The gradual death of road racing

[mikesbytes]

I hear that the Kirrajong road race just past the boundary of Sydney has gone

Seems to be a gradual decay as races are shut down in NSW. What's happening in other states?

[rogan]

I'd heard the rumours. Very sad, that was a good course out there. That event has been going for a very long time, at least since 1990 (when I rode it first), and likely well before then.

Go for a ride on those roads on any normal Sunday, and you'd be passed by maybe one vehicle every few minutes. Very quiet roads.

I have no idea of the specifics in this case, but I note that the approvers of onroad road racing events include NSW police and the Local Council. My impression is that compared to other states, NSW police are extremely risk averse.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Add to that ATTA's Calga TT was cancelled by the Police this month (just for that one weekend) with no notice. There are only a few races left in the greater Sydney metro / basin and I suspect those have a limited life as well (e.g. Oakville, West Head).

Approval for Kurrajong race was pulled ~ 2 months ago. I'm not surprised, it was only one slight hiccup from becoming a case for the Coroner's Court IMO. The Sydney basin has grown massively and most roads are no longer suitable for cycle road racing. It's a fact of life and unfortunately for too long little has been done to prepare for the inevitable.

Which is why I along with one or two others are trying to do something about it. I can't say much right now but after 10's of thousands of km in the car we have a range of great course options and importantly key stakeholders on side, as the traffic management requirements and local support (council/police/RTA/local business and community organisations) are vital for success and long term viability, so course choices that meet a range of criteria (sporting, financial, safety, community support, communications, local services like food etc and within reasonable reach of major population centres etc) isn't easy.

We will have a state road race championship (which was just something that someone had to fix) on a (pretty brutal) new course I found - just awaiting final approvals but everyone that matters is on side and we are expecting no issues with the formal submission (but there is a plan B just in case). It won't however include support races, just not enough time to prepare that.

BTW - I am not part of CNSW, just someone concerned enough to try and come up with solutions for the future viability of road racing in the region.

[bigfriendlyvegan]

The sheer amount of work required to jump through all of the hoops is enormous, and then someone can come along at the last minute and screw it all up. To do Horsley Park, for example, you need council, RTS and police approval with traffic management plans etc. in place. That also means you need at least one yellow card holder in the club and, for Horsley, at least 6 qualified traffic controllers in addition to the other volunteers needed for the race. You then need to leaflet the entire route notifying them of your plans and get in contact with all of the potential stakeholders, who will then forget and decide to do road works or have a truck parking convention or something on the day. After you've done all of this, you need people to show up and race. There have been situations where the volunteers have outnumbers competitors. If you're running juniors, it's even more work.
The best thing people can do is show up and race when the races are put on.

[gretaboy]

The same issue has applied in the Newcastle region. The 3 clubs here have been having lots of meetings with the relevant gubberment stakeholders and it has taken 6 months or so to get approval or near approval to race again at Kooragang. As mentioned previously, the hoops that have to be jumped through are many.

I have heard from Central Coast riders that Calga will eventually stop altogether due to the increased truck traffic that is coming. We are seeing more and more Central Coast riders riding at the Newcastle races as a result.

[Strawburger]

What are the drivers for the stakeholders such as the RMS and Council for holding a road racing event? Wondering why these events are being cancelled and how this could be improved. Surely it's not just about road closures.

Alex,

If you need help on a road safety aspect or consulting councils/RMS/stakeholders I may be able to give you a hand. I'm a road engineer when I am not on my bike... My only client is the RMS and know the ins and outs of dealing with them and other stakeholders.

[bigfriendlyvegan]

What are the drivers for the stakeholders such as the RMS and Council for holding a road racing event?

Council are mandated to run community events, RMS are mandated to facilitate people in their use roads. At the moment, they're both hoops. I don't know how RMS can benefit from road racing (although engaging cyclists as pothole and other problem spotters is not a stupid idea), but council definitely can through good press from the racing, diversification of sporting activities, community engagement (which is lacking, imo; there is too much otherness with cycle racing), and support of local businesses by cyclists.

