Death prompts changes to jumps at Frankston City Motorcycle Park
JUMPS at the Frankston City Motorcycle Park’s main track will be modified following the death of a motocross rider.
South East
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JUMPS at the Frankston City Motorcycle Park’s main track will be modified following the death of a motocross rider.
Council general manager (corporate) Tim Frederico said it was likely there would be changes to run off/clearance areas, the height and length of jumps, and rider management processes.
“At this stage the beginners and intermediate tracks are unlikely to be changed,” he said.
RELATED: Track inspector identifies safety issues at motorcycle park
Mr Frederico also said an interim fee structure for park users would be comparable to the one under the previous volunteer committee of management.
Asked why the committee had effectively been sacked by council, Mr Frederico said after the fatal accident council’s duty of care had prevented it “from renewing the club’s existing lease”.
“Council is mindful that the park is required to be operational as soon as possible to meet the community’s recreational motorcycling needs,” he added.
Mr Frederico was responding to a barrage of questions from park supporters at Monday night’s council meeting — many of whom are furious over the indefinite closure of the facility.
Deputy mayor Glenn Aitken, who is heading a transition committee overseeing the facility, told park supporters to be patient.
He also said supporters bombarding councillors with emails demanding that the park be immediately reopened were holding up the process.
“Council has been drawn into this through unfortunate circumstances,’’ he said.
Motocross enthusiast Matthew Lloyd told the Leader he was unimpressed with the responses.
“They used big words like ‘safety’, ‘responsibility’ and ‘duty of care’,” he said.
“I don’t believe the council are working with the (former) committee like they say they are.”
Mr Lloyd believed the main track was safe and said riders were frustrated over the continuing closure.
The Leader has reported that a council-commissioned safety audit had identified serious concerns about the main track.
Danny Edlington died after an accident when he rode on the track for the first time on April 4.
It is believed Mr Edlington fell off his bike after going over a jump before he was hit by another bike. He suffered head injuries, then went into cardiac arrest and died.
The accident occurred shortly after Mr Edlington complained to his wife Katie about the size of one of the jumps.
Fellow rider Bodie Tattam, 21, was left a paraplegic after an accident on the track in June last year.