RideLondon exact road closure times as thousands set to cycle through Essex

Handout dated 27-05-2022 of Sprint 1 on High Street, Maldon during Stage One of The RideLondon Classique.
Handout dated 27-05-2022 of Sprint 1 on High Street, Maldon during Stage One of The RideLondon Classique. -Credit:PA


Huge numbers of cyclists will head along roads in Essex as part of an annual RideLondon event being held later this month. The popular Ford RideLondon-Essex event sees cyclists take on various routes ad different parts of the county.

The 2024 edition takes place on May 26 but locals will face some road closures on Friday (May 24) and Saturday (May 25). The Classique event travels between Colchester and Saffron Walden on Friday, travelling through areas including Uttlesford, Braintree and Tendring.

Stage two of the Ford RideLondon Classique event is in Maldon but the route crosses over into parts of the Colchester and Braintree districts. The weekend of cycling then concludes on May 26 with cyclists beginning a long route that includes areas of central London, Epping Forest, Braintree and Chelmsford.

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A partnership between Essex County Council and Ford RideLondon-Essex was extended in 2023 to run until 2026. The agreement will see the county continue to host the Ford RideLondon-Essex 100, 60 and 30-mile challenge rides plus two stages of the UCI Women’s WorldTour Ford RideLondon Classique.

Cllr Lee Scott, Cabinet Member for Highways Maintenance and Sustainable Transport at Essex County Council, said: “Following two successful years of Ford RideLondon in Essex, I am delighted that our county will continue to partner until 2026. The event has been a learning experience and each year we’ve improved at being hosts. We have expanded resident engagement sessions and opened new channels of communication for any foreseeable problems.

“The Ford RideLondon Classique brings world-class sport to the county while the Ford RideLondon-Essex mass participation rides raise millions of pounds for good causes each year. Both the professional races and the inspirational challenge rides have received great support from all the Essex communities involved.

“The events bring thousands of people to the county every year and showcase our beautiful county on both the national and international stage. We very much look forward to this event improving even further in the coming years.”

Scroll down for a full list of road closures and expected closure times

Friday, May 24

  • King Street, Saffron Walden (4am to 2pm)

  • Market Square, Saffron Walden (4am to 2pm)

  • Market Hill, Saffron Walden (4am to 2pm)

  • Hill Street, Saffron Walden (10:5am to 11:20am)

  • George Street, Saffron Walden (10:5am to 11:20am)

  • High Street, Saffron Walden (10:5am to 11:20am)

  • London Road, Saffron Walden (10:5am to 11:20am)

  • Audley End Road, Saffron Walden (10:5am to 11:20am)

  • High Street, Colchester (4am to 8pm)

  • Lewis Gardens, Colchester (4am to 8pm)

  • East Hill, Colchester (4am to 8pm)

  • East Street, Colchester (2:45pm to 3:45pm)

  • Ipswich Road, Colchester (2:45pm to 3:45pm)

  • St Andrew's Avenue, Colchester (2:45pm to 3:45pm)

  • Harwich Road, Colchester (2:45pm to 3:45pm)

  • Bromley Road, Colchester (2:45pm to 3:45pm)

  • Priory Street, Colchester (2:45pm to 6pm)

Saturday, May 25

  • The Causeway, Maldon (10:30am to 11:30am)

  • The Street, Maldon (10:30am to 11:30am)

  • Goldhanger Road, Maldon (10:30am to 11:30am)

  • Lower High Street, Maldon (10:45am to 11:15am)

  • Mill Road, Maldon (10:45am to 11:15am)

  • Maldon Bypass - A414 (12pm to 3:30pm)

  • London Road, Maldon (12:30pm to 3:30pm)

  • Witham Road - B1018 (12:30pm to 2:30pm)

  • Maldon Road - B1019 (12:30pm to 2:30pm)

  • Heybridge Approach, Maldon (12:30pm to 2:30pm)

  • Langford Road, Maldon (12:30pm to 2:30pm)

  • Spital Road, Maldon (2pm to 3:30pm)

Sunday, May 26

Buckhurst Hill

  • From South Woodford (via the Woodford Green roundabout), the High Road Woodford Green (A1199) to the junction of High Road and Epping New Road, (Buckhurst Hill and Loughton turn off) is closed from 05.00 to 18.30.

  • The High Road, (north of the Epping New Road turn off) is closed from 05.00 to 12.00.

  • From Chigwell, Palmerston Road and Roding Lane are closed from 07.30 to 18.00.

  • Heading South from Buckhurst Hill, the High Road and Woodford Green are both closed from 07.30 to 18.00.

Epping

  • From Golding Hill (Miller and Carter Roundabout), the Epping Road is closed from 05.00 to 12.30.

  • From Thornwood Common, the B1393 is closed from 05.00 to 13.00.

  • From North Weald, the B181 is closed from 05.00 to 13.00.

North Weald

  • From Epping and Thornwood Common the Epping Road (B181) is closed from 05.00 to 13.00.

  • From Ongar the Epping Road from Tylers Green roundabout and the A414 are closed is from 05.00 to 13.00.

Fyfield

  • From Ongar (Four Wantz Roundabout) the B184 is closed from 05.00 to 13.30

  • From Abbess and Beauchamp Roding the Dunmow Road (B184) is closed from 05.00 to 13.30.

Leaden Roding

  • From Fyfield and White Roding, the B184 Dunmow Road, and the A1060 (from the Dunmow Road junction) are closed from 07.35 to 13.00.

  • From High Roding, the Dunmow Road is closed from 06.00 to 14.30.

Great Dunmow

  • From High Roding, the B184 Dunmow Road, is closed from 06.00 to 14.30.

  • From Blake End, the B1256 is closed from 06.00 to 15.00.

  • The High Road in Great Dunmow is closed for a community festival from 06.00 to 17.00.

Felsted

  • From Gransmore Green and Bannister Green, The Braintree Road (B1417) is closed from 06.00 to 15.30.

  • From Hartford End, the B1417 is closed from 06.00 to 15.30.

Writtle

  • From Fanners Green, Woodall Hill and Chignon Road are closed from 06.00 to 15.30.

  • From Chelmsford, the Rainsford Road/Roxwell Road (A1060) is closed at the Chignal Road junction from 07.00 to 15.30.

  • From Roxwell, the Roxwell Road (A1060) is closed at the Lordship Road junction from 07.00 to 15.30.

  • From Chelmsford, The Greenbury Way (A414) is closed at the Highwood Road roundabout from 05.00 to 17.00.

  • From Ongar, the Ongar Road (A414) is closed at the Highwood Road roundabout, from 08.00 to 17.00.

Ongar

  • From North Weald, The Epping Road (A414) is closed from 05.00 to 13.00.

  • From Fyfield, The Fyfield Road (B184), is closed from 05.00 to 13.30.

  • From Writtle, The Ongar Road, (A414) is closed from 05.00 to 17.00.

  • From Marden Ash, the Ongar High Street is closed from 07.30 to 17.00.