Commentary on Sections of the Act
The Act contains only one Section. Subsection (2) of Section 1 amends Article 3 of the Road Races (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 to provide that not more than two contingency days may be specified in a road closing order and that a contingency day must be one of the two days falling immediately before or immediately after a day specified in a road closing order.
Where a contingency day is to be a Sunday the Department is to be satisfied that disruption to the local community is minimised so far as is reasonably practicable. Where a Sunday is to be used as a contingency day for the North West 200 races racing shall not commence before 1.30 or continue after 6.00pm.
Subsection (2) also provides that race promoters may apply in writing to the Department to put a contingency arrangement into effect. Such applications must be submitted not later than 24 hours before the event and may be submitted electronically.
Applications would be approved by a direction from the Department which may also be issued electronically.
Subsection (3) of Section 1 inserts a new paragraph (8A) into Article 3 of the 1986 Order requiring the Department to secure that such public notice as it considers necessary is given to ensure that the effect of any direction made is brought to the attention of the public.
