Survey on Prudential RideLondon-Surrey

Surrey County Council

This annual cycling event has been a popular date in the diary for many in the Weybridge community, bringing not just a spectator spectacle but has also been integrated in a Community Day by Weybridge Town Business Group, which runs an Artisan Food & Craft Market, with Entertainment.

Surrey County Council is running a consultation survey, which is open until 16th February 2020, to determine the future of the event for the five years from 2021.

Crowds expecting cyclists at Ride London Surrey event in Weybridge
Ride London Surrey Event in Weybridge

What are the benefits of the event?

In 2019 30,433 amateur riders completed the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100, 46 and 19 routes through Surrey. The money raised by these riders is yet to be confirmed but in 2018 more than £13 million was raised for charity bringing the total amount raised for charity in the first 6 years of the event to £66 million. It is Europe’s most successful cycling fundraising event. Approximately 250,000 riders have now participated in the events in Surrey since the first Prudential RideLondon in 2013.

As well as riders and their supporters visiting Surrey on the day of the event, many riders visit the area on a year round basis to cycle benefitting the local economy. TV coverage has highlighted the beauty of Surrey firmly establishing the county as one the UK’s top cycling destinations.

London Marathon Events Ltd, the majority owner of the London and Surrey Cycling Partnership which organises the event, award grants through the London Marathon Charitable Trust each year to recreational projects which encourage people to become or remain active, primarily in areas where events have taken place.

This is as a thank you to communities for their support. In the last round of funding in July 2019 grants totalling £500,900 were awarded to eight projects in Surrey. Since 2013 more than £4,300,000 in grants have been awarded to 70 projects in Surrey as a direct benefit of Prudential RideLondon. You can view a list and details of the projects that have benefited from funding here lmct.org.uk/about/lmct-grants/surrey

Cyclists on Monument Hill - Ride London Surrey 2019 in Weybridge Surrey

How does Prudential RideLondon affect Surrey on the day?

Four events take place on one day in Surrey on closed roads (the date varies each year from late July to early August). This means temporary traffic restrictions are needed including full road closures, one way driving on some roads and no stopping restrictions on others. Travel by car and bus are affected on the day.

Residents and businesses are made aware of which travel services will be affected prior to the event so they are able to plan their travel in advance around Surrey on that date. Details are also provided about where up-to-the minute travel information can be found on the event day.

Surrey County Council and our care providers work together to ensure that the needs of our vulnerable clients continue to be met on the event days and where needed access is arranged by the event organiser. The event organiser offers to facilitate access for residents and businesses where possible and where arrangements have been made in advance, for example for weddings.

What traffic restrictions apply?

Parking restrictions on the event route in Surrey begin from 1 minute past midnight on the Sunday of the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100, 46 and 19 events and of the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic.

Road closures in Surrey begin from 5am with some coming in at 7.30am. Some roads are closed all day and others are re-opened with rolling closures from the afternoon. All roads are anticipated to be re-opened by 7pm on the day.

For detailed information including maps about the locations affected by road closures with closure and estimated re-opening times see the 2019 Event Information for Surrey document.

For information on all temporary traffic measures applied to named Surrey roads see the attached document Temporary Traffic Measures Order 2019.

What is the cost of the event to Surrey County Council?

All direct costs of the event are covered by the event organiser. Officers from Surrey County Council work together with the event organisers to ensure minimal disruption is caused across a range of services provided to residents within Surrey on event day. With input required from officers from the following departments.

  • Emergency Management and Resilience Team
  • Registration and Nationality Team
  • Adult Social Care
  • Children’s Services
  • Communications
  • Highways and Transport
  • Information Management & Technology

What is the role of Surrey County Council in the event?

The main role of Surrey County Council is to:-

  1. Review the event planning to ensure suitable measures are put in place for the safety of all residents and riders on event day.
  2. Ensure the traffic management plan is suitable and balances the needs of residents and the safe delivery of the event.
  3. Ensure residents and businesses are made aware of the event taking place so they can plan their travel in advance
  4. Ensure planned and emergency care visits for our vulnerable residents are facilitated

SCC works with the event organiser to ensure that the road surface is of a suitable standard as required by the event.

  • Roads are inspected and maintained for riders safety prior to the event by London Surrey Cycling Partnership (LSCP) staff who identify any defects that they feel would present an issue to riders. Surrey County Council will then meet its statutory requirements with regard to the road surface, and if further improvements are required for the event then these costs are met by the event organiser.
  • On the day of the event, prior to riders setting off, a safety car drives the route to check for any last minute defects in the road surface that have arisen since the last inspection. There is a highways crew available on the day at the disposal of LSCP (which LSCP pay for) to make any urgent repairs.

How is information provided to residents and businesses?

  • Yellow event road signs are placed along the routes in Surrey giving advance warning of the event three weeks prior to the event, provided by London Surrey Cycling Partnership.
  • Awareness to get residents and businesses to plan their journey’s around Surrey ahead of event day is communicated using various media and communications channels. These direct people to sources of route information and explains where up to the minute travel updates can be found on the event day about road closures and openings.

These include:-

  • Information leaflets with detailed road closure information is sent to Surrey households and businesses
  • Bus back advertising on Surrey bus routes, posters at bus stops
  • Parking flyers are left on cars on three Sunday’s before event.
  • Radio advertising in Surrey regions
  • Surrey County Council and district and borough councils in Surrey use social media and editorial in communications to residents providing advance warning to plan journey’s around Surrey.