Is Road Racing facing a significant obstical?

[Hacienda71]

Cheshire Police have refused to allow a local road racing event.
The quoted parts are from an email circulated to Tli members recently.
"Following a formal complaint from Antrobus Parish Council, the Cheshire Police decided, on the advice of their legal team, to no longer authorise events on circuits of less than 10 miles, or where there is more than one and a half miles of "40mph or lower" speed restriction. (Referred to in the "Standard Conditions" under Reg 5 of the 1960 Cycle Racing on the Highways Regs)"
There is a view that the police are confusing mass participation sportive events with the insured, well organised and fully marshalled events that are arranged by BC, Tli and LVRC. Is this the start of a problem or an isolated incident?
A bit more putiing things in context
"We understand that Cheshire Police have received advice nationally to this effect from the organisation that has taken over from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). Now renamed as the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC)"
also
"Following repeated consultations with their legal team and, in the face of the national advice referred to above, the Inspector in charge has stuck to the view that, giving "Special Permission", which the police have done for over 50 years under the 1960 Regs, would leave the Force open to unwelcome litigation in the event of an incident or accident."

 

[Smokin Joe]

From what I can recall of my own racing days events on the public highway had to be on a circuit of not less than nine miles. I believe current regulations do state a minimum distance of ten miles, obviously exempt if the police sanction a shorter course.

The police have always applied strict conditions on road racing and the law is a lot more liberal now. Back in the day fields were limited to 40 riders in most cases. Now I believe it is double that, though someone currently involved may know better.

 

[Hacienda71]

You are right that the current regulations state a minimum distance for a circuit is 10 miles but the police have for some time been willing to allow a variation, which is allowed subject to prior approval between the officer and the organisers in the act. There is a current ongoing consultation with BC who are lobbying to have both the minimum distance reduced to 5 miles or less if the course is appropriate and the 40 mph speed restriction removed from the 1960 act as they feel it is "confusing and outdated". A number of circuits in Cheshire are less than 10 miles and I am aware of a number of road races being cancelled as a result of Cheshire Police's decision to follow the advice of NPCC and refuse to give special permission as they used to. I hope it is nothing more than a storm in a tea cup, but it is sad to see races being cancelled close to home.