Tour Makers....anyone else applied.

[perplexed]

Well, I'm in. Gawd knows doing what...

 

[RoyPSB]

Application accepted - chuffed. Not sure what I'll be doing. Hopefully it will feature a yellow flag!

 

[Ron-da-Valli]

That'll be the Reet Grand Depart then?

 

[solidthegreat]

That'll be the Reet Grand Depart then?

LOL! Love it.

 

[vernon]

I have a growing sense that Yorkshire have bitten off more than they can chew with this one; not much of it seems well thought out - (...) The infrastructure does not seem to be there.

I still hope it all goes well and everyone enjoys themselves.

I might pop down for a watch but I'm not enthused by how it's all going so far...

I had a conversation with someone from a UK cycling organisation in a large village in Yorkshire who voiced similar concerns i.e. underestimated the costs, the need to be at certain vantage points two to three days ahead of the event and that anyone hoping to turn up on spec as a spectator will be pretty disappointed as they'll not get anywhere near to the route by car.

@Marmion Being the center of the universe, Yorkshire is quite capable of hosting a piddling little cycle race. Didn't tha no lad, it'll be reeeeet. Mind you I think they will need all the volunteers they can get, atm a flag marshal will be required every 3 yards to mark the potholes Craters.

I think they have already got a shock at how big the universe outside Yorkshire is, and can see it getting worse as July approaches.

All is not well. From the Yorkshire Post this week...

The cost of marshalling and managing the Leeds launch and Yorkshire legs of the 2014 Tour de France has been underestimated by more than £2m, a damning new report has revealed.

The contract for “event production” for stages one and two of the Yorkshire Grand Départ – which includes traffic management, stewards, toilets, barriers, medical support and signage on day one from Leeds to Harrogate and day two from York to Sheffield – is worth almost £4.5m.

However that is £2.3m more than was originally budgeted for, and has left the event’s organisers – among them Leeds City Council – scrambling to plug the shortfall just 107 days before the international cycling race kicks off in the city on July 5.

A report seen by the Yorkshire Evening Post insists the prices being paid are “competitive” – but admits parties involved simply “did not understand the scope of the event”.

The revelations have led to a complete re-evaluation of costs, and a new action plan to ensure the event goes ahead within budget.

The critical report admitted that: “The original estimate did not take account of the requirement to transport resources around Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Rochdale and due to the distances involved and the rural locations involved, the rates for resources [have] significantly increased.”

The UK leg of Le Tour has a total budget of £27m, which is managed by the specially created firm TDF Hub 2014 Ltd and is made up of contributions from the Government, the Sport UK quango and 11 partner councils.

The £11m total contribution from those councils is being managed and underwritten by Leeds City Council, which is overseeing the Yorkshire legs on behalf of all the authorities and is contributing £3.6m itself.

A spokesman for the TDF Hub Ltd said: “It is important to stress that we are some weeks off before the final cost is determined. We are working hard with local authorities to bring the costs down whilst ensuring a safe and secure event.”

A Leeds City Council spokeswoman said: “As with any project on the scale of the Tour de France, it is entirely normal to experience changes in budget requirements.

“We anticipate that with continuing prudent financial management...an event to remember will be delivered within the original budget.”

 

[asterix]

The French are undoubtedly better at this kind of thing than we Brits are. That's all there is to it really..

ps It's ok I am putting on my coat as I type.

 

[solidthegreat]

They complain at the fact that it is over 2 million over what they budgeted for. I say well done. They are not far out when you compare it to HS2 and that being nearly 100 million over budget. Now that's a waste of money, just to get to London 20 mins quicker that most of us will never use.
It doesn't matter if Yorkshires infrastructure isn't as good as the French at hosting it, the main thing is they do their best and celebrate the fact they were chosen for a reason (hills) and that the whole county do British Cycling and Britain proud. (And I'm a Lancastrian by birth!)

 

[asterix]

I like your attitude!

Apart from anything else it is good advertising, world-class, in fact. How much would that cost if you wanted it?

 

[vernon]

Countdown clock for the start of The Tour de France is delayed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-26756812

A clock showing the countdown to the Yorkshire stages of the Tour de France will not be ready until May.

The clock was due to be unveiled on Thursday but Leeds City Council said the delay was due to the intricacy of the chosen design.

The Labour-run council launched a competition to design the clock to be displayed at the city's Trinity shopping centre in January.

The winning design was developed by theatre designer Barney George.

"The original plan was to have the clock in place in time to coincide with 100 days to go to the Grand Depart but such is the intricacy of the design and the level of precision required of the metal and woodwork detailing it will now be unveiled later in May," the council said.

The clock, known as "The Grand Depart Mechanical Theatre", is being built by students from the University of Leeds School of Mechanical Engineering.

The design is intended as a celebration of cycling inspired by the mechanics of a bicycle itself.

It features a giant steel cog with a range of moving miniature cyclists using all kinds of machines, from penny farthings to modern race bikes on its outside.

The council has not indicated how much the clock has cost to build.

 

[asterix]

At the end of the day it is only a bike race! Why do they need a blooming great clock?

 

[vernon]

At the end of the day it is only a bike race! Why do they need a blooming great clock?

To give everyone a good time.

 

[asterix]

If you're trying to wind me up I suggest you watch out out. I'll give you something to alarm you..

 

[snorri]

the main thing is they do their best and celebrate the fact they were chosen for a reason (hills)

Hills?
Note to self, scrub Yorkshire from holiday cycle tour plans.


"Countdown clock for the start of The Tour de France is delayed"

Suddenly the TdF sounds interesting, will Rachel Riley be there too, or will they be taking Carol Vorderman out of retirement?

 

[vernon]

If you're trying to wind me up I suggest you watch out out. I'll give you something to alarm you..

I think that it's a pointer to mishaps to come.

 

[vernon]

I also think this might be the tune of Yorkshire post-Grand Depart day.

You were wrong! A three day UCI race is on the cards.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29373756

Remember i broke this story in February.