Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / KENT
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

Thursday, 26 October 2006, 09:08 GMT 10:08 UK

Cycle race '£16m boost' to region

Cyclists generic The second stage of the Tour de France will bring £16m when it visits Kent and Medway, a council has said.

Organisers in Paris unveiled the 2007 route on Thursday. The event starts in London on 7 July.

The opening 8km prologue is in London and day two will see the riders travel out of London to Kent and Medway, finishing in Canterbury.

The tour last visited the South East in 1994, with riders racing through Kent to the stage finish in Brighton.

Representatives of Kent and Medway councils were at the launch in Paris on Thursday.

'Significant impact'

The Kent route will pass through Dartford, Medway, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Ashford, before the stage finish against the backdrop of Canterbury Cathedral.

Kent County Council said it had been estimated that the race through Kent and Medway would add approximately £16m to the local economy.

Chairman of the South East England Development (SEEDA), James Brathwaite, said: "We expect the economic impact to be significant - bars, cafes, restaurants and hotels will all benefit from the huge increase in visitors."

In Medway, which will host three sprint sections of the race, Councillor Jane Chitty, said: "This will very much put Medway on the map, and rightly so."




E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Tour reveals tough route for 2007 (26 Oct 06 |  Cycling )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Tour de France
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©