[Strawburger]

Thanks BFV. I'm sure people are thinking of ways to get through those hoops, I'd be happy to assist if or where I can

[r2160]

And talking to people in other states, it only seems to be NSW that is making it harder for people . . .

[find_bruce]

It is not a new thing, nor is it just cyclists - the same has happened in navigation rallies which involve timing, such as average speed sections, even though the average was well below the speed limit.

The requirement to obtain police approval is of very long standing, it originated in 1937 and is now found in s 115 of the Road Transport Act 2013

The Goulburn to Sydney was cancelled twice, in 1939-40 and 48-50, as a direct result of the Police refusal to grant approval and the refusal to grant a full rolling road closure of the Hume Highway or of alternate routes were factors in the cancellation of the race in 2013.

So far as I am aware there is no legislative requirement for approval from RMS or council etc, but rather the Police won't issue a permit without their approval.

Have there been any changes to the NSW Guidelines for Bicycle Road Races since January 2014 ?

[dalai47]

And talking to people in other states, it only seems to be NSW that is making it harder for people . . .

Not from my experiences as race director a couple of years running for my clubs VRS race. Bend over backwards after getting Traffic Management Plans drawn up for each year regardless it was the same circuit. Then you need Vicroads, Police, council (plural if crossing council boundaries), approval plus making public transport (bus company) in our instance and locals aware. Need to get the ball rolling for one event over 6 months in advance!

Also know from another TT series we were running, the new local policemen wanted us to climb through additional hoops and get the events government gazetted as during the TT's the racers could go faster than the roads 50km/hr speed limit!

[mikesbytes]

I fronted for Calga in June. The police cancelled at 7am on the day so we didn't know until we arrived. The reason given was long weekend traffic. I went for a training ride on the 25k route and the traffic was no different to any other Sunday at Calga. For those who don't know Calga that means I got overtaken by less cars in 25k than I do in the first K of my Sydney bike commute.

Not just NSW also ACT - Tour of Canberra was cancelled, Police costs if I remember correctly. A pity I went really well the one year I competed in the M4+ category. And now I'm a much better time trailist...

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Several people have mentioned the police - they're a pain for big road races. You want to hold one that requires their presence? In that case you'll need X cops for Y hours, minimum. If you only need them for Z hours, where Z < Y, tough luck. You don't get to pick X and Y, the police do. *grumble, grumble*

I've often wondered if you could get the Banditos or Gypsy Jokers to do the same for cheaper...

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Not just NSW also ACT - Tour of Canberra was cancelled, Police costs if I remember correctly. A pity I went really well the one year I competed in the M4+ category. And now I'm a much better time trailist...

Well the roads where these races go are now starting near where new suburban development is happening so that doesn't help, but I suspect it wasn't extra Police cost but lack of sponsor money.

My modus operandi is to find races that will have viability for at least a generation. It takes work however to maintain the support. Clubs that have races that don't constantly keep stakeholders close and in the loop are risking the few courses they have left.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Several people have mentioned the police - they're a pain for big road races. You want to hold one that requires their presence? In that case you'll need X cops for Y hours, minimum. If you only need them for Z hours, where Z < Y, tough luck. You don't get to pick X and Y, the police do. *grumble, grumble*

I've often wondered if you could get the Banditos or Gypsy Jokers to do the same for cheaper...

IMO you want the Police to be a part of the race. Seriously, having a visible police presence out on the race circuit is very very helpful for helping to keep the odd idiot from hooning and reminding everyone to take care. Taking the law into our own hands will be the quickest way to kill the sport altogether.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

What are the drivers for the stakeholders such as the RMS and Council for holding a road racing event? Wondering why these events are being cancelled and how this could be improved. Surely it's not just about road closures.

Many Councils (not all) want events to visit their towns. It brings money to the regions. Each bed night is worth an $X multiplier effect for the local economy, so we are getting a good reception from some councils, and they help with traffic management etc. e.g the Griffith Council and the local business community are and have been very supportive for the Masters Road championships (I was not involved personally, but my colleague was at all levels to make this happen).

Police are generally OK provided they are confident of the road safety aspects. Many criticise the Police but I think it's often unwarranted. They are stakeholders too and need to be brought in to the process, and be educated and involved. Sure there are some commanders who won't play ball. In the end we don't go there and their community loses out on economic dollars. Some Police want to work in with the Council and business for the good of the community.

