Town that bans cyclists to host a stage of the Tour of Britain

A town that bans cyclists is to host a stage of the Tour of Britain.

The fourth stage of the event will set off from Mansfield, even the town prohibits cyclists on its streets.

The Nottinghamshire market town will host the fourth stage of the prestigious Tour of Britain on September 6.

However, when the top class cyclists pedal their way through the town they will be doing something that would be breaking the law on any other day in Mansfield.

Last year, a ban was placed on cycling in the town by Mansfield District Council in an effort to clamp down on anti-social behaviour.

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It introduced a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in order to implement the ban..

The council says the ban applies only to the act of cycling, with riders permitted to get off their bikes and wheel them around the town.

However, campaigners have attacked the ban and says it unfairly targets cyclists, and hinders people with disabilities who use bikes as mobility aids.

After the ban was introduced last year, Duncan Dollimore, from charity Cycling UK, said: ‘If the council was experiencing problems with a small number of inconsiderate people cycling, it would be far better to tackle that behaviour, which would benefit everyone, rather than impose a blanket ban on all cycling in the area at all times.’

The Tour of Britain begins on September 3 in Edinburgh in Scotland and concludes in Cardiff in Wales seven days later.

Last year’s race was won by Britain’s Steve Cummings, the first Briton to win the even since Bradley Wiggins in 2013.