Tourism Minister Martyn Quayle has admitted consultation could have been better over plans to close roads earlier than normal during TT practice week.

The decision, which would have allowed extra sessions for riders in the inaugural 'clean emissions' TTXGP, was later reversed after criticism from marshals, medics and the public.

There were worries it would add to rush hour headaches after work, while marshals were concerned at the extra time they would need to get to their posts.

After raising the issue in the House of Keys, North Douglas MHK John Houghton told Manx Radio the goodwill of the public could have been pushed too far by the exercise:

"It certainly hasn't helped it and that's the purpose for the question, and I don't want stupid errors like this to be made by government ministers again.

"No matter how well couched it is between three ministers, those three should have provided some degree of common sense to prevail in the situation whereby you've got to think of the travelling public.

"That's the purpose of closing the roads at six o'clock, so people can leave their place of work, go to do duty as a marshal or another course official on the course, or go home and be able to get home before the roads close."