Olympic road race success

Huge crowds lined the streets to watch the world’s best cyclists battle for Olympic glory in Surrey, and Britain won it’s first medal of the Games.

All roads on the route were reopened by 6.30pm following the women’s race on Sunday, except for Zig Zag Road on Box Hill, which will remain closed as planned. Earlier in the day, Team GB’s Lizzie Armitstead won silver in a dramatic sprint finish.

Attention now turns to the Olympic time trial which will take place on Wednesday. The riders will race against the clock, starting at Hampton Court Palace before heading south over Hampton Court Bridge and into Elmbridge.

The route takes in several towns and villages including Thames Ditton, Weston Green, Esher, Hersham and Cobham as well as Kingston and Richmond. The men’s route also goes through Teddington and East and West Molesey. Detailed maps of the routes and an online spectator guide are available at gosurrey.info.

Preparations have been going on for more than two years to ensure the Games in Surrey are a success. Inevitably events on an Olympic scale will cause some disruption, which is why residents and businesses have been asked to plan ahead and be prepared.

Extensive road closures and parking restrictions will be in place around the time trial routes from the early hours of the morning on event days. The aim is to reopen most roads three hours after the event finishes.

With large crowds expected to line the streets to watch the time trial, getting around will be difficult, which is why people are advised to stay close to their local areas and walk. Even after the time trials finish, the county’s roads and public transport will be very busy for some time as people make their way home. Extra trains and carriages will be put on but some bus services will be suspended and most trains won’t allow bikes.

Newsletters have been sent to residents and businesses within 100 metres of the route to provide people with the information they need to prepare. All that information, plus everything else people in Surrey need to know to plan ahead, is available at gosurrey.info. 

Helyn Clack, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services and the 2012 Games, said: “We’re urging people to plan ahead to enjoy the Olympic time trial on Wednesday. This will help us minimise the inevitable disruption that staging events of this size causes.

“All the information people need to plan ahead and enjoy the time trial in Surrey is available at gosurrey.info. We’d urge everyone to use it and to follow @GoSurreyLive on Twitter for updates.”

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