SPORTS MINISTER SEEKS ROADS FUNDING

SPORTS Minister, Michael McGimpsey, is confident that he will obtain extra funding to make Northern Ireland’s road circuits safer for motorcycle racing.

The Minister was visiting the County Antrim village of Clough on 29th June, home to the Mid-Antrim 150, to see for himself the work which Northern Ireland Electricity is starting to carry out to move obstacles considered dangerous to competitors during racing.

Mr McGimpsey said: “After the recent spate of racing tragedies on our roads, I vowed to work closely with the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland (MCUI) to do as much as possible to reduce the number of serious accidents.

“My concerns prompted the MCUI to set up a Road Racing Task Force to examine the whole question of safety and it has kept me abreast of its findings, including the likely costs involved in carrying out the work it considered necessary to minimise the risk to riders. Their findings included removing or repositioning obstacles as well as piping and filling in certain drainage ditches.

“I therefore made a bid to the Executive for an additional £100,000 to help fund the necessary improvements to our local road racing circuits and I am confident that this request will be successful. We will know the outcome on Monday when my Ministerial colleague with responsibility for finance, Mark Durkan, is expected to make a statement in the Assembly.”

The Minister thanked NIE and British Telecom for their full co-operation and assistance in agreeing to carry out those alterations to their property which the Task Force considered necessary.

He also praised the MCUI for their determination to improve the safety record in pure road racing and for its affiliated clubs’ adherence to the Government guidelines which were issued to help combat the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease.

(CD)