Have your say on Velothon road closures

The Velothon Wales cycling event is set to return this year and will once again see thousands of cyclists taking part in a closed-road race across South Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Lessons have been learnt following last year’s event and the organisers are working with the five councils along the length of the route to look at ways of lessening the impact of the road closures on the community and local businesses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Velothon Wales, is being promoted by the Welsh Government and this year’s event will take place on Sunday 22nd May. The cyclists will follow the same 140km route as last year, although the shorter 50km route event will not take place this year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In order to allow the event to proceed safely, the organisers require the route to be completely closed to traffic for lengthy periods of time (in some cases this could be around 8 – 9 hours or more). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In this area, the route will enter the county borough at Hafodyrynys and then follow the A472 before proceeding up the Newbridge bypass, through Maesycwmmer, along the A469 Llanbradach bypass to the ‘Cedar Tree’ roundabout, along the A468 to Bedwas Bridge roundabout, into Caerphilly Town Centre along Bedwas Road and then up through the town and over Caerphilly Mountain to Cardiff. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Like last year, the main ‘mass participation’ event will be followed by an elite race in the afternoon which would follow the same route, but includes additional laps of Caerphilly Mountain involving wider road closures in and around the town centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The scale of the road closures required has the potential to cause disruption and some inconvenience to residents, the local business community and other stakeholders. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you have any observations or comments about the proposed road closures you can submit your views in writing by Friday 4th March to Communications Unit, Penallta House, Tredeomen Business Park, Hengoed, CF82 7PG or alternatively you can email communicationsunit@caerphilly.gov.uk ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The feedback will be considered by the council and will help shape the final road closure traffic management plans. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Velothon Wales website (www.velothon-wales.co.uk)and the map below features more detail about the event and the road closures. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​