Velo Birmingham

[theboyfold]

How does Ride London work? Are they closed roads or rolling closures?

[SixPotBelly]

Closed. Same as Tour of Cambs, Velothon and Tour of Ayrshire.

[The_Jackal]

So how do they keep there residents and shop owners happy when the roads are shut completely?

[AndStilliRise]

The_Jackal said:

So how do they keep there residents and shop owners happy when the roads are shut completely?

I have always wondered how the London marathon/Ride100 persuades business to close on for the day.

[FiF]

AndStilliRise said:

The_Jackal said:

So how do they keep there residents and shop owners happy when the roads are shut completely?

I have always wondered how the London marathon/Ride100 persuades business to close on for the day.

I would imagine for Marathon some businesses will gain hugely if they will benefit from the huge numbers of spectators out, those which will be shut anyway won't care, some which will lose out or be inconvenienced, at least they know about long in advance and can plan.

[numtumfutunch]

AndStilliRise said:

I have always wondered how the London marathon/Ride100 persuades business to close on for the day.

I have done a number of 100 mile events in France

Without exception the local community embrace the effect over 10,000 cyclists and their mates/families have on their local economies

Even small villages turn out en masse to cheer you on and local hotels and bars are invariably rammed for miles around before and after the event

Cheers

[Marcellus]

The_Jackal said:

So how do they keep there residents and shop owners happy when the roads are shut completely?

The same way The organisers of Marathons do!

These events actually bring in business; 10,000+ visitors who have to be there on Saturday to Register ahead of the event on Sunday.... that's 10,000 beds books in hotels, 10,000 places booked restaurants.

Last weekend you try booking a hotel or table in a restaurant in Cardiff!

If you ride these events most villagers actually embrace the event with street events, BBQs or just turning out to support, it amazes me that on a 100mile ride all the time you will be able to see a random at the roadside cheering you on, it's what makes the events.

As for teh practicalities; There's plenty of warning, those likely to be effected will know well in advance of what's happening and when, if they absolutely need to get outside of the circuit on the day then they can plan for that by putting their car there before the closures come into operation then walk to the car when they need it, they can still drive around inside the circuit.

For last weekends Velothon, I know people who were at Cardiff for the start, drove to the top of the Tumble, then drove to Caerphilly and then were back in Cardiff for the finish.

It just takes some pre-thought.

COming back to my "same as marathons" I remember 30/40 years ago when the London Marathon started, there were loads of complaints about disruption whereas now Londoners are quite proud of the event!

Much the same will happen to these closed road events for cycling, it's already happening for Cardiff and London - what's so speshial about Birmingham?

[FiF]

Marcellus said:

The_Jackal said:

So how do they keep there residents and shop owners happy when the roads are shut completely?

The same way The organisers of Marathons do!

These events actually bring in business; 10,000+ visitors who have to be there on Saturday to Register ahead of the event on Sunday.... that's 10,000 beds books in hotels, 10,000 places booked restaurants.

Last weekend you try booking a hotel or table in a restaurant in Cardiff!

If you ride these events most villagers actually embrace the event with street events, BBQs or just turning out to support, it amazes me that on a 100mile ride all the time you will be able to see a random at the roadside cheering you on, it's what makes the events.

As for teh practicalities; There's plenty of warning, those likely to be effected will know well in advance of what's happening and when, if they absolutely need to get outside of the circuit on the day then they can plan for that by putting their car there before the closures come into operation then walk to the car when they need it, they can still drive around inside the circuit.

For last weekends Velothon, I know people who were at Cardiff for the start, drove to the top of the Tumble, then drove to Caerphilly and then were back in Cardiff for the finish.

It just takes some pre-thought.

COming back to my "same as marathons" I remember 30/40 years ago when the London Marathon started, there were loads of complaints about disruption whereas now Londoners are quite proud of the event!

Much the same will happen to these closed road events for cycling, it's already happening for Cardiff and London - what's so speshial about Birmingham?

I'd love to see it run, but the point is that, in this case, there is not plenty of warning to those affected it seems, which is not good enough.

Secondly, there's nothing special about Birmingham, in fact there's an argument to surround it with ropes and red lamps with signs saying "Danger hole in the world." Copyright Mike Harding.

But part of the issue is that in a city you have options to avoid closed roads, here part of the route will screw up an entire area with very limited crossing points over the river, effectively 3 out of 4 in the north of the county will be stuffed.

