Subsection 5: Approval of circuits.

Any circuit on which activities involving motorised land vehicles take place must be approved in advance. The safety conditions corresponding to these types of activity are defined by the technical and safety rules set out inarticle R. 331-19. A joint order by the Minister for the Interior and the Minister for Sport determines the composition of the application for approval and the procedures for submitting it. Without prejudice to the…

The natural or legal person applying for the approval of a circuit shall bear the costs of the study and visits required to examine the application.

Approval of a circuit is granted for a period of four years by the Prefect, after an inspection and an opinion by the Commission nationale d’examen des circuits de vitesse (National Speed Circuit Examination Commission) when the speed of vehicles may exceed 200 km/h at any point on the circuit or, in other cases, after an inspection and an opinion by the Commission départementale de sécurité routière (Departmental Road Safety…

The National Commission for the Examination of Speed Circuits comprises eight members: 1° Three members appointed by the Minister of the Interior ; 2° One member appointed by the Minister for Ecology; 3° One member appointed by the Minister for Transport; 4° One member appointed by the Minister for Sport; 5° One member proposed by the Fédération française du sport automobile; 6° One member proposed by the French Motorcycling Federation….

The committee’s tasks include 1° To check that the circuit meets the minimum characteristics imposed by the technical and safety rules set out in article R. 331-19 ; 2° To determine the arrangements to be made by the organisers to ensure the protection of spectators attending an event, taking into account the nature of the event and the number and type of vehicles taking part; 3° To propose, where appropriate,…

The committee hears representatives of the local authorities and departments concerned, as well as the owner and manager of the circuit. It may request an expert opinion from the relevant government departments, as well as from any person or organisation whose assistance it deems useful, or may hear them. It may ask one or more of its members to carry out a specific survey of a circuit. In the event…

A report is drawn up following the committee’s visit and, if the opinion is favourable, it proposes that the circuit be approved either for a specific event or for several types of event. This report, which may include additional requirements, is sent to the Prefect.

Within its remit, the departmental road safety commission carries out the same duties and has the same powers as those vested in the national commission for the examination of speed circuits by articles R. 331-39 to R. 331-41.

Approval is granted only if all the requirements set out in article R. 331-41 have been met.

The authority that issued the approval may, at any time, verify or have verified compliance with the conditions under which the approval was granted. Approval may be withdrawn or suspended for a maximum period of six months, after hearing the manager, if the competent committee finds that one or more of the conditions it imposed are not being complied with.