Following the consultation with residents which took place earlier this year, a cabinet decision has yet to be made on the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey cycling event continuing to pass through Surrey beyond 2021. This was due to be reviewed at April Cabinet but due to the Coronavirus crisis, the RideLondon-Surrey Cabinet decision was postponed, as other more immediate decisions needed to be actioned. It is now scheduled to be considered at an October Cabinet meeting.
With regard to the future of Surrey hosting future Prudential Ride London-Surrey events, we are still committed to hosting the event again in Surrey in 2021. We will need to review operationally how the impact of Coronavirus will effect the mechanics of hosting a mass participation event of this scale. These implications will become more evident as we all begin to understand the legacy of Coronavirus and its impact on society.
Surrey County Council continues to support cycling in the county and recently announced that it would match funding from government of £848,000 to support the roll out of active travel schemes with investment in temporary pavements, footpaths and cycleways.
Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “We have an ambitious programme of active travel to support walking and cycling safely in Surrey. We were disappointed to not receive the full funding from the government, so we have matched the amount ourselves to deliver the ideas put forward by residents and partners. See Surrey News for full article. https://news.surreycc.gov.uk/2020/06/30/council-matches-government-funding-to-support-walkers-and-cyclists/
Prudential Ride-London 2020 Virtual Event
Like so many other large scale sporting events this year Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 2020 was cancelled due to Coronavirus. Charities have suffered hugely this year due to the cancellation of fund raising sporting events. To show support for charities there will be a My Prudential RideLondon event, for cyclists to take part in wherever they may be in the UK not just in Surrey. To get involved participants need to register in advance and select their challenge at www.myridelondon.co.uk. They can then start fundraising for their chosen charity or charities.
Safety message regarding virtual event
Surrey County Council respectfully ask that cyclists and particularly big groups of cyclists who may be considering recreating the event on Surrey roads on 16 August refrain from doing so. Volumes of cyclists on roads that aren’t closed to traffic or pedestrians will not have the required safety measures in place. This will undoubtedly lead to injuries and disruption and undue pressure on the Emergency Services in Surrey.
