Speed bump threat to Isle of Man rally stages in Castletown

Traffic calming measures are due to be installed on roads including Arbory Road

Rally stages in the Isle of Man's ancient capital could be under threat if new traffic calming measures are installed, organisers have said.

Speed bumps are part of plans due to be rolled out in Castletown next year to improve road safety.

Manx Auto Sport president Mark Ellison said road racing competitors could not be expected to safely negotiate the obstacles at speed.

The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) has been asked for a response.

The changes are part of an island-wide scheme to make town centres and villages safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

Plans include permanent speed bumps on the promenade, Arbory Road and Victoria Road, coupled with a 20mph speed limit.

Major rally events in the Isle of Man attract competitors and fans from the UK

Mr Ellison told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that, while he welcomed speed restrictions in the town, permanent changes to the carriageway would create safety concerns.

He said: "If you can imagine a car's coming down the road and hits one of these bumps and sends it into the air, where's it going to land?"

"Cars can't be expected to ride over these humps, which in some cases are quite substantial, and not do damage to the cars. In which case then we wouldn't be able to run the stage," he said.

Dropping the Castletown stage from two major rallies held on the island each year could make the events less attractive to international competitors, he added.

The two main events are the Manx National Rally, which starts and finishes at the TT Grandstand and Rally Isle of Man.

Castletown Commissioner Colin Leather said the original plans shown to the board included removable speed bumps but those had quickly been changed to permanent ones.

Should the stages be cancelled, the resulting drop in footfall in the town would have "a huge financial impact" and commissioners would "object to the plans as they stand now", he said.