Please sign this petition to show  your support  on the issue of  the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly enacted an Order, commencing the special events provisions of the Roads (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 2010. These provisions became effective on the 4th September 2017 and has had a massive impact on the fall of  Running roads races in Northern Ireland .

The  legislation was introduced by current MP Chris Hazzard in his role as Infrastructure Minister in 2016 and being implemented in 2017. We now are lobbying all our MLA on their return to Stormont to overturn this legislation before we see anymore running events cancelled and the effect it has on any new events being created. 

 The Active Runner a local  non profit project  to share events and news on running on our online magazine and website see a great need for this petition  , we  really do need something done as road running and events over the last few years have drastically seen a decline due to cost of holding an event and all the red tape.. This is affecting running as a sport that helps keep people fit , their mental heath as well as the social aspect that it brings for many people trying to meet new people.  The Active Runner has seen the major fall in events while adding to our events guide and would like to support this issue. . Doctors now give advise to people to take part in walking or running so we really need our events saved .....Charities too will also be affected badly from this as many of the events are for them , our sport helps charities more so that any other and this needs to continue.  

 SDLP Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon MLA has now  agreed to review the Road Closure Legislation, but we still want to see this over the line and have added pressure to make sure that this does not go on for year's ,as we do not have the time to see other events fall by the wayside and our sport suffer anymore.

Why we need this addressed ..........

1. Massive Decline in road runs
2. Mental health issues
3.Social aspect of running
4.Charities affected by events being cancelled...Charities have seen a massive drop since 2017..
5.Business it supports ..Timing companies/shops in towns of events ie coffee shops cafes/ b&b/ hotels . petrol stations with travelling runners. there is lots of companies that will lose out.
6.Family day out to enjoy sport and encourage your kids for the future
7.Running Clubs will see members drop if no events to go to.
8.People looking at events in their town would take up running due to the excitement of an event in your town.
9. The pride it can give to an area that can showcase their event will have gone.
10.The running tourist will be lost as many now travel to events from all over and they go home and speak very highly from the place they visited.

www.facebook.com/theactiverunner/

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