Perth and Kinross is preparing to host thousands of the world's top cyclists in August as part of the biggest cycling event in history.
The Gran Fondo Road Race is part of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) World Cycling Championships taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland this August.
Councillors voted to approve the route despite concerns it could cause major disruption on a busy holiday weekend.
Perth and Kinross Council's Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee was recommended to approve hosting the road race event on Friday, August 4.
The Gran Fondo Road Race will start and finish on Perth's North Inch going through Central and Highland Perthshire.
At Monday's meeting Depute Provost Andrew Parrott called on organisers "to work hard to mitigate and minimise" disruption to local residents and businesses.
This followed a deputation from Provost Xander McDade who raised concerns about major road closures around Pitlochry and Aberfeldy and access to the doctors' surgery in Aberfeldy.
The Independent Highland Perthshire councillor said: "It's a working day. People need to get to work and to the doctor's."
Bailie Claire McLaren who represents Strathtay ward said locals were not just worried about the route combined with planned roadworksfor the Cross Tay Link Road but a contingency plan if there was an accident on the A9 and traffic needs diverted.
She said: "There is a strong potential that could occur on such a busy weekend of tourism traffic outwith a large event coming to our area."
Organiser Malcolm Smith said: "We will be looking at what options are available to us."
PKC's head of Environmental and Consumer Services Mark Butterworth added: "There will be a safety advisory group that will involve the police, the fire service, council and partners so if there are any issues around safety they just wouldn't let the race go ahead. That will certainly be an area they need to look at."
Concern was also raised about a clash with Perth Show which takes place that weekend.
PKC's executive director of Communities Barbara Renton said: "We are working really really closely with Perth Show. The commitment there is to make sure that the animals, the businesses, the stallholders and the people who want to visit Perth Show get there as easily and as well as possible.
"There will be staged closures and there will be times when the traffic will be able to move through. That's the point of engaging with Perth Show being absolutely delighted to be part of that engagement process to make sure we can work this through as easily as we can for what will be a major world class event."
Moving to approve the route the Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee convener Andrew Parrott said it would "provide a unique opportunity to be part of a historic cycling event".
Depute Provost Parrott added: "This event will place Perth and Kinross on the world stage and whilst there will - of course - be disruption on the day of the event which the organisers must work hard to mitigate and minimise I have no doubt that the global attraction of the event and its sheer scale will have significant economic and social benefits for the residents and businesses of Perth and Kinross for a long time after the necessary road closures and detours have gone."
It was seconded by Bailie Mike Williamson.
Independent councillor Colin Stewart tabled an amendment to defer approval of the proposed route to a later meeting of councillors.
The Strathmore councillor said this would allow "officers to engage with the organisers to establish an alternative less disruptive route/date within the 3-13 August window and can pro-actively consult with affected residents businesses and communities."
It was seconded by Strathmore Conservative councillor Hugh Anderson with both raising concerns about a lengthy road closure in Bridgend.
On November 30, PKC's Finance and Resources Committee committed £280,000 to hosting the event.
The 160km road race is one of 13 individual World Championship cycling disciplines taking place across Scotland as part of the UCI Cycling World Championships from August 3-13, 2023. It will see 2500 to 3500 of the world's top cyclists competing bringing 8000 visitors to the area.
There will be 11 age groups taking part in the challenge representing over 50 countries. Running alongside the event will be a mass participation Sportive allowing non-qualified cyclists to take part too.
In addition there will be a cycling expo event on the North Inch with interactive cycling activity from Scottish Cycling.
The event - organised by UCI - is being run in conjunction with Visit Scotland, the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, UK Sport and British Cycling.
Councillors approved the route by 13 votes to two.
After the meeting Cllr Stewart said: "It's frankly astonishing that other councillors didn’t support a delay to sort out the numerous problems we got told about, from the complete absence of public consultation to the very biased economic assessment, from the need to close Bridgend for eight hours to the request that people don’t make doctor, dentist or consultant appointments on that day.
"Frankly, I don’t think councillors or officers are prepared for the storm of protest that’s coming their way when the public find out about this."
