From Dr Alfred Martin, Brighstone:

I AM very concerned about the proposed race track along the Military Road and the villages of Brighstone, Chale and Shorwell on the south of the IW.

The roads through these villages are unsuitable for fast traffic: they are narrow, winding, mostly without walkways, and to consider closing them to normal traffic for four days is outrageous.

On race days and practice days, cars, buses, lorries, vans, and cyclists would be banned from following their normal daily routine.

Read more: Ambitious plans for TT-style motorbike event on Isle of Wight.

In Brighstone, the way to the Military Road contains a church, a doctor’s surgery, a children’s school and several houses, many without pavements.

Walking to and from the village shops and public house or just crossing the road would present a severe hazard.

The road between Shorwell and Brighstone has no walkway along the two-mile stretch: the famous Shorwell pub is well patronised at all times in the year, and its car parks are busy, particularly at weekends.

The noise generated by a normal 60mph motorbike is quite loud. The noise generated by a potential 200mph speed bike is absolutely horrendous, particularly when accelerating up to 100 or more mph.

The silencers on such bikes are not designed to efficiently silence the noise but rather to allow getting to their top speed as quickly as possible. To consider allowing such machines to compete with each other in a lived-in environment is quite absurd.

Reaction to plans for Diamond Races

Finally, do not believe that the organisers of this 12.4-mile race track will be satisfied if and when the plan is approved and the first days of the 2021 race schedules are over.

This circuit will take a single racing bike a mere ten minutes or so to complete, and leaves the remaining miles of the Military Road and the surrounding hinterland untouched.

Attempts to expand the race circuit to Freshwater and beyond will follow and will succeed if the current plan goes ahead. My advice is to stop this plan stone dead — now.

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