Transport bosses in drive to keep cycle fans moving

WITH three million people set to arrive in Yorkshire for the Tour de France Grand Départ this weekend, plans are in place to ensure the county keeps on moving in the face of widespread road closures.

Yorkshire transport hubs are being boosted so that more spectators can access live travel information thanks to business process outsourcer Parseq.

The firm, which provides data centres for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, has increased its capacity so live pages on the Metro and Travel South Yorkshire websites load quickly despite being accessed by thousands.

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The move comes as travel operators across the county prepare for the biggest sporting event in its history, through everything from specially decorated trains and window murals to diversions and extra services.

Phil Baker, of Parseq, said: “We hope our contribution helps everyone enjoy a fantastic once-in-a-lifetime weekend.”

Trains are likely to be a transport lifeline for spectators during an event that will close hundreds of miles of roads, so operators have laid on more than 90,000 extra seats for passengers travelling from tomorrow until Sunday.

Northern Rail, which will more than double its normal capacity for the weekend, has unveiled a limited edition ‘Taking You To The Tour’ yellow train livery and a special ‘Le Tour Yorkshire’ unlimited travel ticket package.

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Alan Chaplin, service delivery director at the operator, said: “We’ve been planning with our industry partners since last year on how to make Yorkshire’s Grand Depart an experience to remember for spectators, our people and most importantly, showcase a railway the north can be proud of.”

Bus operators such as First are putting together final preparations for Grand Depart weekend, providing buses to and from park and ride sites at Elland Road and Temple Newsam this weekend as some services in Leeds will face disruption due to road closures on Saturday. It is also setting out spare buses at key locations across the county.

Passengers arriving at Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA), which is catering to extra flights scheduled from France for Le Tour, has unveiled a specially commissioned mural by French-born Shipley artist Jenny Tribbillon painted on its terminal windows.

Having embraced the race, and with organisers and the Tour roadshow firmly on Yorkshire soil, the region is days away from a landmark sporting moment.

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Some of the first pictures of home favourite Mark Cavendish, out cycling with his Omega Pharma – Quick-Step teammates near Sheffield, have emerged while Sky workers in Leeds posed with a scaled up 25msq Team Sky jersey in support of Chris Froome.

The approaching Tour is also seeing the Yorkshire Festival’s final arts events unveiled, with the Hypervelocity project turning Huddersfield’s St George’s Square into a working French farm complete with cattle and 700kgs of vegetables. Elsewhere en route portable toilets have been distributed at the stage one Grinton Moor climb, near Reeth.

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