Which means we also need to be good citizens when we visit such places.

Alex,

If you need help on a road safety aspect or consulting councils/RMS/stakeholders I may be able to give you a hand. I'm a road engineer when I am not on my bike... My only client is the RMS and know the ins and outs of dealing with them and other stakeholders.

Thanks, will keep it in mind. Are you registered to do TMPs? PM me perhaps.

[mikesbytes]

The last Grafton to Inverall race I entered they combined B & C grade into one race (awarding separate results) as a way of keeping a lid on Police costs. End result was a big field with surging happening within Grafton and I had to grass track so not to ride over a rider. Yeh that can happen in any race but that one was surging due to size of the bunch.

I'm not bagging the Police, just discussing costs. Perhaps we will end up with Triathlon style entry fees

[nickobec]

And talking to people in other states, it only seems to be NSW that is making it harder for people . . .

WA is no different to NSW, same process, same approvals required.

Lost the Wandi circuit, which was used by three clubs PDCC, WCMCC & ATTA this year. As what was a quiet rural circuit had a housing estate and roundabout added end of last year.

Local council said you just need to have road closures now. Not easy.

So luckily a old circuit (that got lost due issues with a resident) got resurrected because that council was a lot easier to deal with.

That is the threat with a couple of our circuits, a single resident who does not like us racing there, complaining to a council.

Very hard to find new circuits and get the approval process done.

Also lost a couple of clubs who did put on races. So road racing is getting sparse in WA.

If you live south of the river or are over 35 or race TT you can race most weekends (SOR and one other you can race twice most weekends in winter). North of the river and under 35 you need to like track, they do have a nice velodrome.

[Xplora]

A positive from a recent CNSW memo is that the variability of local area commands should reduce substantially with a common contact point. Incidences like the Calga race cancellation are just rude when riders proceed to do a training ride straight away instead of the race. It makes a mockery of safety concerns when riders just ride anyway. It's either dangerous, or it isn't. Traffic laws are such that cyclist safety isn't really high on the agenda. Anyways, the leaning now is to say yes rather than no. A bit of bike racing doesn't ruin the roads any more than peak hour traffic so it will be good to have a chance to get a few more races going.

[queequeg]

Racing or not, the NSW Police have a strange approach to safety. What exact is unsafe about these roads? Is it an admission that the roads are not up to scratch, or do the police just not like organised events?
If all the folks at Calga had just taken off their numbers and ridden anyway, there is nothing the police can do as it is a public road open to all vehicles.

Although not a race, I did the Sydney to Newcastle Overnight in November last year. We had over 200 riders starting at 9pm and riding up the North Shore along the Pacific Highway, right I the middle of a major police operation for a statewide RBT blitz.
Do you know how many police we saw? Zero!
We did eventually pass an RBT on the Central Coast Highway out of Gosford, and they just waved us past. They did not query our safety or try and shut us down. We were just people on bikes going from A to B. It makes a mockery of the claims about safety. I am in more danger on my daily commute to work and I don't get any concerns from the police about my safety doing that, so why be concerned about being passed by a couple of cars early on a Sunday morning.

[mikesbytes]

While I didn't count heads, I'm guessing that about half of those who arrived at Calga rode anyway and as per my earlier post, the traffic was no different to any other Calga.

As those who race would know, there is a distinct difference between racing in a bunch and touring in a bunch

I've heard that before my time there was road racing within Sydney, possibly in the eastern suburbs until one day a rider go killed by a bus

[queequeg]

While I didn't count heads, I'm guessing that about half of those who arrived at Calga rode anyway and as per my earlier post, the traffic was no different to any other Calga.

As those who race would know, there is a distinct difference between racing in a bunch and touring in a bunch

I've heard that before my time there was road racing within Sydney, possibly in the eastern suburbs until one day a rider go killed by a bus

Yes, this year there was a rider killed in the Tour de Hills. I ride past the site all the time and the yellow paint marking all the positions is still there.
That incident resulted in the cancellation of another local charity ride, and neither of these events had closed roads and neither were a race, just folks out for a ride.
The police cited safety as the reason for the cancellation, without offering any actual solution to the perceived issue.
As far as I know, there still has not been an official report into the tour de hills incident published, but there is nothing special about the location it happened. It appears that the rider simply crossed to the wrong side of the road at the worst possible time.

