Measures to prevent unauthorized entry onto the course

In preparation for the “MyNavi Tour de Kyushu 2023”, we have developed a safety plan to ensure the event’s safe execution. We have held discussions with the prefectural police headquarters and local police stations for each stage of the event.

Given that the Fukuoka Stage is a road race without a circuit course, and the restricted area spans approximately 150 km, the following measures have been taken into consideration:

Obtaining consent from local residents, including advance notification of the event.

Minimizing the duration of road closures.

Ensuring safety within the restricted area.

Setting regulations, clearing the course, and confirming safety before lifting restrictions.

The details are as follows:

Scope of Traffic Regulations: For the event, the organizers with road usage permits will generally implement a regulation that restricts both sides of the road for vehicles from the start to the finish of each stage to ensure the safety of the competition. However, for roads with central dividing zones near the starting area of the Fukuoka Stage on National Route 322 and near the finish area on Prefectural Route 10, a one-way traffic regulation will be implemented. In sections where the central dividing zone is interrupted, cones and other equipment will be placed to prevent vehicles from the opposite lane from entering.

Advance Notification: Many instances of unauthorized entry onto race courses by outsiders are due to unintentional entry. To address this, signage will be placed on the roads that serve as the course, as well as at various intersections leading to those roads, to notify people about the traffic regulations. Additionally, advance notice of the event will be provided to local residents through the event website, social media, local governments, and the media. Since the Fukuoka Stage has a wide regulated area, over 900 briefing sessions have been held in the municipalities along the route. For the Kumamoto Stage, which is expected to attract many tourists during the three-day weekend in October, it is necessary to inform not only local residents but also tourists. Efforts are being made to inform travel agencies and transportation operators about the event.

Shortening of Regulation Periods: For the Fukuoka Stage, which spans a total length of 150 km, points with large intersections and detours have been selected to divide the route into approximately 18 sections, each approximately 10 km in length, in order to shorten the regulation period.

For National Route 57 and National Route 325 in the Kumamoto Stage, where long traffic regulation periods may lead to traffic congestion, coordination with the police will prioritize vehicles passing through these routes until the regulation confirmation vehicles approach.

For the Oita Stage, the course is divided into 14 sections, with each section considered one unit, and regulations are implemented in each section to reduce the regulation period and the possibility of unauthorized entry onto the course. In the case of the Hita city center circuit, where the regulation period exceeds 2 hours, a certain amount of time is allowed for vehicles to cross the course from some intersections after the passage of the vehicle procession.

Clearance within Sections (No Vehicles on the Course): At the start of the regulation, there may still be general vehicles traveling in both directions on the course. With the commencement of regulation, any remaining vehicles are guided out of the section, and access from side roads that can be used by all vehicles is blocked.

Confirmation of Clearance (Regulation Confirmation Vehicle Procession): After clearing the regulation section, security personnel ensure that no vehicles enter from side roads. In case a vehicle enters from a side road or hinders the course within the regulation section, the regulation confirmation vehicle procession runs ahead of the race procession and takes measures to ensure safety, such as redirecting the vehicle out of the course or keeping it in place until the regulation is lifted. If a vehicle enters the course and remains, escort motorcycles following the race procession handle the situation. In such cases, the event headquarters vehicle within the regulation confirmation vehicle procession will notify the event headquarters and related vehicles and ensure that the information is disseminated for everyone’s safety.

Course-Side Security: At large intersections and intersections with traffic signals, police officers handling signals are stationed. At intersections without signals and side roads where placement of security personnel and safety marshals is deemed necessary according to discussions with the prefectural police, uniformed security personnel and safety marshals are stationed to prevent vehicle entry onto the course. For locations where the movement of vehicles from houses and similar properties is expected, equipment such as cones will be placed, and safety marshals will be stationed to prevent entry onto the course. If unauthorized entry onto the course is suspected, uniformed security personnel will guide the vehicle out of the course, and the discovery will be promptly reported to the event headquarters. The event headquarters will relay the information to the regulation confirmation vehicle procession and related vehicles, and appropriate measures will be taken to ensure the safety of the vehicles entering the course.