06/01/2026
Westbury Town Council Announces Postponement of Westbury White Horse Soap Box Derby 2026
Westbury Town Council has made the difficult decision to postpone the Westbury White Horse Soap Box Derby planned for May 2026. This decision follows careful and detailed consideration of public safety, regulatory obligations, and the long-term sustainability of this much-valued community event.
Since the first Soap Box Derby in 2022, visitor numbers have increased year on year by approximately 1,000 to 2,000 people. While this growth reflects the event’s popularity and success, the scale now projected for 2026 has outpaced the capacity of its current location and supporting infrastructure. The existing site, while offering an exceptional setting for the racing itself, presents significant challenges in safely managing pedestrian and visitor access, alongside transport and traffic flow. Protecting the safety of pedestrians, visitors, participants, volunteers, and residents remains paramount for the Council.
Following discussions with the Highways Authority and Wiltshire Police, the Town Council has been advised that a licence for the 2026 event cannot be issued without fundamental changes to address these safety concerns.
Based on this advice, the Council accepts that the Soap Box Derby cannot be delivered safely or lawfully in its current format in 2026. Attempting to proceed under the existing arrangements would create unacceptable levels of risk for the Town Council, volunteers and the wider community.
The Council has therefore designated 2026 as a fallow year. This will provide officers with the necessary time to undertake a full and careful review of alternative options, including potential new locations and revised event management arrangements, to support the planned relaunch of the Soap Box Derby in 2027 in a way that is safe, sustainable, and fit for the future.
Westbury Town Council remains committed to the Soap Box Derby and the value it brings to the town. Working with partners, stakeholders and the community, the Council will focus over the coming year on ensuring the event is well placed to return in a safe and sustainable manner.