Perhaps deep down, the police realise that the standard of driving of NSW motorists is very poor and they are out of ideas, so their solution is to remove anything that a motorist is likely to hit, which is all they have the authority to do. It's the pollies jobs to change the legislation around licences and education so that motorists don't drive around like morons killing people.

We had similar issues with the Sydney Tweed Ride. The first couple of times we just did it, but then in came the red tape and it was just too hard, so no more Tweed Ride.

Take a look at the 3 Gorges and Mt White or West Head/Akuna Bay on a weekend. Thousands of cyclists out and about with no police concerns over safety.

[rogan]

While I didn't count heads, I'm guessing that about half of those who arrived at Calga rode anyway and as per my earlier post, the traffic was no different to any other Calga.

As those who race would know, there is a distinct difference between racing in a bunch and touring in a bunch

I've heard that before my time there was road racing within Sydney, possibly in the eastern suburbs until one day a rider go killed by a bus

Yep. Heffron Park, now the home of Randwick-Botany, ESCC and races hosted by other clubs, was formerly an army base. Those concrete straights with the lumpy joins were actually built in the 1940s to cope with tanks.

Up until 1976, RBCC ran its races on open roads. And yes, in 1976, a young racer was killed in a collision with a vehicle on Anzac Pde. The club did a deal with Randwick Council to create a criterium track within Heffron Park. Although I was a member of RBCC 1989-1996, there may be others who know more.

http://www.randwickbotanycc.com/home/history/

[Xplora]

I understand that riding in a bunch is different to racing in a bunch, but the simple fact is that the most likely accident is contained within the racing bunch, cyclists crashing into cyclists. I don't see the need to ban such an event from the road if there is provision for a a car to follow and/or lead the group. If a rider is dropped, they become regular traffic because they aren't in the high risk racing bunch situation, they are just a faster than average cyclist. The act of sprinting at 60kmh isn't illegal so it doesn't matter if you are riding super fast for a KOM or racing in a sanctioned event, the risk is similar if you have adequate road space and cars for some protection if thats the key issue at hand.

The sad part about these kinds of "bans" is that recreation and charity are being punished for the sake of a possible accident which can happen anyway. Insurance exists because bad things happen sometimes.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Racing or not, the NSW Police have a strange approach to safety. What exact is unsafe about these roads? Is it an admission that the roads are not up to scratch, or do the police just not like organised events?
If all the folks at Calga had just taken off their numbers and ridden anyway, there is nothing the police can do as it is a public road open to all vehicles.

Although not a race, I did the Sydney to Newcastle Overnight in November last year. We had over 200 riders starting at 9pm and riding up the North Shore along the Pacific Highway, right I the middle of a major police operation for a statewide RBT blitz.
Do you know how many police we saw? Zero!
We did eventually pass an RBT on the Central Coast Highway out of Gosford, and they just waved us past. They did not query our safety or try and shut us down. We were just people on bikes going from A to B. It makes a mockery of the claims about safety. I am in more danger on my daily commute to work and I don't get any concerns from the police about my safety doing that, so why be concerned about being passed by a couple of cars early on a Sunday morning.

I can't speak for the Police but any race on a public road has to meet certain criteria to proceed, e.g. traffic management points must have approval to halt traffic. For an out and back TT with a U turn, that means approval for traffic management people to halt traffic in both directions so riders can turn unimpeded. Without approval or a full traffic management in place, it's not legal to do that. It was a long weekend and so Police must have felt there was potential for additional traffic volume or traffic that was less familiar with the nature of the road use. Whether or not the traffic eventuated isn't the point.

Two months before a client of mine was T-boned at the U turn by a motorcyclist at speed and both went flying. It was very nasty and extremely lucky for there not to be a death or serious injury. His equipment was totally written off. Fortunately neither rider was seriously injured but it was literally only microseconds away from tragedy.