The Isle of Man Constabulary has urged riders and drivers to slow down and drive to the conditions after a string of crashes on the A18 Mountain Road forced repeated closures over the past week. Police said the road has been shut numerous times since Saturday, May 23, during the TT period.
That warning matters now because the Mountain Road sits at the centre of the TT and every closure ripples far beyond the crash scene. Police said the decisions made there affect racing operations and the partner services across the island that are sent to deal with the incidents, which is why they are asking people to make sensible choices for the rest of the event.
A police spokesperson said riders and drivers should give themselves space and remember that the mountain section can change quickly. Riding within your limits, the spokesperson said, helps prevent further closures and keeps the event running smoothly for everyone. The warning was not only about speed. Police said even the smallest mistake on the road can carry wider consequences for spectators, marshals and the services working across the island.
There is also a sharper edge to the message. Police said they had received further reports of people entering closed roads, even after thanking the public for behaving appropriately on Thursday, May 28, when Bushy’s TT Village at the Villa Marina opened for the first time this year. Officers said anyone who enters a closed road could place themselves in front of the next available court, and that riding, driving or even stepping onto a closed road puts people at risk.
Police said they will continue to work with marshals to prosecute individuals who enter closed roads, particularly where people are put in danger. The message to the public is plain: keep looking after one another, enjoy TT, and make choices that help the event continue without more disruption on the mountain.
