Leave plenty of travel time on Tour day
07 Sep 2021 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news
Find an interactive map here.
With just days to go until Northumberland is alive with the sights and sounds of the Tour of Britain, spectators are being urged to arrive in plenty of time to catch the action.
The Tour of Britain, the UK’s premier road cycling event, is coming to the county on Friday 10 September, with world class riders cycling 64km of the county’s terrain, passing through ten of our communities.
To minimise disruption across the county, all roads on the route will be closed using a rolling roadblock system for around 40 minutes - both 20 minutes before and after the cyclists are expected to pass through each community. Motorists will be warned of road closures well in advance with diversions signposted.
The closures are required to ensure the safety of spectators and competitors and will be managed by police escorts. While the closures are in place, pedestrian access will be maintained as will vehicle access for emergency services.
In some key parts of the race, including Hexham and Prudhoe there will be full road closures which will have a greater impact on travel.
Although the road closures will be kept in place for as short a time as possible, they will inevitably cause some disruption to both car and bus journeys.
Spectators are advised to arrive in plenty of time to watch the race and residents who are going about their daily business on race day are being asked to plan their journeys around the race, take a different route, or allow extra travel time.
Some key points and rolling road closure timings along the route:
Allenheads - Sinderhope 1:15pm - 2:15pm
Sinderhope - Catton - times 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Allendale - 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Hexham - 2pm- 3pm
Corbridge - Prudhoe 2:15pm - 3:15pm
Prudhoe 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Leader of Northumberland County Council Glen Sanderson said: “Preparations are almost complete and we’re ready to give a warm Northumbrian welcome to all these world-class cyclists.
“It’s excellent that once again Northumberland will be showcased to a worldwide television audience.
“Council teams have worked hard to minimise disruption for its residents while the race takes place, but the safety of our residents is paramount so there will be a number of road closures in place to ensure this is a major international event can take place safely.
“We will be working hard to ensure any disruption is kept to a minimum and would ask residents to familiarise themselves with some of the details and timings of the route so they can plan ahead.”
Access to Hexham and Prudhoe town centres will all be affected by the road closure between 2pm-3pm (Hexham) and 2:30- 3pm (for Prudhoe) so visitors should plan their journeys around these times as routes around the west of the county are likely to be busy during this period.
All health services will remain open and fully functioning during the Tour and access to hospitals and GP practices along the route will be maintained, although in some cases diversions may be in place. Patients and visitors are advised to allow extra time for their journey.
Northumberland County Council's Director of Public Health Liz Morgan said: “The Tour of Britain is sure to be an exciting event, but with the added influx of people in the area, not only may this put additional pressure on health services, but we ask residents to act responsibly and follow Tour of Britain’s COVID safety guidance.
“If you are unfortunate enough to have a minor injury or illness, such as a sprain, strain, cut or fall, there are lots of options – ranging from pharmacist advice and basic first aid treatment to GP surgeries and NHS 111. Please keep A&E for life-threatening injuries and severe symptoms which come on suddenly.”
For more details about Stage Six of the Tour of Britain, including maps detailing the route, road closures and estimated arrival times of the race, plus up to date COVID safety information, visit: www.nlandtob.com
Find an interactive map here.