Fans told to ditch bikes when using trains for Tour travel

Fans wanting to ride out to top vantage points in Yorkshire to watch the world’s greatest cycle race are being told to leave their bikes at home if they want to travel by train during the Tour de France Grand Départ.

With the arrival of the world’s most watched annual sporting event just over six weeks away, transports chiefs have warned that cycling fans could face losing their seats on busy trains if they bring a bike along with them during the Grand Départ weekend of July 5 and 6.

Operators such as Northern Rail and Grand Central have stated riders cannot reserve bike spaces – the former stating its trains carry only up to two bikes each – while no firms have put forward proposals to lay on additional cycle carriages.

The guidance came as rail industry chiefs prepared to unveiled their plans at Leeds City Station as they aim to cater to an expected influx of three million visitors to Yorkshire during the July spectacle.

Amateur artists from across the region were invited to pay homage to some of the most famous landmarks in York.

The first community panting session of the Road Through York project has seen artists re-create an original painting by Karen Winship. The finished work will be in 320, one metre-square sections painting by individual artists from the community.

When it has been completed the piece will be exhibited at York Racecourse on July 6.

Councillor Sonja Crisp from York City Council said: “Airborne cameras will  hopefully relay it to the estimated three billion watching the Tour de France on TV across the globe.”