RideLondon’s FreeCycle event is returning to the city this weekend.
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)Drivers have been advised to avoid central and east London on Sunday as up to 100,000 cyclists take to the roads.
The Ride London event returns for the first time in three years, with a 100-mile route on closed roads as its main event.
About 25,000 amateur cyclists will ride from the Victoria Embankment to Essex and back over eight hours.
There will also be a free family “FreeCycle” ride - plus festival zones - on closed roads in central London that could draw 75,000 participants, 30- and 60-mile versions of the 100-mile circuit and a multi-lap road race on Piccadilly and Pall Mall involving elite riders in the UCI Women’s World Tour.
It means Westminster Bridge, Waterloo Bridge, Southwark Bridge and Tower Bridge will all be closed to vehicles in addition to staggered road closures from 5am until 630pm, including the A12, the A104 and the A414 in Essex.
Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said: “There are lots more people taking part for the first time - 23 per cent of the places have gone to women, which is a massive shift.
“Part of this is about trying to inspire people to cycle, particularly groups who are less represented in cycling.”
It is the first time that Ride London - a legacy event from the 2012 Olympics that is now in its eighth year - has been held in Essex. Previously it had gone to Surrey. Due to the pandemic, the event has not been staged since 2019.
The 100-mile ride starts around 6am on the Victoria Embankment, at Waterloo bridge, and heads east past the Tower of London to Canary Wharf and the Royal Docks before heading north onto the A12 at Stratford.
Riders exit at Leytonstone and head through Woodford towards Epping Forest and out into Essex.
With Stansted airport in sight, the ride heads east at Great Dunmow before starting its return to London via Chelmsford, including part of the 2014 Tour de France route, before retracing its route on the A12 and the embankment.
The finish line is at Tower Bridge, which the first riders are expected to reach around 10am.
Transport for London has warned of “significant delays to road journeys in the area of the events” and advised: “Avoid driving anywhere near the events if at all possible.”
Essential road trips should be made via the M25, A406 and A10 rather than on local roads.
More than 900,000 letters were sent to people living along the route in February, warning them of disruption. This was followed with a leaflet drop in April. Two weeks ago, large road signs were erected along the route.
The A13 from Beckton roundabout to Whitechapel, the A11 from Bow roundabout to Whitechapel, the A12 and Blackwall Tunnel area, the A118 Romford Road and the A124 Barking Road should be avoided.
Stage one of the women’s classique is being held on Friday in Maldon, and the second stage on Saturday in Chelmsford, finishing in Epping.
Extra “Boris bikes” - the Santander-sponsoreed hire bikes - will be available for people without their own bike wanting to take part in the FreeCycle. Many will be at four key docking stations: Waterloo Place, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Waterloo Bridge and Craven Street.
