TT organisers including the Manx government have given in to pressure and abandoned plans for additional road closures during this year's practice week.

It means there won't be any extra practicing for the inaugural TTXGP, and only riders who have qualified to take part in the four solo TT classes will be eligible to compete in the first 'green emissions' race.

At the same time, entries for the TTXGP will now be accepted up to May 29, a fortnight before the event.

The proposed extra hour of practicing on each of the four days from Tuesday, June 2 to Friday, June 5 will no longer be required, and on each of those days roads around the mountain section will close at the usual time of 5pm, with the rest of the course closing an hour later.

When the proposed extra sessions were announced, serious concerns were expressed by marshals, medics and the public over manning the sessions, and possible gridlocked traffic in Douglas, as people tried to head home.

But Tourism Minister Martyn Quayle is reluctant to apologise for the apparent error of judgement:

He told Manx Radio:

I don't know if you would need anybody to apologise for something that was done in the best interests of the Isle of Man and the events, and also which would benefit the Island's economy.

"It was the right thing to do based on the information that was available at that time, it's just the changing set of circumstances that has now led us to think afresh of what we can do to overcome the particular problems.

"So I don't know whether an apology is required."