I know exams are a factor, but that's practically the case now for all year groups and at meny times of the year due to the modular structure now in place. I had people who declined to run in teh XC Champs at Witton in early January citing exams :w00t:

However, the main difference has got to be that in Lancs, Yorks and North Wales someone made the effort to invite athletes to run.