Tour de France, diversions?

[Mr Whippy]

Does anyone know if any have been set up yet?

It looks like anyone near the route on the A59 on the Sunday is just stuck at one side or the other with no way around. We're in the middle near Blubberhouses (just to the North) and it looks like it's a trip of about 120 miles round trip to just get to the other side of the A59... which unfortunately my wife might have to do on the Sunday for work... doh!


Then again I bet all the roads around will be blocked up with people struggling with the same issue, combined with oodles of people travelling to see the event on their push bikes!


As much as I'm looking forward to it, I think I'll be watching it on the TV any way. I hope it rains

[visfix]

The only advice I can offer is, and this applies irrespective of the Tour de France, avoid Keighley!

[benjj]

I live at the bottom of the hill near Bolton Abbey.

I think I'll suss out the road closures and go and dump a car on the 'right' side the night before and just tab it over first thing.

[skip_1]

We are staying with the in-laws in Addingham that weekend. Believe the village is completely shut off for both days. Planning on watching from pub beer garden though.

[TooLateForAName]

Plan for closures lasting longer than you expect.

We are just off the A61 and have heard that although the race comes past on Saturday the road will be closed on Friday as well. Daughter goes to school on other side of route - school is now going to be closed on Friday as they don't know if staff will be able to get there.

[supersport]

TooLateForAName said:

Plan for closures lasting longer than you expect.

We are just off the A61 and have heard that although the race comes past on Saturday the road will be closed on Friday as well. Daughter goes to school on other side of route - school is now going to be closed on Friday as they don't know if staff will be able to get there.

All up for the tour, but funny that you can't possibly take time out of school for your own reasons without being fined, but they can close schools for whatever they like including a bike race. How comes this won't damage their education?

[benjj]

I wish the whole lot of the lycra clad s would fk off back to France.

I've seen the tour countless times (in FR) - it goes like this:

Wait
Wait
Wait
Wait
Zzzzoooooom for 120 seconds
Wait 5 minutes
Roads open

The aholes in Craven are closing the roads for days. They should be strung up and beaten with stingray tails. wkers.

[PauloV12V]

Agree its a pain...BUT it is a chance to show the world how beautiful England is and the small county of YORKSHIRE.

PLUS lancashire wanted to host it and never got a look in so for that alone I am happy to be stuck for a week! Sorry to the long necks out there ( always lookin ower tut pennines to see what were upta)

[benjj]

PauloV12V said:

Agree its a pain...BUT it is a chance to show the world how beautiful England is and the small county of YORKSHIRE.

PLUS lancashire wanted to host it and never got a look in so for that alone I am happy to be stuck for a week! Sorry to the long necks out there ( always lookin ower tut pennines to see what were upta)

The Tour is going right down the country, it's just Yorkshire that seems to be laying claim to it.

It's always the same here though. I've lived all over the place and it is the only county I know of that always tried to shoehorn 'Yorkshire' into everything. Anywhere else in the world you'd see a James Bond Exhibition at a museum or an art gallery showing things related to Van Gogh. Here it would be 'James Bond in YORKSHIRE' or 'How YORKSHIRE inspired Van Gogh's work".

[Tonto]

There's 540 odd Kilometers of the TDF in the UK. Nearly 400K's of which is in Yorkshire, (2 out of the 3 stages) so to be fair, most of it is in Gods county.

You might have a point about Bond in Yorkshire tho

http://www.wensleydaleheifer.co.uk/bond-room.html

Edited by Tonto on Monday 9th June 11:48

[Skyedriver]

supersport said:

TooLateForAName said:

Plan for closures lasting longer than you expect.

We are just off the A61 and have heard that although the race comes past on Saturday the road will be closed on Friday as well. Daughter goes to school on other side of route - school is now going to be closed on Friday as they don't know if staff will be able to get there.

All up for the tour, but funny that you can't possibly take time out of school for your own reasons without being fined, but they can close schools for whatever they like including a bike race. How comes this won't damage their education?

