Organisers of a cycle race in Wales have been forced to change and shorten its route because of the introduction of the 20mph speed limit in parts of the country.
Three of the five stages of the Junior Tour of Wales, which starts on Friday, have been changed because support vehicles would not have been able to keep up with the riders without breaking the limit.
Robbie George, the director of development and events for Beicio Cymru (Welsh Cycling), said while he supported the 20mph limit, it had problems for racing. “Broadly speaking, the default speed is a positive – proven in the reduction in road casualties and insurance claims as a result,” he said. “We now have a safer Wales that over time will help develop the confidence for more people to participate in cycling.
“For racing, though, it’s challenging. Beicio Cymru and associates have been trying to resolve the impact on racing for two years, right down to the last minute, but it was not possible.”
George said organisers had asked for temporary road orders to ensure the riders and convoy could maintain speeds through 20mph sections, but could not secure them.
“Whilst some will recognise that cyclists cannot be prosecuted for speeding, we still have a convoy of vehicles to manage and we also have no benchmark for what happens if an incident happens within a 20mph zone,” he said.
“We make decisions to protect riders, organisers, ourselves and cycling in general.
“It is not as black and white as just about the limits, especially when 20mph zones are not all the same. Some sections, uphill, the speed limit will not be exceeded and is therefore not an issue; other sections that are downhill may see riders doubling the speed limit.”
The Junior Tour of Wales is an annual race that started in 1981. Participants have included the former Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas and the mountain bike double Olympic gold medallist Tom Pidcock.
A total of 100 riders will start the race in Brynmawr, Blaenau Gwent, on Friday and head through Powys and Pembrey Country Park in Carmarthenshire over the weekend. The race concludes with a final stage through Monmouthshire on Monday.
Last September Wales became the first country in the UK to drop the default speed limit from 30mph to 20mph in built-up areas, although councils have the power to exempt certain regions.
Last month the Welsh government published figures showing the number of people injured and killed on 20 and 30mph roads from January to March had fallen by more than a quarter.
The Welsh government also says cutting the speed limit will protect lives and save the NHS in Wales £92m a year. It predicts the change will save up to 100 lives and prevent 20,000 casualties in the first decade.
A petition against the law, on the Welsh parliament webpage, was signed by nearly 470,000 people.
