A Freedom of Information response released on 12 January 2026 has confirmed that the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) restricted motorcycle use at Dhoon Quarry following a ‘health and safety review’.
However, the department withheld parts of the documentation under Section 25(2)(b) of the FOI Act, citing absolute exemption for personal data. Campaigners say this leaves a transparency gap, with the substantive safety rationale for the ban still unclear.
The decision has cut off a venue that riders had used for decades. Dhoon is not an active quarry — no blasting, no heavy plant, no commercial extraction. For local clubs, its dormant status made it a safe and suitable site for trials.
That tradition ended abruptly in November 2025, when the VMCC Vintage Motorcycle Club hosted the penultimate round of the Furnitureland Ramsey trials championship at Dhoon.
Riders and spectators were told it would be their “last chance” to compete there. Days later, the Quarry Manager at the DOI wrote directly to motorcycle clubs, stating that “unfortunately access to Dhoon Quarry is no longer available for any events.”
A Pattern of Anti‑Motorsport Decisions by IOM Government
The Dhoon ban is not an isolated case. In 2020, DEFA shut down Snuff the Wind (Cross Vein Mine), another site long used by motocross riders and families, despite strong community opposition. Critics accused the government of overstating risks and ignoring heritage, pointing out that world champion David Knight trained there. Taken together, these decisions suggest a government stance increasingly hostile to grassroots motorsport, preferring prohibition over proportionate safety controls.
A week before the closure in 2020, local film maker Dario Leonetti made this short film, speaking to people to find out why this baron piece of waste land is such a special place.
Stoney Mountain Quarry: A Tale of Two Standards
The inconsistency becomes sharper when compared with Stoney Mountain Quarry near Foxdale.
In July 2024, inspectors documented serious breaches: missing geotechnical assessments, inadequate bunding around lagoons, confusion over blasting danger zones, and defective guarding on machinery. Enforcement notices were recommended, but recreational use was not banned outright.
At Dhoon, by contrast, the DOI imposed prohibition on a non‑operational site, without publishing evidence or offering remedial pathways.
Community Impact
The sudden restriction cut off a recognised championship venue mid‑season. Clubs were left scrambling for alternatives, traditions were broken, and riders were denied access without explanation. For many, the ban feels less like a proportionate safety measure and more like policy by whisper.
Calls for Transparency and Consistency
The FOI response has brought the Dhoon Quarry ban into sharper focus for motorsport enthusiasts, but without full disclosure the decision looks less like safety policy and more like bureaucratic hostility to motorsport. For riders, the memory of that last November event — the “last chance” to compete at Dhoon — now stands as a symbol of how quickly tradition can be erased when government decisions are made behind closed doors.
Manx.News has approached the DOI for comment.
