Draft letter to MPs/Local Authorities

Dear XXXXX

I am writing to ask for your support for the Motor Sports Association’s (MSA) recently proposed amendment to the Road Traffic Act. This suggested new legislation, from the recognised governing body for motorsport in the UK, would enable selected Local Authorities to suspend the Road Traffic Act, on closed public roads only, in order to host a limited number of motor sport events each year.

Employees, and the UK businesses which support them of which my company is one, need all the help we can get to grow motor sport activity in the UK during these difficult times.

The benefits of such an amendment would be:

·  Currently, Britain is losing out to other European countries where a decision to close roads for such events, can be made at local level and have proved enormously successful.

·  Local communities, across Britain, could generate up to £40 million of additional revenue by closing roads, from just 20 motor sport events

·  There would be no cost to public finances

·  Decisions would be taken at local level, so empowering communities to host and promote motor sport events for the benefit of the local area and its residents

·  By using motor sport to attract public attention, we can create a powerful platform for delivering educational messages of road safety, with safe and appropriate driving

·  Each event relies on a wide range of volunteers, which will lead to an increase in social capital and a demonstration of civic pride in the host community

·  By growing UK motor sport, we strengthen the UK’s position as a world leader in the motor sport industry and the jobs associated using hi-tech engineering skills

The renowned Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University recently evaluated the case for ‘closed road’ motorsport events. It concluded that just twenty events could generate more than £40 million for local communities over an initial five year period, in addition to the ‘softer’ social and sporting benefits outlined above. A copy of their report is available from www.msauk.org/news.

You should be aware that more than 6,000 people have added their names to an online petition in support of this proposal at www.petition.co.uk/msa.

I do hope this compelling evidence encourages you to pro-actively support the proposed amendment to existing legislation and bring more income into local communities. This will enable the MSA to grow and develop this great national sport, without recourse to any public funds.

I trust the UK motor sport industry, which generates nearly £5 billion each year for UK plc, can count on your support in this matter. I look forward to hearing from you

Yours sincerely