I'm with you there, we have to find child care for the Friday afternoon when the race isn't until Sunday...
And just seen last night (late addition to school web site even though they haven't included anything on the printed newsletters) that there are two teacher training days this week. So that's another two days we need to find someone to look after young son. Teachers get three times the holiday allowance I get yet I have to do my training either in work time or in my own time.

[Mr Whippy]

benjj said:

I've seen the tour countless times (in FR) - it goes like this:

Wait
Wait
Wait
Wait
Zzzzoooooom for 120 seconds
Wait 5 minutes
Roads open

Exactly why I'll be watching it on the TV I think. I can't see any advantage to camping out or travelling to the track side to just watch 120s worth of action, likely out of context, surrounded by loads of 'general public'

[Duke147]

Bah humbug!

[madbadger]

There are hardly any roads closed on Friday. A few from Midnight on the day and most from 4-5 hours before the start of the Caravan. I have got a list in my Tourmakers handbook and can post it up if it would be handy?

[TooLateForAName]

What's the tourmaker's handbook?

If it is accurate then yes please. I'm getting the impression that the council are making it up as they go.

[Voldemort]

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/docs/Tour%20de%20France%20...

More useful info here: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/Pages/Road-Closu... in the documents section from the link on the lhs of the page

[Mr Whippy]

I'd argue that as the time arrives and things are not running as planned, they'll just be closing roads or disrupting travel on them way before the suggested times to make sure they get ready in time.

I feel sorry for anyone living along the A59 boundary that needs to travel from Friday through to Sunday, it's either gonna be disrupted heavily or completely blocked on the only alternative routes around.

God help anyone who needs an Ambulance or Fire Engine around the A59 that weekend!

[madbadger]

TooLateForAName said:

What's the tourmaker's handbook?

If it is accurate then yes please. I'm getting the impression that the council are making it up as they go.

It is the handbook issued to Tourmakers.

As far as I know it is accurate.

I'll post some of the info up tonight.

[madbadger]

Mr Whippy said:

I'd argue that as the time arrives and things are not running as planned, they'll just be closing roads or disrupting travel on them way before the suggested times to make sure they get ready in time.

I feel sorry for anyone living along the A59 boundary that needs to travel from Friday through to Sunday, it's either gonna be disrupted heavily or completely blocked on the only alternative routes around.

God help anyone who needs an Ambulance or Fire Engine around the A59 that weekend!

Good point.

I wonder if anyone has considered that possibility?

The medical team for the tour in Yorkshire is sufficient to staff 12 A&E departments and they aren't all there for the riders. In fact it is probably quite a good weekend to need medical help compared to normal.


I think if the French manage it every year we will probably be ok.

[Mr Whippy]

madbadger said:

Mr Whippy said:

I'd argue that as the time arrives and things are not running as planned, they'll just be closing roads or disrupting travel on them way before the suggested times to make sure they get ready in time.

I feel sorry for anyone living along the A59 boundary that needs to travel from Friday through to Sunday, it's either gonna be disrupted heavily or completely blocked on the only alternative routes around.

God help anyone who needs an Ambulance or Fire Engine around the A59 that weekend!

Good point.

I wonder if anyone has considered that possibility?

The medical team for the tour in Yorkshire is sufficient to staff 12 A&E departments and they aren't all there for the riders. In fact it is probably quite a good weekend to need medical help compared to normal.

I think if the French manage it every year we will probably be ok.

Yeah the French have had a lot of practice.

Harrogate Council couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery so I have little faith in measures put in place to assure emergency services will run completely un-hindered by the event.


Fair enough for all the heat stroke victims stood around waiting for a 2 minute long zzzoooommmmm, medical staff all around. But what are the expected transit times along all the feeder routes on/off the A59? There are scant few roads that run off the A59 and go anywhere useful, and they all block up in summer weekends at the best of times!

Lets wait and see I suppose