Residents and business owners in County Durham will this evening quiz county council officials and the organisers of September’s Vélo North closed road sportive amid concerns about the impact the event will have on them.
The public meeting, hosted by Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (UTASS), was arranged after the issue was raised at a meeting of Middleton-in-Teesdale and Newbiggin Parish Council earlier this month.
> Public meeting demanded over Vélo North closed road sportive
https://road.cc/content/news/260221-public-meeting-demanded-over-velo-no...
Chronicle Live reports that it will be held at the UTASS office in Middleton-in-Teesdale at 7pm this evening.
Councillor Bob Danby, who is also a project manager at UTASS, proposed the meeting after being approached by people living in rural communities who were concerned that road closures associated with the event, which is expected to attract 15,000 cyclists, would leave them cut off in their homes.
He said: "The meeting is to let people ask questions about what effect Vélo North will have on their life on that day and reach a compromise to alleviate any anxiety or anger or problems on the day."
"We want to try and bring some accord. Hopefully if there are any problems the people from Vélo North will listen and bring forward some agreement," he added.
The meeting will be attended by representatives of Durham County Council and Vélo North organisers CSM Sport & Entertainment.
Nigel Dodds, strategic manager for leisure at Durham County Council, commented: "We welcome feedback from residents and businesses and are working to ensure support is available to anyone on the route who requires it.
"Anyone who is concerned about access during the event should get in touch with the event organisers."
Closed road sportives, including Vélo North’s sister events, Vélo Birmingham & Midlands and Vélo South, tend to attract small but vociferous local opposition that sometimes results in attempts being made to sabotage events, for example by sprinkling tacks on the road.
However, they also receive strong support in the communities they pass through, which often take on a festival atmosphere as people turn out to enjoy the event and cheer on riders.
Radar tells me their closing speed, if they are slowing and how far away. Then I decide to say a prayer. The change of light pattern is incidental.
Quite so, which is why our village 20mph zone covers the whole residential extent. Of course, enforcement is another thing..
£4.
No, that's very doubtful while proper testing would be fully destructive.
In that £1000 exactly scenario, beginners should probably be made aware that pedals will be extra.
What's wrong with dropping down on to the Millenium Bridge, or the swing bridge, then the brief, but satisfying climb back up the hill? #training....
The relatives might of course disagree, but in general I'd countenance a relatively light sentence* if only we could fix it so that those who...
Id forgotten that I got a second hand set of project two's for my getting to work bike over twenty years back.
My bet is that all these tires popping off are from people with bad pressure gauges or they're simply just putting too much air in on purpose. ...
David9694 - you were right! These new autonomous vehicles really are conspiring to run out of control!...