Council slammed for “heavy handed” camping ban on Tour de France climb

Having seen the images and the crowds on the climbs I feel that campers and traffic should be barred from all climbs. Very impressive crowds and a great advert for Le Tour de Yorkshire.

I was driving part of the route a couple of days ago and there are signs everywhere saying that your car will be towed if you park it there between the 1st and 6th of July.

The train companies are saying not to bring your bike to the event and the local councils are promising to close the roads from 6:30 AM to 8:00PM on the day of the event.

Obviously they don't want anyone to come and watch the damn thing.

I remember Cornwall in 1999 when they said the whole world was turning up for the total solar eclipse, the county lost millions of pounds because they scared everybody off.

I don't know anyone involved, but is this not as simple as Conservative councillor attacks majority Labour council?

I found myself on Holme Moss when Sky recently came through on their recce, quite a few cars were parked up on the middle section of the top part of the climb, causing little trouble. More trouble was what appeared to be a tv crew closing off the car park at the top to do some filming, which meant more cars along the sides of the road

I am planning on riding up on the day itself, and may be confused with a slow moving boulder.

Also, re the 'imagined' threat to safety. You're right, large lumps of stone along the side of a descent can in no way be said to be dangerous. I'm sure Fabio Casartelli will be along to add his voice in agreement. Oh, hang on...

The thing is, you just know that somebody would try to spoil it by putting a camper on the hairpin bend in question. Road closure should mean pedestrians & cyclists only get up there, which is a good thing. The crowds are going to be huge, its the TdF FFS!! Enjoy it. Cambridge needs to embrace it too. I was in Reeth recently, they seem to be looking forward to it.

I saw this article at lunchtime an had an opinion. I have now had my eyes opened by some local input, for I don't know the roads, and my opinion has changed. I do, however, know that European roads are built differently from British roads and do know that there appears to be so much bickering that the enjoyment of the racing is already being sucked out.
If the local authority says close the roads to campers, accept it and deal with it.

I know Yorkshire quite well and it is quite common to see people camping in some unusual spots or parked up in silly places because of the glorious scenery.

I now live in Leicester and some of our sports and recreation areas have big boulders around them because of a certain element deciding to camp on them.

Leicester got their boulders from one of the biggest granite quarries in Europe... Croft... just down the road a few miles.

I saw this story and thought. "They're lining the roadside with boulders in places? I bet they didn't need to transport them far!"

Around there, all they probably needed was a winch!

In the interests of transparency langsett, aren't you Councillor Bolt?

As far as fires are concerned I don't know where camp sites are located, but the moor near Hepworth was on fire for the best part of two weeks, and there have been some bad fires on Holme Moss itself in the last few years.

“Verges between Holmfirth and Holmbridge are not generally wide enough to park a vehicle without obstructing the route and wider verges and the small number of lay-bys are to be used for essential race infrastructure."

The council are correct, as there are no verges between the 2 places they mention, but as Holme Moss is AFTER Holmbridge, then perhaps they need to learn the geography before they speak?

There IS a wide verge on the lower slopes of Holme Moss, adequate for spectators, to watch, and run alongside the race without the danger of the boulders

The local authorities were on board before Government simply allocated the money it had ring fenced for the failed Scottish bid they UK Sport and others were backing

As for fire risk, does that mysteriously vanish when the campers are asked to pay a high price to pitch up in a field

You have a choice, come to Gods County (Yorkshire) and enjoy the festival that is the tour....or don't...and stop winging on about boulders. It's done live with it.
FFS Holme Moss is a tough place without knobs parking cars enroute. There will be 60,000 up the Moss and you want to encourage cars and motor homes to go up there..and mix with cyclists. Great idea. Keep your opinions in Surrey and stay at home

How do you stop vehicles going up though? The road is going to be open until 6:30 on the day so you could drive up and sling it at the side of the road at any time before that. Have they got a vehicle carrier big enough for a massive Winnebago type affair at the ready?

When i woke up this morning i have to say i never expected to read the sentence:
"There is no point debating with you and your bizarre boulder conspiracies."

There are two points on this article that I would like to comment on, viz :
1) Leguape wrote
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"Jobsworths like the French police and gendarmes do every year in France? I watches them doing exactly what you describe as "jobsworth" to riders trying to get up Col de Pailheres last year.
You ever had any dealing with ASO, or local bodies in France? Because let me tell you, they make what you call jobsworth seem like light touch regulation".
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That's generally the case with everyday admin, but not the Tour, or most cycling-connected examples.
I rode between Nyons and Aubres-LesPilles (about 9 km ) just before the publicity caravan was due, and well after the road was closed to traffic. No problem, in fact loads of cheers !
2) I agree with those that ask why instead of boulders, they simply stop vehicles going up. If you want to watch it up there, walk or ride up. For camping, give the local economy a boost by paying someone for a pitch. Easy-peasy.

I do hope many of you moaning twats don't come.

'And since I am actually a Kirklees council tax payer it is me who is paying!'

Just you?

Wouldn't it have been simpler (and less costly) to have closed the road earlier than the current plan and have the police clear the climb of anything that doesn't have permission to be there?

I'm beginning to think deciding not to go to Yorkshire is a good idea.

Makes you wonder how on earth they cope in France.

Half a dozen local cyclists with a spud bar could fix this...

“Verges between Holmfirth and Holmbridge are not generally wide enough to park a vehicle without obstructing the route and wider verges and the small number of lay-bys are to be used for essential race infrastructure."

an accurate description of what the local authority has to deal with and a reasonable enough response to ensure an event watched by the world runs smoothly - not reasonable to criticise a bit of foresight and planning , pretty sure those that criticise councils for over reaction in dealing with an unknown number of spectators would be the same people up in arms if councils had failed to prepare adequately