[Marcellus]

FiF said:

I'd love to see it run, but the point is that, in this case, there is not plenty of warning to those affected it seems, which is not good enough.

Secondly, there's nothing special about Birmingham, in fact there's an argument to surround it with ropes and red lamps with signs saying "Danger hole in the world." Copyright Mike Harding.

But part of the issue is that in a city you have options to avoid closed roads, here part of the route will screw up an entire area with very limited crossing points over the river, effectively 3 out of 4 in the north of the county will be stuffed.

The event is at the end of September, the route was only published last week.

No one knows the specifics, but I think you're concerned about the Bewdley area?

In which case from what I can make out the route is skirting the top of Kidderminster, to Wolverly using the B4190 crossing the Severn, then staying West of the Severn down to Dunley then Great Witley before turning eastwards and crossing back over the Severn on the A4133 near Holt Heath.

DOes the B4194 go over, under or across the A456 near Ribbesford?

Also looking at the timings..... if we assume you're at the 50 mile mark and the 1st riders go off at 06:00 and are the fastest (that seems to be the norm) they will reach you by about 08:00....... then assuming the last group leaves at 08:00, are the slowest and the broom wagon trundles at 15mph then they will be with you by 11:30/12:00, the majority will be through at about 17s so through by about 11:00... so reality is that the "full complete closures" will be from 07:00 until 12:30...

[simonpieman]

FiF said:

Secondly, there's nothing special about Birmingham, in fact there's an argument to surround it with ropes and red lamps with signs saying "Danger hole in the world." Copyright Mike Harding.

.

Haha. That's why we signed up. To get out of Bhm and cycle in the countryside.

[Marcellus]

I would have thought that the disruption to London would be far worse..... Stratford through docklands, along embankment, round trafalgar square, up piccadilly, on to teh A4 through Knightsbridge, earls court, hammersmith to the Hogarth roundabout then on to the A316 through chiswick and on to SOuth circular, to Richmond park then Kingston, out into surrey and then back through, Kingston, Wimbledon, putney, chelsea, battersea, embankment, parlimanet square, whitehall back to Trafalgar square and then finally the Mall with cakes and beer on Constitution Hill!

Shall I list the crossings of the Thames and their status, in order;
Blackwall tunnel - shut
Rotherhithe Tunnel - open
Tower bridge - shut
London Bridge - open
Southwark Bridge - shut
Blackfriars Bridge - shut
Waterloo Bridge - shut
Westminister Bridge - SHut
Lambeth - shut
Vauxhall - SHut
Chelsea - SHut
Albert - shut
Battersea - shut
Wandsworth - shut
Putney - shut
HAmmersmith - open
Chiswick - shut
Kew - open
Twickenham - open

14 of 19 shut!

So basically if you want to cross the river in the Capital you either have to go east and cross in to the City over London Bridge or go west out to Kew!

[FiF]

Marcellus said:

The event is at the end of September, the route was only published last week.

No one knows the specifics, but I think you're concerned about the Bewdley area?

In which case from what I can make out the route is skirting the top of Kidderminster, to Wolverly using the B4190 crossing the Severn, then staying West of the Severn down to Dunley then Great Witley before turning eastwards and crossing back over the Severn on the A4133 near Holt Heath.

DOes the B4194 go over, under or across the A456 near Ribbesford?

Also looking at the timings..... if we assume you're at the 50 mile mark and the 1st riders go off at 06:00 and are the fastest (that seems to be the norm) they will reach you by about 08:00....... then assuming the last group leaves at 08:00, are the slowest and the broom wagon trundles at 15mph then they will be with you by 11:30/12:00, the majority will be through at about 17s so through by about 11:00... so reality is that the "full complete closures" will be from 07:00 until 12:30...

So 5:30 hours early on, close to 7 hours later on which aiui is what has been requested.

The B4194 crosses under the A456 at Ribbesford, which is have previously said there is a workaround at Bewdley. The B4194 aka Switchback is my test track and the southern end comes out just up from the bridge at Stourport. Not sure where they are going from there, but if up the A451 then Stourport Bridge is pretty much closed. People could go through the housing estate and then Astley towards Shrawley along the B4196, but again that's a narrow winding road, places where two lorries can't pass without a lot of shunting and climbing the banks, plus you get to the other end and it's closed for the cycles, so Stourport is stuffed.

