I have been a marshal for a number of years at Black Dub and seen my fair share of accidents- including fatalaties. Apart from the fatality a few years ago, the worst accident I had ever seen was last year that stopped the final practice session on the friday, so I know what I am talking about when I have seen serious incidents. I also marshal back home extensively.

I know every marshal unfortunate enough to be at the 26th on the day would have done their job to the best of their ability, and had signs been there or not, would have known whether the area was safe or not for spectators.

What I find very difficult to swallow, and what puts me off marshalling the most is the apparent 'passing the buck' when it comes to ensuring whether the area was safe or not. If it was a prohibited area there is no excuse for someone a) not to know as such and b) for signs not being there. I am not apportioning blame on anyone as it is totally unclear who has overall responsibility for ensuring that the course is constructed, but if the people at the top dont know whats going on, how are we mortals meant to know any better??

For various reasons I am not going to the TT this year, but if I was I would seriously consider whether to be a marshal or not. When we do our marshal training there is a manual given out with all the details of how to deal with an incident, radio use, where all the helicopter fields are etc. I certainly would have thought that prohibited areas should be a matter of public record and open for everyone to see in the manual, so there is an easy reference guide to see where they are for marshals that just turn up at a sector for the day. During practice weeks marshal numbers are very low, and there is a minimum manning level. I suggest this should be in the manual also. I cannot comment about other sectors, but my personal opinion is that where I am it is too low. It is only going to take an accident to happen where the minimum number of marshals are on post but for something to go wrong to create another situation like this. I for one do not want to be a part of it. You cannot run an event like this with threadbare marshal cover. In my mind, confidence in the whole organisation structure needs to be built up before I can consider marshalling again.