§ Mr. Staintonasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement of his policy and guidance as regards the running of motor rallies on the public highways, including those during night hours, and the role of the Royal Automobile Club in these matters.
§ Mr. HoramIt is our policy to ensure that motor rallies do not cause dangers on the road or unreasonable disturbance or annoyance to road users or members of the public generally. It is an offence to promote or take part in a rally on the public highway unless the event is authorised on my right hon. Friend's behalf and the Royal Automobile Club is his agent for that control. The club operates an informal rationing scheme of no more than one night event and two daytime events a month in any area. At present events with not more than 12 competitors are automatically authorised by regulations made in 1969, but when we revise these we propose, subject to consultation with interested bodies, to accept the recommendation of the Motor Rallies Advisory Committee that all night events should need individual authorisation.