‘Spend cycle racing cash on facilities’

ACCESS CAMPAIGNERS have questioned whether councils are being swept up in the “kudos and glamour” of hosting international cycling races rather than investing public funds for the greatest benefit to residents.

North Yorkshire Local Access Forum (LAF) members were told while hundreds of thousands of pounds from the public purse was being spent on hosting the events, the money may be better used to develop cycling facilities for ordinary people.

The county council’s highways boss, Councillor Don Mackenzie, inset, heard that while millions of people watched the races, inspiring some to visit the area, when they arrived they would find towns devoid of cycling stands and roads, including part of the National Cycling Route, riddled with potholes.

LAF member Rachel Connolly said the forum had concerns about the lack of “cycling spaces everywhere” and called for support from the council. She described the public funding of the races as a “very heavy burden”.

Mrs Connolly said: “At times of austerity is this warranted to keep on the hamster wheel of being obliged to continue with cycle tours? Some may say enough is enough and the money is going out but not a lot is coming in.”

She suggested the public funds could be spent on developing cycling facilities in every market town, rather than just at train stations such as Northallerton. The meeting was told Welcome to Yorkshire had calculated the region’s tourism industry had increased by £1bn over the past year, and much of that was being attributed to the Tour de Yorkshire.

Coun Mackenzie said the county council had resolved to be “much more transparent about the costs because many people feel there are other ways of spending money than bringing cycling championships here”.