Can someone explain to me why Barnsley Council are contributing a "significant" figure (I've heard £1.2 M) towards the £6.5 M total estimate for the Yorkshire leg. As I look at the circuit, it does NOT ride through Barnsley. Bearing in mind we have seen massive cuts in services and jobs, this seems to be money wasted. Big mistake in my opinion as private investement/advertising/sponsorship shoudl pay for this.
Looking at this map............does it go through Barnsley Borough? http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_images/bc_road/2013/20120117-Yorkshire-stage_2.jpg
Looking at that map - yes. Ever come over Woodhead from Manchester? The sign that you are entering Barnsley borough is roughly where it says Woodhead on that map, so I think covers from there to where it says A616 just past Lagsett
Radio Sheffield and Look North. Don't get me wrong, an event like Tour de France in Yorkshire region is great, I just don't get why local Council(s) have to contribute such a significant sum of money, particularly when cuts/savings has been top of the Council's agenda (no I am not a Civil Servant). What about National Lottery, media companies and private advertising?
BTW the 1.2m was Bradford Barnsley and York Combined I do agree it seems steep. However, if the projects are right of 100m in income then the total of 10m looks like a good investment, its a big if though
This combined total softens the impact a bit (but means Radio Sheff did not get their facts correct, but no surprise here then !!!). The ratio suggested of £10 M spend and £100 M income (x10) does seem optimistic to me and you never really get the true result as it's impossible to gauge.
The sums are based on what London earned when they staged the Depart a few years ago. Since then we've had a Brit win the Tour and the incredible growth in popularity of cycling resulting from that and our Olympic success.
Barnsley Cyclist at Tour de France 2014:- http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_lR-Bi2p3v9o/SngGTkZClvI/AAAAAAAAATw/Xez_dPojRPQ/s400/fat-guy-spandex.jpg
Agreed and I think our cycling success is superb. But this extra revenue could and should be pumped back into this event via other source ie. not from Council(s).
Let's be reight, it brushes Barnsley. It doesn't come through a single Barnsley village, it must pass about six Barnsley houses. I love the Tour de France, but Barnsley is not part of that 2014 route and will get absolutely nothing out of it. No one will be using our shops and services. No one that has anything at all to do with the Tour de France will even see Barnsley apart from a wee glimpse of it off in the distance from the A628 at Fiddlers Green.
Its only going through that bit of Barnsley (the furthest,most remote part of the borough - more sheep than people) to get it to Sh1ttield (ba$tards) Lets face it , if they were on mountain bikes (and didn't mind getting too far away from their drug stashes ) they'd just go up over t'moors and straight into the dumpit site. The only Barnsley business that will benefit will be the Dog n Partridge (cos they'll charge for parking ) and the butty van in the layby on the hill (if its still there - haven't been up in a while and I'll not be going up to watch lycra clad (alleged) druggies free wheeling down a closed off main road) AAANNNNNDDDDD RELAX
Did see the Milk Race finish a stage in Barnsley in the mid eighties. They all came flying round the corner of Eldon Street to come up Market Hill to finish outside the Tarn Hall. It had just been raining and I remember thinking to myself "this could be fun". I think 10 came off if my memory serves me correctly