A series of drop-in sessions are being organised by the Isle of Wight Council so residents can find out more about the forthcoming Tour of Britain cycle race.
The Tour of Britain culminates on the Island on 11th September when around 100 of the world’s best cyclists will take on the 150km last leg of the series in what is believed to be the largest sporting event ever hosted by the Island.
The event will be broadcast live around the world giving the Island a global profile and residents a grandstand view of a top-class professional sporting event.
However, the race will inevitably have an impact on the highway network including a rolling road closure of between 30 minutes and an hour so riders can pass safely. Longer closures will be necessary at the start on Ryde Seafront and along the finishing stretch – the Military Road at Chale to The Needles, although it remains unclear why Military Road needs to be closed hours before the riders are due.
You can find out more about these rolling road closures, and the estimated timings, at https://www.iow.gov.uk/documentlibrary/view/tour-of-britain-route-timings.
Residents will also be required to remove their vehicle from the road if they live along the route. This will need to be done from 18:00 the previous night (Saturday 10th September) until the race passes the following day. A full list of the affected roads – along with details of arrangements in areas where alternative parking has been made available – will be publicised shortly.
The drop-in sessions, to be held in Ryde, Freshwater, Newport and Cowes, will be an opportunity for residents to discuss with organisers any issues they may have or indeed find out how they can get involved in – or best spectate – the race. Representatives from the Isle of Wight Council’s sports unit and highways teams and Visit Isle of Wight will be among those present to provide information.
Alex Minns, Isle of Wight Council Assistant Director of Neighbourhoods, said:
“The Tour of Britain will be a fabulous event for the Island, its economy and in terms of hosting an event that can inspire people to take up a healthy pursuit.
“We are really keen that everyone has the information they need to make the most of the event and to ensure they can play their part in making sure it is a resounding success. The drop-in sessions will be one chance to do that and we look forward to seeing residents at these events.”
The drop-in sessions will be held at the following locations and times.
- Tuesday 23rd August – Ryde
Ryde Castle – Drop-in 15:00 to 18:00 - Wednesday 24th August – Freshwater
West Wight Sports Centre – Drop-in 15:00 to 18:00 - Thursday 25th August – Newport
Riverside Centre – Little London Room – Drop-in 15:00 to 18:00 - Wednesday 31st August – Cowes
Northwood House – Drawing Room – Drop-in 15:30 to 18:00
Great idea, have the sessions during most peoples working hours. Why not evenings or on a sunday too. Typical. Half arsed attempt at trying to look like they give a toss. Won’t look good on the tv with the locals protesting will it.
Great event, I expect someone will joining a cycling club now.
Why are the council holding these sessions wasting even more of OUR money? Make the organizers of this pathetic, intrusive event pay for them. The majority of islanders do not want this event.
They say there’s a ‘rolling road closure’ of between 30 mins and 1 hour, but surely the road must be cleared of vehicles long before that? What happens if there’s cars parked along these routes, it could take hours to clear them all, or are all the roads becoming no parking and no stopping zones from a day or so beforehand?
To organise drop in sessions to ask questions etc only a couple of weeks before the event happens seems extremely short-sighted. Perhaps residents along the route and those affected by the event should have been contacted long before now.
More to the point, have we been given an opportunity to object? as people were reference the Diamond races?
I seem to remember the rallying of village hall battle hardened.
Looks like Godshhill and Rookley will be a no go then having it twice !
I suggest a nice blockade, anyone got a clapped out old car that “might” breakdown on the route in Godshill or Rookley, perhaps someone has a few old bangers.
I notice you haven’t got the guts to do it yourself – but want someone else to do your dirty work and let them face the full consequences. All mouth – no guts – no brains – no decency
Why is everyone so negative about an event that raises the islands profile for future visitors and creates a ‘little’ inconvenience?
Because it creates an inconvenience.
Because all this event is going to achieve is to bring more Lycra clad bell ends to the Isle of Wight to do a lap of the circuit, hold up traffic, frustrate people trying to travel around the island riding 3 abreast, and then go home, spending hardly any money at all. The motor bike racing would of brought the island some money, not these wannabe athletes on children’s toys!
Ah, a fat old gammon who probably hasn’t seen his own little winkle in decades criticising elite athletes. One thing is for sure, they look better in lycra than you.
These are world class athletes and spectators/viewers around the World will get a positive image of the island….which will generate more visits in the future and more income for the islands businesses. The inconvenience is trivial by comparison but it’s clearly impossible to discuss it in the face of such NIMBYism.
It’ll be a blight on our roads and an inconvenience for all legitimate road users and they don’t even pay road tax.
Your ignorance matches your stupidity.
Do you own the roads? – NO you don’t. The roads belong to everyone.
What is this “road tax”?
A “legitimate road user” is what? A horse and cart – yes. Pedestrians – yes. Cyclists – yes. Buses – yes. Car drivers – most of them.
Road Tax was abolished in 1937. Do some research and give your pig ignorance a chance to shine.
This island seems to have its fair share of miserable people who can’t bear to have anyone enjoy themselves. Here we have an event that will bring thousands of spectators to the island and will be broadcast all around the world – so instead of being happy about the money being spent here on the day and potential holidaymakers coming in the future, they threaten to sabotage the whole thing. And tomorrow they will complain just as loudly about the derelict hotels and empty shops.
It has far more than its fair share of these geriatric whiners.
This island is fast becoming a gigantic care home full of miserable old farts who moan and complain about anything that even slightly disturbs their descent into senescence.
Would suggest Island Roads area managers get out of their vans (paid for by us tax payers) and ride the course by bike. The reason being they don’t seem to notice what a state some of the course roads are in. For instance Victoria Avenue,Shanklin which has been under attack by various companies over the last few weeks as well as the now normal cracking up our roads seem to be undergoing but ignored.
Are all the other roads on the course ok perhaps others could assist by listing any others please, you never know someone might take note?
Do this lot race off road or maybe around obstacles?
The A3054 through Yarmouth and along to Colwell Road is being dug up and closed by Wightfibre until 11th September and they are not known for finishing anywhere near close to the proposed dates….