Cyclist raises alarm over "dangerous" potholes on 2023 World Championships road race routes

With six months until the best cyclists in the world descend on Glasgow for the UCI World Championships, concerns have been raised about the "dangerous" state of some roads to be used in the elite men and women's road races.

Pictures taken by a road.cc reader show numerous large potholes and patched sections of tarmac, with Glasgow cyclist Liam McReanan suggesting the event "may be remembered for all the wrong reasons" unless something is done to improve the surface ahead of August.

Tagging UCI president David Lappartient in a social media post, the local rider said the "UK has some of the worst roads in Western Europe and the roads around Glasgow are some of the worst in the UK."

"These roads have been like this for years, decades," he explained. "Kilometre after kilometre, the whole course is like this. Very dangerous in a peloton. Is there enough time and money to fix them?"

While responsibility for maintaining roads will fall to cash-strapped councils — already suffering shortfalls of between £7 million and £120 million, according to the BBC — road.cc contacted the UCI to ask if they are aware of planned road improvements ahead of the event in early August.

We were told the pictures and concerns would be passed on to the Local Organising Committee "responsible for ensuring safe conditions at their event and for following the UCI regulations".

"Please know that the safety of cyclists is an absolute priority for the UCI and we work with all stakeholders of professional road cycling towards the common objective of delivering safe race conditions," a UCI spokesperson insisted.

This summer's UCI Cycling World Championships will be the first time all disciplines' annual championships are held in one location at the same time and has been marketed as "the biggest cycling event ever" by the sport's governing body.

The men's elite road race will be held on Sunday 6 August and takes the riders from Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh to the finishing circuit in Glasgow, while the elite women's race a week later (Sunday 13 August) starts at Loch Lomond.

The U23 men will race the same route as the elite women a day earlier (Saturday 12 August), with the junior races to be held entirely on the Glasgow circuit on Saturday 5 August.

> Is there a pothole crisis on Britain's roads?

Concerning pictures of potholes on the routes come as elsewhere in Scotland, along the famous North Coast 500 route, a cyclist was left with long-term injuries after hitting a pothole while trying to avoid an oncoming vehicle.

Politicians have reportedly been warned of fatalities if crumbling roads in parts of the north of Scotland are not urgently repaired. In one area, Caithness, Highland councillors confirmed that the authority can only afford to fix 13 of every 200.

"We're now facing almost complete collapse of the infrastructure," former area police commander Iain Gregory said. "Roads, infrastructure and people's lives are being disrupted.

"Things are very, very serious. Yes, there have been accidents. Yes, people have been injured. So far, thank goodness, we haven't had a tragedy. But I fear that unless action is taken very, very quickly, that is exactly what's going to happen."

> "Same question every winter": Cyclists slam "disgraceful" state of Britain's pothole-covered roads

Meanwhile, police issued safety warnings after six pedestrians were killed on Scotland's roads in just 13 days. 

Police Scotland even claimed pedestrians should be wearing hi-vis or fluorescent clothing during winter months, attracting accusations of victim blaming.

"Pedestrians are considered vulnerable road users and, in winter, particularly when it is dark, pedestrians should wear reflective or fluorescent clothing," Chief Inspector Lorraine Napier said. "I would also urge pedestrians to be mindful of their surroundings and to ensure they are not putting themselves at risk."

The warning was followed by asking motorists to "drive with particular care in areas where people may be on foot or crossing roads and ensure the correct vehicle lights are in operation, free from defect and clean, particularly if the vehicle has automated lights".