Guest Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 (edited) blaa .. blaa. does not rider safety not come into this discussion? if tracks are no longer safe close them! this is not the 80's. air fence is defacto and i totally support it. I take it that you are well informed in the directive in regard to air fences: is it universal - affecting all countries? And if so, how is it going to be enforced at places where speedway is only part of a meeting - as in New Zealand for example where they can and do appear on mixed programmes with sidecars, midget cars and sprint cars? Or about tracks in USA and Canada where speedway only provide support races for Flat Track motorcycle racing? Are air fences also being imposed on European speedway outposts like Holland, Belgium, Romania and Bulgaria? Has the use of air fences actually been mandated for the UK by the FIM or is it something that is just being imposed by the UK's governing body. I am not decrying that air fences provide additional safety for riders: their care and safety must always be paramount. Edited November 8, 2013 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 The first Oxford one is still owned by Allen Trump as far as I know who was peddling it for sale in the Speedway Star. The second one went to Kings Lynn but not sure they use that fence anymore I guess IOW's problem is that the fence they will need is just so much bigger than many other tracks, say £20k for a fence, I suspect £30k for the IOW due to the number of panels required Nobody would dispute Air Fences are the way forward but this rule will end up closing clubs and I am not sure that was what is was designed to do iwade are in the same boat as the IOW. i can see there being some casualties this winter because of the air fence issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMW Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 blaa .. blaa. does not rider safety not come into this discussion? if tracks are no longer safe close them! this is not the 80's. air fence is defacto and i totally support it. I suppose the rider will be safe if they can't ride !!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 9, 2013 Report Share Posted November 9, 2013 (edited) I am surprised that this BSPA site message regarding IoW has not been posted so far. It was put up some days ago. http://www.speedwaygb.co/news.php?extend.23234 Edited November 9, 2013 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
builderbob Posted November 9, 2013 Report Share Posted November 9, 2013 really cant see how the air fence can cost that much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 9, 2013 Report Share Posted November 9, 2013 (edited) really cant see how the air fence can cost that much Well £20,000 each upwards appears to be the selling price according to an advert I found via Google. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/speedway/24820365 Edited November 9, 2013 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben91 Posted November 10, 2013 Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 It would be terrible if the Islanders were to be lost to the sport, lets hope a solution can be found. The rule to bring in air fences across the board is a very good one with regards to rider safety there can be no arguments with that. The ridiculous part, especially for standalone National League outfits, is the timing of the announcement that the rule was coming into effect. It have hardly any notice for clubs to prepare and get fund raising initiatives in place. Tracks like Buxton have done a great job with their fund raising efforts but they can't have been easy, fund raising never is, but the least that could have been done was to give these clubs some time. Lets hope the IOW come to tapes for 2014. Perhaps a meeting with some of their former stars such as Chris Holder donating their services to kick the season off could help raise some money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dontforgetthefueltapsbruv Posted November 10, 2013 Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 To put matters into perspective the Chris Holder earnings from just one Polish meeting would just about sort things out. (ps I am not suggesting CH should pay for it!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berniev123 Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 After my many visits to the Island can I ask a question that nobody seems to have come up with? Would it be cheaper to shorten/narrow the overall width of the track, if allowed, and then put in a smaller air fence? I know the Island has always been large but to survive thinking out of the box may have to be the answer. Hope to see the Islanders in 2014 against the Heathens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 After my many visits to the Island can I ask a question that nobody seems to have come up with? Would it be cheaper to shorten/narrow the overall width of the track, if allowed, and then put in a smaller air fence? I know the Island has always been large but to survive thinking out of the box may have to be the answer. Hope to see the Islanders in 2014 against the Heathens! i think that might be a non starter now that football is being staged there again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berniev123 Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 i think that might be a non starter now that football is being staged there again.Thanks for that info as I live in the West Midlands not on the Island! That makes it a bit more of a problem for the management then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny the spud Posted November 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 After the cost of shortening and re-laying the track you'd still have to buy an air fence so I doubt that there would be any saving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great Central Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 I hope that young Bryn doesn't mind but I have copied his press release from IOW Supporters Facebook page. "WILL THE WIGHTLINK ISLANDERS FUTURE BECOME CLEARER AFTER TONIGHT? That's the question being asked by all connected with our Speedway club as they look ahead to tonight's shareholders AGM that gets underway in the Premier Lounge at the Smallbrook stadium at 7pm. Most who follow the exciting, family orientated sport of speedway will know that we and all other clubs have been instructed by the sport's authorities that they must have air-fence protection in place at both ends of the race track before the beginning of next March to allow a club to continue to operate. That's understandable as any measure to provide extra protection to the riders that thrill us when racing their highly tuned 500cc motorbikes with no brakes around circuits such as ours must be welcomed but air-fences are expensive. An update on the cost of buying and installing such a fence at Smallbrook is expected to be given at tonight's meeting as one item on the agenda is listed as, "Air-Fence and the cost of running Speedway." No doubt there'll be plenty of discussion on these and many other points tonight and hopefully there'll be some positive news to report tomorrow." Let us hope that tonights meeting is well attended by as many shareholders as possible and a way is found not only to fund the air fence, but how to increase attendances at the home meetings. The IOW provides a unique speedway experience in terms of getting there and also seeing speedway run by people with such a passion to make it work. It is a fast track that when well prepared provides such great racing in a stadium that some clubs would die for and British speedway cannot afford to lose it. Let's hope for positive news but it will be a difficult meeting for sure. Share This: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundp Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Good luck tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berniev123 Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Good luck tonight.Same from me sitting in Cradley!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander15 Posted November 12, 2013 Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Did anyone on here attend the AGM tonight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevePark Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 Did anyone on here attend the AGM tonight? The silence is deafening! Anybody with any clues as to what occured and what is the plan (plans), if any, for 2014? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMW Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 The silence is deafening! Anybody with any clues as to what occured and what is the plan (plans), if any, for 2014? Press release is now on the BSPA website. It is wait and see until the AGM's are done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevePark Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 Press release is now on the BSPA website. It is wait and see until the AGM's are done. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny the spud Posted November 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 I think we all knew the outcome. Why didn't they just wait ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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