Return of Saltburn's Hill Cimb

Saltburn's famous hill climb event is revving up for its popular social meet next month.

Middlesbrough and District Motor Club are preparing to stage its annual hill climb at Saltburn, on Sunday, September 16, from 10am to 4.30pm.

The start is from the bottom of the Cat Nab car park, which is reserved as a paddock on the day, and some 100 veteran cars and motorcycles will roar up Saltburn Lane as part of the event which features motorbikes made between 1918-1975. Cars will include an early Japanese model.

The event, which is currently not a competition of speed and is not timed, attracts interest from the general public as well as from both motor car and motorcycle buffs but patrons still have to wait until next year to see if it can become a speed trial once more.

The event had originally been run as a speed event for 12 years, but this was stopped in 2004, due to legal issues relating to the Road Traffic Act.

Ernie Crust, the club events secretary said: “We contacted Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Tom Blenkinsop for support and when the Coalition Government was formed after the 2010 General Election, we were told that there should not be a problem as there was cross party agreement on reinstating the speed trial on a closed road.

The Motor Sport Association took it up nationally and have told us Saltburn is top of the list for getting its speed event back. Unfortunately we’ve been told it will be 2013 at the earliest. It's frustrating, as the Government has said the law should be changed, but it’s been put on the back burner. It's probably regarded as a small issue by the Government in the current recession but this would benefit tourism in Saltburn and also in the Teesside region fantastically.”

The event is sponsored by Saltburn, Marske and New Marske Parish Council and supported by Redcar and Cleveland Council, with help from local businesses.




A brief background to the Hill Climb can be read here.

A history to the sport of motor racing on Saltburn sands can be read here.