Next crossing down is Holt Heath also closed, next Worcester bridge in the city centre, next Southern Link by Ketch Island, long term roadworks with constant queuing, after that apart from Upton on Severn , whichbisbon the way from nowhere to nowhere you are into Gloucestershire using M50 or Tewkesbury. Go North and it's Shropshire and Bridgenorth is the next.

Personally I think they should keep to the Eastern side of the river.

I think the London bridges example given is like comparing apples with oranges, London has a tube system for starters, makes a difference, here no options but to use cars especially on a Sunday, no buses.

[G321]

FiF said:

Personally I think they should keep to the Eastern side of the river.

.

All the interesting terrain is to the west of the river though. I am taking part in this but as a local cyclist I fear a bit of a backlash after this event. Hopefully it'll all pass smoothly without issues but I have a feeling that won't be the case

[Bungleaio]

They have messed me about with saying I must raise a minimum of £400 sponsorship to do the ride despite having paid the full £75 or whatever it was entrance fee, now they change the route and it sounds like it may not even be a closed roads event.

I know it's the first time they have ever ran this event but they come across as not knowing knowing what they are doing in any way.

What's it going to be like on the day of the event? I'm thinking absolute chaos. I might not bother turning up and think about doing it in a few years time when they have worked out how to run it.

[FiF]

G321 said:

FiF said:

Personally I think they should keep to the Eastern side of the river.

.

All the interesting terrain is to the west of the river though. I am taking part in this but as a local cyclist I fear a bit of a backlash after this event. Hopefully it'll all pass smoothly without issues but I have a feeling that won't be the case

What I fear for is backlash affecting the Tour of Worcester the very next weekend, which is a decent established 149 / 100km event, uses imo much better terrain to the west of the river, and uses the one stretch of road that is currently subject to the most public debate.

Edited to correct event distance.

Edited by FiF on Friday 14th July 09:03

[rs4al]

Bungleaio said:

They have messed me about with saying I must raise a minimum of £400 sponsorship to do the ride despite having paid the full £75 or whatever it was entrance fee, now they change the route and it sounds like it may not even be a closed roads event.

I know it's the first time they have ever ran this event but they come across as not knowing knowing what they are doing in any way.

What's it going to be like on the day of the event? I'm thinking absolute chaos. I might not bother turning up and think about doing it in a few years time when they have worked out how to run it.

That doesn't make sense, I've paid as well but have had no demands for raising money, how come you have ?!

[Marcellus]

Bungleaio said:

They have messed me about with saying I must raise a minimum of £400 sponsorship to do the ride despite having paid the full £75 or whatever it was entrance fee, now they change the route and it sounds like it may not even be a closed roads event.

I know it's the first time they have ever ran this event but they come across as not knowing knowing what they are doing in any way.

What's it going to be like on the day of the event? I'm thinking absolute chaos. I might not bother turning up and think about doing it in a few years time when they have worked out how to run it.

Sounds to me like you bought a "charity place" and not a "Ballot place" which are all sold out now!

[FiF]

Well road closure notices are out, organisers are still maintaining they have canvassed locals, which is blatantly not true.

Roads will be completely closed for between 7 and 8 hours, and Worcestershire council, unlike Hereford, have totally bottled it.

One thing that made me laugh, no right turn at Catchems End in Bewdley will be suspended, not that the cyclists take any notice of it any way. Club groups just blast round, on pavements, on the rosd weaving in and out of cars, might is right approach, then wonder why people get uppity.

[Marcellus]

FiF said:

Well road closure notices are out, organisers are still maintaining they have canvassed locals, which is blatantly not true.

Roads will be completely closed for between 7 and 8 hours, and Worcestershire council, unlike Hereford, have totally bottled it.

One thing that made me laugh, no right turn at Catchems End in Bewdley will be suspended, not that the cyclists take any notice of it any way. Club groups just blast round, on pavements, on the rosd weaving in and out of cars, might is right approach, then wonder why people get uppity.

Superb news, really looking forward to riding 100 miles with 10,000+ other cyclists on a car free route through one of the Main Cities in the UK and through some lovely countryside... roll on the 24th September, 7 weeks and counting!

(I take it you won't be coming to cheer everyone on FiF!)

[FiF]

Following weekend, http://www.wheelsinwheels.com/Tour_of_Worcester_cy...