COVID-19: Mildenhall told to Remain Closed After it was Given Go-ahead for Practice

A UK motocross track was ordered by local police to remain closed last weekend, despite previous clearance to open by local authorities.

Mildenhall MX had been planning to open this past weekend (May 23-24) after being given the go-ahead from local authorities. The track had planned to open for private hire and following social distancing measures appropriate to the current national and global health situation. 

However, before the weekend, Mildenhall was ordered by Suffolk police to remain closed. A statement from Mildenhall read:

“Unfortunately after being given the green light to open this weekend from [Health and Safety Executive] and Local authority, we have have only this evening been ordered by Suffolk constabulary to not operate this weekend.”

The venue was said to be “perplexed and frustrated” at the situation, stating “Motocross not being a good excuse to travel.” They also linked government regulation, the relevant section of which stated;

(1) During the emergency period, no person may leave the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reasonable excuse includes the need— (b) to take exercise either alone or with other members of their household;

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 – Section 6: Restrictions of Movement

The situation is quite unique, since other UK tracks, notably karting, have been able to open up, following social distancing measures, to allow practice and testing. As well as the apparent conflict shown in the decisions of the local authorities and Suffolk constabulary.

As of the 26th May, the UK is still officially in lockdown, though measures were made to relax rules for businesses and citizens on 10th May from Stage 5 to Stage 4 in the Governments ‘COVID Alert Levels’, as to stimulate the start of a return to normal behaviour.

The situation could also point towards the reality of racing emerging from its COVID-19-enforced break at the beginning of this year – that it is going to be more complicated than declaring, ‘we’re going racing’. 

This much has already been proven by the countless changes to almost every race series’ schedule over the past two or three months, not least that of the MXGP World Championship, which currently plans to get back underway on 2 August in Russia and is considering having the Motocross des Nations as a championship-points-scoring round. The earliest competitive UK events scheduled to take place in the second half of July.

With that being said, there is clearly light at the end of the tunnel. The situation with Mildenhall is unfortunate, mostly for the inconsistent communications that the track’s management received as they planned to reopen. But surely they, and many others, will soon be able to welcome riders (and of course in other cases, drivers) back to their circuit once again – something that seemed hopelessly far away even just a few weeks ago.

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