Premier Stages Rally - CANCELLED

No Premier Rally in 2015 !

Posted: August 15, 2015 3:32 AM

Dukeries MC can now confirm that unfortunately there will be no Premier Rally in Sherwood Pines in 2015.

Below is a statement from Club Chairman David Baugh which explains the situation that we find ourselves in despite all our efforts. When you read it I hope you will understand that given the increasingly onerous requirements that the FC are demanding, the Committee of Dukeries MC ultimately had no choice. The last thing we wanted to do was continue and then have permission withdrawn by the FC a week before the event, or worse still, stopped on the day of the event because of spectators or other forest users walking down the track.

However on a more positive note we have now negotiated the second date for a rally at Donington Park on Sunday 6th March (provisional)

Premier Rally 2015

"Over the last few months we have had meetings with the Central England District of the Forestry Commission and the FC England Safety Advisor, regarding our proposals for the 2015 Premier Rally and provided them with a revised and updated Premier Rally Safety Plan.

The FC confirmed that they are reviewing the future of all events (not just stage rallying) that take place in their forests and they made it very clear that they are concerned about the inherent public safety issues associated with stage rallying in Sherwood Pines where there are very large numbers of spectators and other forest users.

At the latest meeting the FC again reinforced this message and requested a final and comprehensive Safety Plan to be submitted to them 3 months before the event (mid-August). They want to ensure that there is complete management / control of all forest users, including all the rally spectators, on the day of the event and they confirmed there would be FC managers observing the event who would want it stopped immediately if spectators or other forest users were not in safe areas.

The DMC Committee at their meeting on Thursday 6th August reluctantly decided that these FC requirements / expectations are unachievable for the 2015 Premier Rally. This is partly due to these requirements and the more rigorous Stage Rally Safety Requirements which need to be implemented, but also a recognition that we don't have sufficient people involved at the moment to meet all these challenges, both in the planning and organisational phases, and also on the day of the event. [We are still very busy with the planning and organisation of the Dukeries Rally at Donington on 25th October].

In our response to the FC, we are trying to keep open the possibility of a Premier Rally in November 2016. However for that to have a chance of becoming a reality we will need a larger group of volunteers to help organise the event and would have to invite other clubs to share the task.

On a brighter note we have been in positive discussion with Donington Park about date in Spring 2016 so that the calendar for the first half of 2016 will now include:-

Sunday 10th January Track Day at Blyton
Sunday 6th March Donington Rally
Sunday 26th June Flying Fortress Stages at Grafton "

Event / Club Website

Posted: August 15, 2015 3:28 AM

Premier Rally
Dukeries Motor Club