoot all the moaners and give us a break hearing them all find reasons for it not to happen and Chale parrish council can go do one…
Quit all ya moaning chaleites! Only few days.you havnt got all the noise snd utter chaos i get living in newport with a festival stupidly ALLOWED in whats a very built up residential area .we dont want it .plenty of freshwater sites too pick.really?……whats chale got too moan about.if council arent gona line there pockets on summit thyll not say word.funny that.
Always someone you can’t please unfor.move with the times old fart islanders.
Progress,more money.. as places are now closing.
Iow is the new isle of man tt 🙂
As I understand it, there will be 2 days allocated to practice, 1 day for the racing. Can we really object to 3 days of change out of a whole year, for what will be such a huge boost to all Island businessess, especially following the covid crisis, which has brought so many businesses to their knees. Bring it on!!!
All that noise. All that speed. All those fumes. Accidents just waiting to happen. We need a Task Force to Stop this.
If people say the roads ar used as a race track the council should install more speed cameras that work and catch the speeders. They employ enough traffic enforcement officers so they can install working cameras
There will probably be a review after the first couple of deaths.
There may be a review after the first race and I hope it concludes what a spectacular event it was. All that speed and adrennelin and much needed funds for the island. No one wants to think there will be injuries or deaths, but the TT, North West 200 and other similar events have had these over many years, but this is down to each rider, not the host of the event. Remember, brave men don’t live forever, cautious men don’t live at all….
I am fed up with reading the feeble & pathetic excuses for this event not to go ahead, it is being organised by top people who know what they are doing, it will generate loads of money for businesses, it’s only for a few days at the end of the holiday season & it will be FUN some people obviously don’t know what that word means, I live half a mile from the military road & it doesn’t bother me this event will be fantastic give it a try you might ENJOY it
If the councillors get involved they won’t represent what their voters want anyway.
Good publicity for the island which will attract many visitors and money. But I’ve got to agree with the Parish councillors concerns regarding ‘copy cat boy racers’. They’ll be have their turn when everyone has gone and cause chaos.
Go to smallbrook if you want to see such. Leave us in peace.
Let’s hope the weather makes it a flop. We don’t want them here
Like the Motorcross they had at Arreton. Was a real shame that. Don’t want to get the old adrenaline pumping. God forbid allow Us to feel fully alive.
A simple vote by the residents that actually live on the proposed route should be held to determine if this event should take place.
If this event does not go ahead it will be yet another economic nail in the coffin and a surefire message to the world that we’re a boring bunch of unprogressive retrogrades.
We have such an unfortunate tendency to succumb to the negativity of finding problems for every solution rather than the other way round. It’s about time the island moved forwards with new ideas. If we stand still while others progress, we in affect move backwards. We HAVE to change this mentality.
All these sweeping statements about nimby OAP’s etc are just going to alienate a section of the public who may actually be in support of the event. That is, before they read all the insults and like me, decide that as we (OAP’s) are all classed as walking dead, then we may as well oppose it and play Devil’s advocate.