The UK’s growing motorsport industry could have the brakes put on by European Union legislation limiting working hours according to a new Government-backed study.
Research undertaken jointly by Birmingham and Newcastle universities and Henley and Cranfield management colleges highlighted the EU working time directive as a potential problem for the industry.
The interim findings of the DTI-backed study were revealed at Auto-sport International, the UK motor racing industry’s showcase event.
It stated, "The implications of the EC directive on the number of hours in the working week has particular implications for an industry that works to deadlines, with highly specialised labour which is very difficult to increase or substitute."
Chris Aylett, chief executive of the Motorsport Industry Association said, the nature of the sport meant that it would be very difficult for high-tech motor racing companies to comply with the EU working time directive without results suffering.
He commented, "One of the most important aspects of the industry is to deliver a result or a project to a particular deadline.
"If you try and suggest that we should have two employees and split the number of hours you are ignoring the complexity of the technical problems we face."
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By Ben Willmott
