Road Closures Announced As Tour Series Heads To Peterborough
16 May 2014, 10:04 | Updated: 16 May 2014, 10:47
Drivers will be disrupted, as big cycle race comes to Peterborough.
Motorists are being advised of a number of road closures and parking restrictions on Tuesday 20 May 2014 when the Pearl Izumi Tour Series rides into Peterborough.
Taking place will be round three of Britain's leading men's cycle race and round two of the Women's Matrix Fitness Grand Prix Series, Britain's leading televised cycle race series for the country's top female cyclists.
The creation of a 1.1 kilometre circuit will prevent cars entering or leaving the historic core of the city centre from 2pm until around 9pm when barriers are dismantled after the race.
Bourges Boulevard will be closed in a south-easterly direction from Crescent roundabout to the Rivergate roundabout.
A diversion will take traffic from Crescent roundabout onto Thorpe Road, onto Longthorpe Parkway (A1179), left into Nene Parkway (A1260) left onto Fletton Parkway (A1139), left onto the A605 towards Stanground, left onto Whittlesey Road and finally into Fletton Avenue where the diversion ends.
The following roads will also be closed from 2pm - Upper Bridge Street, Church Street, Long Causeway, Cowgate, Wentworth Street, Priestgate, Trinity Street, Exchange Street, Queen Street, King Street, Cross Street and St Peter's Road.
On-street parking in Cowgate, Priestgate, Wentworth Street, Trinity Street, Queen Street, King Street and Long Causeway (including pay and display, limited waiting, disabled and loading bays) will be suspended from 8am until 9pm.
Annette Joyce, Head of Commercial Operations for Peterborough City Council, said: "We're really excited to once again host the Pearl Izumi Tour Series and to offer residents the chance to watch world-class cycling.
"Inevitably with an event like this there will be a need for road closures and parking restrictions as the circuit takes in a number of city centre roads.
"Road closures and diversions will be clearly marked as they have been in previous years when the system has worked well.
"We apologise for any inconvenience these restrictions may cause and will endeavour to reopen the roads as soon as we can after the racing."
Thousands of people are expected to flock to the city centre for the racing, which begins at 5.30pm with the women's race. This will be followed by the men's race.
Both races will see top-class riders competing on a 1.1 kilometre circuit at speeds reaching more than 30mph. The start and finish will be in Cathedral Square and the circuit includes Church Street, Cowgate, Bourges Boulevard and Bridge Street.
Highlights of all the action will be shown on ITV4 the following evening at 10pm (Wednesday 21 May).
The city council will also be hosting a wheelchair relay race organised by Inspire Peterborough as a prelude to the main races. Jade Etherington, the first person to win a medal in Alpine skiing and Britain's greatest ever winter paralympian, will be handing out medals. The action starts at approximately 2.15pm and will be led by the GB Sledge Hockey team who will be challenging other teams from around the country.
The course will also be used by local cycling clubs including Greenwheel Cycles and their Rio 2016 Paralympic hopeful Craig Green. Craig switched from football to cycling last year and is already closing in on the country's top disabled cyclists.
In addition, there will be a trikes and karts workplace challenge on the course. The teams will race on a time trial basis in a relay format to determine the race winner.