… passed quietly a couple of months ago. It is now just over 50 years since The Motor Vehicles (Competition and Trials) Regulations 1969 came into operation and they continue to regulate motoring events on public highways five decades later.

During the late 1950s and early 1960s there was increasing concern about the noise and disturbance caused by car rallies, particularly those held during the night. The Road Traffic Act 1962 made provision for the “Regulation of motoring events on public highways” and this led to The Motor Vehicles (Competitions and Trials) Regulations 1965, the first time that motoring events on the highway had to be authorised. The 1965 regulations were considered over-draconian and immediate efforts were made to relax some of the controls, resulting in the Motor Vehicles (Competitions and Trials) Regulations 1969 which are still in force (with amendments) to this day.

When one considers how our roads have changed in the last 50 years it is a remarkable tribute to those who drafted the 1969 Regulations that they are still considered ‘fit for purpose’ in a totally different motoring environment. It is also a tribute to our friends and colleagues, first at the RAC, then at the MSA, and now at Motorsport UK, who have been responsible for the ongoing implementation of these regulations.