Road closures for cycling races - speed limits for vehicles still apply ?

Buckster

Buckster

Buckster

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Just wondered if anyone knows if speed limits still apply it roads are closed for events ?

If there is a professional cycling race on what permission do the support vehicles have to speed ? If any ? I get the cycles and police riders but the following support vehicles ?

We have a yearly professional bike race but a good section of it is in a 20 zone (one part of the 20 section is a fast down-hill) through the high street which was made a 20 for safety reasons ... I can see you can apply for speed limits to not apply for a motor race but a cycling event ?

Just wondered
 
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Wouldn't it be best to ask the authority you're requesting the road closure from and they can answer or point you in the right direction.
 
Surely if the road is closed then the safety reasons dont apply, its not like a normal road with traffic in both directions and pedestrians crossing the road etc.

Edit: Just thought, Ive watched many a road race and traffic lights are not obeyed by any of the race so I guess they have a dispensation to ignore traffic regs. They are not allowed to ignore level crossings though for obvious reasons
 
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You'd think but not that long ago they brought in new rules so that motor races could apply to not follow speed limits and other road regs but required specific application

As I said the police I get it, same the cyclists themselves but the support vehicles, photo vehicles etc ?

I'm wondering if not been an issue in past as 20mph limits didn't exist, and if was a running race etc the speeds would be lower, so a cycling race and a 20moh limit is a interesting combination
 
I nearly got my car wiped out by a support driver, think the problem is that they don't expect anything to be coming the other way, but don't take into account the general public might still need to access a property or some on the closed road
 
Closed roads, speed limits do not apply.

Part of the reason why councils and Police charge £1000s of pounds to close a roads in the name of safety yet we all know its about income generation and not allow great sporting events to happen.
 
Haze said:
I nearly got my car wiped out by a support driver, think the problem is that they don't expect anything to be coming the other way, but don't take into account the general public might still need to access a property or some on the closed road
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The point is it is closed so you should wait, the rolling caravan would be past in 20mins or so and its not like they dont let everyone know in advance of the race even taking place. If for instance the general public decides to go shopping in their car and rides straight head on into the travelling peloton across the whole road, there would be carnage which is why the police bikes travel in advance of the peloton giving residents a warning ahead of them arriving announcing a rolling road closure
 
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Bear said:
The point is it is closed so you should wait, the rolling caravan would be past in 20mins or so and its not like they dont let everyone know in advance of the race even taking place. If for instance the general public decides to go shopping in their car and rides straight head on into the travelling peloton across the whole road, there would be carnage which is why the police bikes travel in advance of the peloton giving residents a warning ahead of them arriving announcing a rolling road closure
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What a load of rubbish.... There were not people stood next to these signs to let you know what was happening, that road closed sign could have been there for hours
 
Haze said:
What a load of rubbish.... There were not people stood next to these signs to let you know what was happening, that road closed sign could have been there for hours
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Ive had the Tour of Britain pass my house two times through the years so I know how it works. People had leaflets posted through the door months in advance, signs were put up and the police with sirens would alert residents of the race approaching and block off any major junctions to prevent cars entering the course. Its a rolling closure, the signs may be up for hours or days but the closure is only for the time for the whole caravan to pass. Once passed the police get out of the way on junctions to let people get on their way.

Only morons wont know whats going on with people lining the streets to see the racers go by and not wonder whats going on. It works in races all around the world without mass carnage of drivers killing riders in the race, people are well notified
 
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Haze said:
Yeah you sound like an expert lol
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No the UCI are the experts in running these races every year, and they seem to do fine. In fact the Giro in Italy is taking place right now and surprisingly you dont get loads get halfwits driving down the road the wrong way whilst a race is taking place, maybe you should have a watch how the rolling closure takes place and learn something. The whole road race calendar takes place on public roads every year all over the world, if people wernt aware of what was going on there would be a huge amount of deaths and they wouldnt be allowed to run.
 
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do you mean the milk float ? AKA Tour of Britain ?
or a "general Race" ?

in any case, if the road is CLOSED, then don't go down there ?
 
I would guess (IANAL) that while the road is closed it becomes a private road with no public access and the RTA does not apply. Except maybe sections 4 and 5.
 
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Dis86 said:
Speed limits don't apply to cyclists.
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I read the OP as a complaint against the cars supporting the event?



I did Ride London 100 last year and still had plenty of energy at the end, so did a final sprint, exceeding 30mph on tower bridge (20mph limit). The marshals weren't impressed but I was long gone. :D
 
Trifid said:
I read the OP as a complaint against the cars supporting the event?



I did Ride London 100 last year and still had plenty of energy at the end, so did a final sprint, exceeding 30mph on tower bridge (20mph limit). The marshals weren't impressed but I was long gone. :D
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Yes, quite right. In that case it probably counts as a private road.
 
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