HOW IT WAS REPORTED:
The Isle of Man T.T. RACES, from May 26 to June 8, have in the past attracted up to 40,000 motorbike enthusiasts and are worth between £5m and £7m to the island's economy. But this is more than counterbalanced by the threat to that economy if there were an outbreak of foot and mouth. All its 250,000 animals would have to be slaughtered, which would cost £50m.
Geoff le Page, director of tourism, said the decision to cancel had been a difficult one because tourism and agriculture were interlinked.
A programme of extra precautions was put forward by the Department of Trade and Tourism, but the council of ministers decided that the races would constitute a significant risk to animal health and the agricultural industry.
Although the island is still welcoming tourists, the TT races were a particular threat because of the number of spectators on farmland and lanes.
"The big debate has been to look at what precautions can be put in place," said Mr Le Page. "Other avenues have been explored, such as putting grandstands up. But it is a 37.75 mile race and most of it is run on farmland."
It was considered impractical to restrict spectator movements, and disinfecting the thousands of motorists who might have travelled from infected areas was too big a task.
The Tynwald chief minister, Donald Gelling, said: "We hope people will understand that the alternative was to take an extra risk, against advice, of introducing a terrible disease which could devastate the Manx countryside and cause long-term damage to tourism as well as to agriculture.
"Our priority must now be to help this important sector at this difficult time and to ask the fans to look forward to a special TT festival in 2002."
The loss of business to the island will have to be addressed. The Treasury and Department of Tourism and Leisure are looking at ways of easing hardship and cash flow difficulties.
