Ride London future

[roberts8]

Next week Surrey CC vote on whether to continue supporting the Ride London event.

The survey had Just over 400 people sent in comments.

30 percent wanted it to continue.

45 percent want it stopped.

22 percent wanted it routed elsewhere.

The rest were non commit all.

the anti lobby in surrey is very well organised and these results show what happens if we just ignore it.

Hopefully the council get so much money for the event they will ignore the majority which they often do and in other cases I am happy to moan.

[foxyrider]

Need to be careful, if Gary Verity gets to hear of Surrey's woes he'll likely snag the event for Yorkshire where people actually want cycling events!

[Postboxer]

People sending in comments to the council doesn't give a fair reflection of public opinion though does it. Presumably more than 400 people from Surrey take part every year.

[Igobybike]

I'm annoyed by Ride London anyway. I despise the ballot system, which means I have never got in despite trying every year, and believe it should just be first come, first served like practically every other sportive. I'm not sure if I care very much if it goes, or goes somewhere else.

[mjr]

I'm annoyed by Ride London anyway. I despise the ballot system, which means I have never got in despite trying every year, and believe it should just be first come, first served like practically every other sportive. I'm not sure if I care very much if it goes, or goes somewhere else.

First come, first served would almost surely have biased the entrants towards Londoners in the first few years because they have the fastest internet connections, which would probably have made it less popular with hoteliers and other tourist services and increased the public opposition to closing the roads, plus it would increase the incentive for the dodgy place-trading which already seems a bit of a problem.

[Marcus Aurelius]

I’ve ridden all but one of the Ride London’s which I’ve tried to get in on. To be fair, it’s lost it’s shine, and the big selling point, of it being on roads used in the 2012 Olympic Games road race, has lost its relevance. For me, it’s just an excuse to go to London in the summer, for a weekend lash up, with a bike ride thrown in. If it went elsewhere, I really couldn’t give a Tinkers Toss about it, so I wouldn’t bother with it.

[Marcus Aurelius]

I think the fact that it’s got a prize money, UCI Worldtour, Pro Race attached to it, may help grease any palms that are required at the council.

[mjr]

I think the fact that it’s got a prize money, UCI Worldtour, Pro Race attached to it, may help grease any palms that are required at the council.

I suspect the grants made by the London Marathon charitable fund (as the Marathon company is involved in organising RideLondon) to things that Surrey CC arguably should be doing may make more difference.

[The utility cyclist]

Get rid, yet another bogus event.

[ianrobo]

so what happened then ? not seen anything out there on this ?

As for being a pointless event, how ? always over subscribed and the Surrey Hills attracts thousands every weekend, ever region should be holding this type of event. Yes it is expensive is why people say this but it helps spread the popularity of cycling.

[roberts8]

It seems SCC ha thankfully ignored the majority on this occasion and have granted permission but will not say for how long. Opposing political parties want the public opinion taken into account which as I would see it would only mean one thing, the event will stop.
I have not seen one comment from CUK on this so has it just passed me by or is there no interest in this event?

I know sportives can cause problems and it seems anyone can hold one on open roads but it is a part of our overall cycling structure and some people do get into cycling through entering them so they must serve a purpose.

[mjr]

Maybe CUK think it unwise to interfere in a BC event?