Rochdale Classic Car Show cancelled

The Rochdale Rotary Club has cancelled this year’s Rochdale Classic Car Showdue to a safety related access problem organisers have been unable to resolve.

Access to the venue at Littleborough Sports Club along the single lane, Rakewood Road, which leads to the site caused problems last year, in spite of a Park and Ride bus being put on and parking provided in a nearby farmers field.

Mike Tomkinson from Rochdale Rotary Club said: “We send our sincere apologies to all our show visitors and particularly to the stallholders and classic vehicle owners who have already registered for this year’s event. We are in the process of returning the payments you have made.

“There is a 500-metre section of very narrow access road to our site that poses a safety hazard. We had hoped to resolve this by appointing a professional traffic management company to control this section of road.

“Unfortunately, Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council’s Highways Department Regulations state that this method of control is only allowed for a 300-metre maximum road length.

“Additionally, our insurance policy for the show does not allow our stewards to direct traffic on any public roads. This has left us with no way of dealing safely with the known hazard.

 

 

“We give our special thanks to Littleborough Sports Club for being a marvellous host to our show over the last two years and for helping provide so many visitors with so many very happy memories.

“We are very sad that events have conspired against us to force an end to the Classic Car Show at your wonderful site.

“We will be back in 2020 at a new showground and look forward to welcoming you again.

“At last year’s show we had over 4,000 visitors, 420 classic vehicles and 70 stalls so the event is growing in size year on year. We hope to find a suitable site for next year but sadly we have not been able to resolve things for this year’s event.”

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/120479/rochdale-vintage-classic-collectors-car-and-motorcycle-show