Grand Depart 'promoted cycling'
London stage of Tour de France helps boost cycle journeys in capital
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Wednesday, 28, Nov 2007 08:10
The London leg of this year's Tour de France led to an 11 per cent increase in cycle use in the UK capital.
The prologue stage, held on July 7th this year, coincided with 48,000 more cycle journeys everyday between April and September compared to last year.
And Transport for London, which jointly arranged for Le Tour to come to Britain, said that the one million people who lined the capital's streets to watch the Grand Depart swelled its coffers by £88 million.
A further two million spectators saw the Tour de France's opening stage to Canterbury on July 8th.
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone confirmed that plans were underway to bring the event back to London ahead of the 2012 Olympics.
"Bringing the Tour de France to London has been hugely successful, boosting cycling and showing Londoners' huge interest in watching and participating in sport that is growing as we approach the 2012 Games.
"As well as demonstrating that great sporting events can inspire people to take up physical activity, the success of the Tour de France also shows the economic benefits that these types of event can bring to London," Mr Livingstone said.
"The Tour has generated well over £100 million in spending and publicity, which will in turn attract more visitors and encourage the organisers of future sporting events to choose London."