Tour de France: First bus service changes and camping advice video for visitors

With millions expected to line the route of the Tour de France this weekend, First is putting in place the final preparations for the local bus and Park&Ride network around York on Sunday 6 July.

Bus stuck during previous TdF race

Due to road closures some routes will also need to be diverted or altered and customers are encouraged to plan well ahead by visiting firstgroup.com/tourdefrance for all the details. Details of changes to routes, stops and services can also be seen around the city centre on notices at bus stops and information displayed on real time screens.

As a result of the route taken by the race, First’s cross-city services will be split and some will be diverted with buses starting and finishing at one of three bus hubs, Fishergate, Hungate & the Station.

First has worked closely with City of York Council to also provide more Park & Ride journeys with services starting from 6am – three and a half hours earlier than on a normal Sunday. In addition, Askham Bar, Grimston Bar and Rawcliffe Bar Park & Ride sites will open from 4am to allow people to arrive early.

Park&Ride sites provide services every 10 minutes with great value fares (returns costing £2.70 from the terminal to the city centre, with up to 2 children travelling free with each adult). More information is available yorkparkandride.co.uk. Due to the route taken by the race the Poppleton Bar Park&Ride will not be operating on Sunday 6th July..

First is also providing extra buses across the York network on existing routes providing more capacity and allowing for slightly longer journeys in some cases to take into account diversions and additional road traffic. Many services will also start earlier on the morning of Sunday 6 July to accommodate the extra demand.

As well as additional driving roles, First staff will be working across the network and behind the scenes to ensure the event is a success. First is also preparing spare buses ready at key locations across Yorkshire to meet any other transport requirements.

Additional late evening services will operate on the Monks Cross Park & Ride on Friday 4th July to cater for the ‘Grand Departy’ concert at Huntington Stadium. The last bus back to the City will depart from Monks Cross Park & Ride site at 11.30pm. Services will run as normal on Saturday 5 July and Monday 7th July.

Customers are encouraged to keep in touch with travel updates over the weekend by using twitter on @YorkTravel

Will Pearson, Business Manager of First in York added: The Tour de France, Grand Depart is a fabulous opportunity to showcase Yorkshire and we’ve worked closely with partners including City of York Council to support our existing bus network and introduce extra services to help transport existing and new customers. There will be some disruption to the bus network but by planning ahead customers can find out what alternatives are available and ensure they enjoy this

Fresh controversy over plans for Monk Stray

York Council is using a “planning loophole” from the 1960s to host camping on Monk Stray for July’s Tour De France just weeks after its original proposals for the site were rejected.

Monk Stray

In March Labour run York Council was forced to scale back its plans for Monk Stray. Nearly 300 residents had opposed proposals to stage events serving alcohol on the Stray on 14 days in any year. The council’s cross-party Licensing Committee decided to grant a one day only licence for July’s Tour De France and said that there could be no camping allowed on the licensable area as part of this.

However, council officers have confirmed that a deal has now been agreed withthe Caravan Club to manage camping on the site for the Tour De France. Planning legislation from the 1960s allows the Caravan Club to organise the camping without a planning application. York Council has also submitted a planning application for a new gate to access Monk Stray (from Stockton Lane) after the authority was told that it could not use an access gate on a nearby private road.

Local residents have consistently raised concerns over plans to turn Monk Stray into a ‘Spectator Hub’ for July’s Grand Départ amid worries over access to the site, parking, traffic, noise, litter, surface water and anti-social behaviour.

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Tour de France – York campsite update

The Council has now announced two further campsites on its web site.

They will be at Millennium Bridge and the Designer outlet.

Again no consultation has taken place with affected residents and the information has yet to appear on the official TdF website

Official “all day” car parking is being offered at the “old” Askham Bar Park and Ride site for £8. By June this car park will have closed as the new adjacent site will have been brought into use. People will be expected to walk from there to the Knavesmire.

Mystery also surrounds the costs of repairing highways on the TdF route. No provision has been made in the Councils budget for essential repairs although the whole of the highways network is in increasing need of major investment.

All decisions on the organisation of the TdF locally are being taken behind closed doors.

Tour caravan woe for Monk Stray?

Caravan and camping site planned

Monk Stray

It appears that the York Council are going to approve the use of Monk Stray as a huge camping and caravan site to service the needs of Tour de France visitors.

Although there has been no consultation with local Councillors or residents, notices posted in the area suggest that the facility will be open for around a month.

The actual TdF start event in the City lasts only 2 days.

Most had expected camping facilities to be located closer to the Knavesmire where the start takes place.

Meanwhile the Council is remaining tight lipped on how it proposes to recoup at least some of the £1.6 million that it is putting into the event. At the last Council meeting, details were promised in “January” but they have not emerged.

The York Council taxpayers subsidy is the largest agreed by any Local Authority in the region.

The official Tour web site is markedly silent on issues like car parking and sponsorship.