Wheels in motion for £115m tourism boost

The Tour de France cycle race is expected to bring a £115 million tourism boost when it starts in the UK for the first time in 2007.

The estimate came from Transport for London as the full route of the race was unveiled.

The ‘Grand Depart’ is be touted as the biggest sporting event to be held in London ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.

An estimated two million visitors from across the world are expected to visit London and Kent during the three days the Tour will spend in the UK on July 6-8. 

Organisers believe the London element will be the most spectacular stage as the race will pass some of the capital’s most iconic landmarks before heading through Kent before finishing at Canterbury Cathedral.

Around 200 of the world’s best cyclists will compete for the legendary yellow jersey on the streets of London and will then go on to cover around 3,500 kilometres over three weeks. 

Every year between 12 and 15 million spectators watch the race from the roadside, making it the largest annual sporting event in the world.

The three days of the Grand Départ include the Tour de France opening ceremony, Prologue and Stage One. The Prologue on July 7 will be a five mile lap of central London, starting on Whitehall and taking in landmarks including the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park before finishing on the Mall.

Stage One the following day will start in central London passing close to Big Ben, the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Gherkin and crossing Tower Bridge, close to City Hall. The race will then travel through Bermondsey, Deptford, Greenwich and Erith before travelling to Kent. In Kent, the tour will pass thorough Dartford, Medway, Tunbridge Wells and Ashford before the stage finish in Canterbury.

Visit London chief executive James Bidwell said: “Hosting the Grand Départ of the Tour de France is a fantastic opportunity for London. The route will pass by many top attractions and famous landmarks and gives us the chance to showcase this fabulous city to the world. We aim to maximise London’s involvement in this high profile event and look forward to welcoming the many visitors to London for what will undoubtedly be a memorable experience.”

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said: “The Tour de France is so much more than just a cycle race, creating a carnival atmosphere wherever it visits.

“The Tour will be great for London, showcasing the UK capital to the world, bringing huge amounts of visitors to London and encouraging more Londoners to take to two wheels.”

Report by Phil Davies