Decision details

Tour of Britain 2019

Decision Maker: Culture and Leisure Sub Committee (no longer active)

Decision status: For Determination

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decisions:

The Sub-Committee received a report introducing the 2019 Tour of Britain 2019 cycle event and the preparations for activities in North Tyneside. 

 

Mr Gary Campbell, Head of Delivery, North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA), and

Mr Nigel Walsh, Event Director, Northumberland County Council, presented an overview of Stage three of the 2019 OVO Energy Tour of Britain cycle event including an assessment of the likely impact upon and benefits for North Tyneside.  

 

The Tour of Britain event was the UK’s largest professional cycle race, televised in 166 countries and broadcasted live on the ITV network.  The tour would take place between the 7 and 14 September 2019, a total of eight stages over eight days.  The race consisted of 120 cyclists and an entourage of 120 vehicles.

 

On Monday, 9 September, Stage three of the 2019 Tour of Britain was to be hosted by NTCA and would link Northumberland, North Tyneside and Newcastle Upon Tyne.  The world’s top riders and teams contesting a 114-mile route starting from the centre of Berwick-upon-Tweed, would head through Ford, Wooler, Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, North Shields and Wallsend before finishing in Newcastle city centre.

 

A Multi Agency Steering Group, under the auspices of Culture Creative, who had organised Tour of Britain events in 2015 and 2017, was meeting every two weeks and involved representatives from Northumberland, North Tyneside and Newcastle local authorities, as well as the emergency services and transport providers. 

 

Governance arrangements were in place to cover Operations and Traffic Management, Race Management, Community Engagement, Health and Wellbeing Legacy and Marketing and Communications.  A Joint Authority Safety Advisory Group had been established.  A North Tyneside Steering Group, chaired through Cultural Services, had also been established to co-ordinate activities in the borough. 

 

A pack had been delivered to schools across all three Council areas to encourage engagement and ensure massive public participation when the race passes through local communities.  In total 38 schools from North Tyneside, from over 120 responses across the NTCA area had expressed an interest in being involved.  Schools would be provided with safe standing places to view the race; a full race timetable; and guaranteed parking for schools requiring minibus or coach parking to participate.

 

There was also an opportunity for schools to engage in a day with the Tour of Britain, an activity day on the route at a location away from school.  In North Tyneside activities which were part of the Summer of Cycling would also promote the Tour of Britain 2019.

 

Following its success in 2018, the Tour organisers were holding a Land Art competition, which would cover the whole route from Glasgow to Manchester, to find the best piece of land art.  Community groups, schools, businesses and land owners across the route would be encouraged to take part. In North Tyneside there had already been over 3000 responses.

 

In terms of the stage 3 event timetable, the race was scheduled to leave Berwick at 11:00 and arrive into Whitley Bay from Seaton Sluice at 15:05.  It would proceed southwards along the coast to arrive in Tynemouth at 15:09, taking the second exit off the roundabout before Grand Parade. Proceeding up Percy Park Road and onto the A193, Tynemouth Road, the race was scheduled to be in North Shields at 15:12, leaving the A193 at Tanner’s Bank to proceed westward along the Fish Quay.  Passing the Ferry Landing, the race proceeds into the new Smith’s Dock development, turning right at Dock Road, towards the Parks Sports Centre.  Turning left at the roundabout A187, Howdon Road, the race continues long the A187, past Percy Main Primary School at 15:16, then turning right at the roundabout towards the Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate.  The race would re-join the A193, taking a left at the Wallsend Road roundabout, proceeding westwards along Tynemouth Road, into Howdon.  The race would proceed along the A193 to Rosehill, Church Bank and onwards to High St East in Wallsend at 15:23.  At the junction of High St East and Station Road the race would turn left and proceed towards Buddle St.  Turning right at the junction onto A187, Buddle St, the race would pass Segedunum, proceeding westward to exit North Tyneside arriving in Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne at 15:26 approximately, with an estimated finish time in Grey St, Newcastle City Centre, of 15:35.

 

All timings were necessary estimates and might vary according to the conditions on the day.  Assuming the above timetable for planning purposes, rolling road closures would precede the race in North Tyneside from 14:40 until 15:50.  All Council services, schools and local businesses had been asked to take these timings into account when planning their usual activities for the day of the race.

 

Regular updates would be posted at www.northoftyne-tob.co.uk

 

In addition, copies of the OVO Energy Tour of Britain 2017 Economic Impact Report (Stage 2) was provided at the meeting for information.    

 

Following the presentation, Members of the sub-committee asked a series of questions. During questioning members examined areas including:-

 

           Communications with businesses, schools, community groups, Members and via leisure centres for attracting local input.  

           Multi-agency and North Tyneside’s own identity event branding.

           The significant economic benefits from the event and opportunities for community engagement.

 

The Chair on behalf of the Sub-Committee thanked Mr Campbell and Mr Walsh for attending the meeting and the informative presentation and wished the event every success as a great showcase for the area.

 

It was agreed to note the presentation on the 2019 Tour of Britain cycle event.

 

Report author: Steve Bishop

Publication date: 30/07/2019

Date of decision: 30/07/2019

Decided at meeting: 30/07/2019 - Culture and Leisure Sub Committee (no longer active)

Accompanying Documents: