Velothon Wales - June 2015

Pross

bendertherobot wrote:

That said, today's M4 electronic signs are dominated by information regarding it and a request to "plan ahead."

Shame the organisers didn't take that advice!

Scatterbug

Croeso i Gymru!

I hope everyone enjoys their day but spare a thought for those of us who will have to deal with the ill-will being generated by this event.

bendertherobot

Pross wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

That said, today's M4 electronic signs are dominated by information regarding it and a request to "plan ahead."

Shame the organisers didn't take that advice!

I'm not actually sure what constitutes fair warning. A full page ad in the Echo? Loads of signs? Leaflets with everyone's mail?

This event has a wider scope than, for example, the Cardiff Half Marathon but I don't think that many events have much other than road signs up in the weeks preceding it.

roger_merriman

bendertherobot wrote:

Pross wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

That said, today's M4 electronic signs are dominated by information regarding it and a request to "plan ahead."

Shame the organisers didn't take that advice!

I'm not actually sure what constitutes fair warning. A full page ad in the Echo? Loads of signs? Leaflets with everyone's mail?

This event has a wider scope than, for example, the Cardiff Half Marathon but I don't think that many events have much other than road signs up in the weeks preceding it.

they have done the bare minimum, my folks and friends not been keen cyclist where all unaware.

And bare in mind Cardiff which likely to reap almost all of the rewards any one staying is likely to stay there, but if anything will be least effected.

towns in Monmouthshire might pick up some trade etc.

Towns in Torfaen it is unlikely they will get any trade.

And this is for the main a sportive, the race could cope with rolling etc.

This is not TOB i suspect we will not see people lining the barriers at the summit of the Blorange, Locals are not going to see it as a fun event but a inconvenience.

as i'm sure your aware Monmouthshire having the Breacon Beacons is a tourist destination, this is high season if anything this is likely to put off rather than attract.

the idea in it's self is fine, what has been planned seems poorly thought though I'm not surprised folks not wildly keen.

bendertherobot

I agree that they've done the bare minimum. My question is what should they do? Remember that the failure is not just with the organisers but with the wider authorities as well. The Highways Agency are, clearly, doing their part now. With 7 days or so to go perhaps that's realistic. But, what do we consider that the organisers should do? Print is dead so that won't work. Take out a TV ad? Where? When?

bendertherobot

Couple of other things to note as well. The Traffic Order consultation was put back out again by Caerphilly Council on 8th April. Legally the Velothon organisers couldn't publicise the road closure to the wider public until that was determined. The duty to publicise falls mostly on the LA etc rather than the organiser.

roger_merriman

bendertherobot wrote:

Couple of other things to note as well. The Traffic Order consultation was put back out again by Caerphilly Council on 8th April. Legally the Velothon organisers couldn't publicise the road closure to the wider public until that was determined. The duty to publicise falls mostly on the LA etc rather than the organiser.

it's not surprising that Caerphilly did that, realistically they along with the other councils, will be well aware that neither the council or the locals are going to gain from it either by trade or entertainment, hosting the TOB etc is one thing having your roads closed for a sportive?

a lot of the welsh valleys due to geography have little more than one road though the valley which is being closed....

bendertherobot

roger merriman wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Couple of other things to note as well. The Traffic Order consultation was put back out again by Caerphilly Council on 8th April. Legally the Velothon organisers couldn't publicise the road closure to the wider public until that was determined. The duty to publicise falls mostly on the LA etc rather than the organiser.

it's not surprising that Caerphilly did that, realistically they along with the other councils, will be well aware that neither the council or the locals are going to gain from it either by trade or entertainment, hosting the TOB etc is one thing having your roads closed for a sportive?

a lot of the welsh valleys due to geography have little more than one road though the valley which is being closed....

I think the event is a mistake. I agree that the infrastructure here cannot support it that well. But I think the wider question is how to bring an event to the knowledge of everyone. People are, basically, ignorant and selfish. They ignore things that they don't think apply to them until the realisation hits. And, in today's leisure driven age, people will be unable to do without their usual Sunday shopping trip due to the road closure.

The Mrs remarked to me that there were lots of cyclists using the road last Sunday and that they did tend to slow people down and get in the way a bit. I agreed noting that they were definitely holding us up on our little car drive out to get some ice cream................

Pross

It definitely needs more than a week's notice. Given the extent of closures I would say at least a month is necessary. For example, if you went on holiday two weeks ago and are coming home on Sunday you won't know anything about it until you find yourself unable to get to your house.

I'm still wondering how the various hotels on the route are going to handle normal turn around in trade let alone any weddings that they may have had booked for a couple of years only for the bride to find she's walking the last few miles to the reception!

