Following severe delays and cancellations during last year’s TT races, organisers have made back-up plans for this year.

The Department for Enterprise (DfE) is consulting with the public on adding extra practice sessions, should they be required to the 2018 TT schedule.

Extra practice sessions are proposed for Sunday, May 27, and Friday, June 1.

Last year’s practices only began at the third attempt, starting on the Tuesday of practice week rather than the planned Saturday.

Rob Callister MHK, member of the DfE with responsibility for motorsport, said: ’In 2017 there was significant interruption in the practice schedule due to poor weather, with a number of practice sessions cancelled.

’This meant that racing on the first Saturday of race week was postponed to the Sunday to allow for the whole of Saturday to be used for practice, to ensure that all competitors had sufficient track time to race safely.’

If the opening night practice session on the Saturday is cancelled or severely curtailed it could be held the following afternoon.

Traditionally, the opening practice allows newcomers to take slower laps to get familiar with the course before the Monday evening practice session.

Mr Callister continued: ’It is proposed that an application be made to the Department of Infrastructure under the Road Races Act 2016 to include the afternoon of Sunday, May 27, as a postponement practice period and to operate this as any other practice period. If used it is proposed to practise between 1.30pm and 4.30pm.’

He explained that for the extra Friday practice session to be used, there must be a minimum of three evening practice sessions cancelled or shortened and if weather allows, this would see two sessions held on Friday.

The first session would run between 1.30pm and 4pm with the roads re-opening between 4.30pm and 6pm, the idea wouldn’t interfere with schools as this is an in-service day for staff training.

In previous years, TT sessions were held in mornings, afternoons and evenings but the event schedule was heavily reorganised in 2004.

Mr Callister told the Examiner the plans are subject to the ’department completing a targeted consultation exercise with industry and residents around the course. It is proposed this could be completed through a direct mailshot utilising the Post Office’.

Alternatively, email your views on the proposals to: [email protected]