Course change put on ice
Thursday 18 October 2007
TT
Planned roadworks which could have seen another change to the TT course have been scrapped – for the moment.
The Isle of Man Government’s Department of Transport has withdrawn a request to the Island’s parliament Tynwald for cash to carry out work on the section between Signpost Corner and Glencrutchery Road.
The proposed work would have seen a new road carriageway created from The Nook to Governor’s Bridge. The DoT believes the existing road is too narrow for current traffic and the existing approach to the the Governor’s Bridge roundabout is not sufficient.
While the department said the existing road could be maintained for use in the TT, it was later reported the Auto-cycle Union had agreed for the races to be re-routed to the new carriageway on safety grounds.
It would be yet another change to the circuit. In recent years Windy Corner and Brandish on the Mountain section have been remodelled and work is underway at Braddan Bridge to create two new roundabouts.
The announcement the section between The Nook and Governor’s Bridge could be abandoned sparked anger among some TT fans and led to online petitions calling for the original circuit to be retained.
During Wednesday’s sitting of the Island’s parliament the scheme came under fire and the request for funding was withdrawn.
Transport Minister David Anderson has vowed the scheme will go back to parliament, although a timescale hasn’t been set.
It was originally planned for work to start in November and be complete by TT 2008. It is not clear if the DoT with renew its request for funding in time for the work to be complete before the next TT.
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