Pross

Incidentally I have to assist in applications for road closures for necessary road works and the application process is tortuous. Once you get the closures they generally get advertised at least 4 weeks in advance for planned works. We've recently had one turned down due to other road works in the area meaning the work will have to be done in a far more difficult sequence. That road is one of those closed on Sunday, the people dealing with the closure requests are the Welsh Goverment who are also one of backers of the Velothon!

bendertherobot

I'm guessing that security protocols are normalised on all large scale gatherings now?

Anonymous

So thats why they keep sending me stuff about insurance :shock:

bendertherobot

I was quite surprised. They've done most of the Civic Centre. 3 coppers doing it. Overheard the conversation. Along the lines of "yeah, dont' have a problem with cyclists but why do they have to ride 2 abreast and have a chat. If you want to chat, pull over and have a chat............."

lemon63

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19620539#p19620539]Scatterbug[/url] wrote:

Croeso i Gymru!

I hope everyone enjoys their day but spare a thought for those of us who will have to deal with the ill-will being generated by this event.

This is my worry, local cyclists will have to live will the legacy of this event long after everyone has gone. Lets hope we're not going to get too much abuse from the disgruntled non-cycling residents.

bendertherobot

That manhole cover thing. Might be cos Queenie is visiting tomorrow. (Soz!)

As to legacy. Cycling home tonight. Car coming other way. Driver shouted "Cnut" at me. I am, but that's plain rude.

markyone

Weather looks s**t for the event what a bummer,looks like I am going to get wet.

chatlow

Gutted I missed out on this. Like a lot of other people I only found out about this a few weeks ago.

This might sound like a ridiculous question but are cyclists 'allowed' to ride the closed roads in order to find a good spot to watch from?

norvernrob

Gutted I can't make this now. Wife is pregnant and was rushed to the hospital earlier this week, her and baby are ok but I'm not risking being 200 miles away from home should something be wrong!

handful

My velothon is in doubt as well, been suffering with man flu for a week, very sore throat and a hacking cough that's threatening to end my marriage

I'm trying to decide whether climbing the Tumble whilst coughing nearly to the point of throwing up every 5 minutes is a good idea. I might have to just man up and give it my best shot, there's always the broom wagon!

bendertherobot

Tacks on the road then. Makes you proud to be Welsh.

Pross

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19624949#p19624949]bendertherobot[/url] wrote:

Tacks on the road then. Makes you proud to be Welsh.

Where was that?

bendertherobot

45km in apparently. Massive tailbacks of cyclists now and all over twitter.

bendertherobot

I think the issue now is that each wave has basically caught each other. 15k cyclists walking.

Pross

Hardly a surprise unfortunately. That must be somewhere near me then, looks like the lane by the Celtic Manor.

Pross

Despite my concerns and the one incident the event seemed to go well in the end. Hopefully the organisers will engage with locals earlier next year and learn from this year's event. From what I've read and been told by friends who rode the organisation on the day was very good.

saftlad

I'd say that, routes aside, the organisation as a rider was pretty good. Registration was quick and painless, didn't take me more than 5 minutes on Saturday to pick up 3 separate packs from 3 queues. I'd have been just as happy having the pack sent to me though, I can't see any benefit to me of having to head in a day earlier other than the obvious chance to get more money into the local economy and the expo stands.

Weather suited me fine, the route was challenging enough, the start went well. The surface for the finish though was atrocious, I feel sorry for the youths having to race on it on Saturday.

wandsworth

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19625265#p19625265]saftlad[/url] wrote:

I'd say that, routes aside, the organisation as a rider was pretty good. Registration was quick and painless, didn't take me more than 5 minutes on Saturday to pick up 3 separate packs from 3 queues. I'd have been just as happy having the pack sent to me though, I can't see any benefit to me of having to head in a day earlier other than the obvious chance to get more money into the local economy and the expo stands.

Weather suited me fine, the route was challenging enough, the start went well. The surface for the finish though was atrocious, I feel sorry for the youths having to race on it on Saturday.

Took me a lot longer than that at around 5:30pm on Saturday. I agree, why can't they post them out? But generally, organisation was good, and the volunteers (sorry, 'velonteers') were great.

There were lots of local folks out cheering, all along the course. The tacks thing left a bad taste in the mouth, though.

dandrew

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19625019#p19625019]Pross[/url] wrote:

Hardly a surprise unfortunately. That must be somewhere near me then, looks like the lane by the Celtic Manor.

Possibly, I don't know the area but there was a golf course on the left hand side.

Pross

Yeah, it was on the lane between the golf courses at the Celtic Manor. The same lane that gets closed regularly for golf events and when World leaders stay at the hotel. The last closure was two weeks ago for 4 days from 7am to 8pm for golf, it was closed for a week in September for NATO conference and this time last year for the Nationals Time Trial. It causes very little inconvenience compared to many of the other closures so I suspect it was just an idiot jumping on the bandwagon over the disruption.

Toe knee

^^^^^^^^^^^^