Get in on the cycling action

• Enjoy all the cycling action at the Prudential RideLondon weekend
• Plan ahead for road and bridge closures in place across the weekend
• Tube and rail will be the best way to get around and enjoy the cycling atmosphere
• Drivers are advised to change their route where possible to avoid disruption
• For more information visit tfl.gov.uk/prudentialridelondon

The Mayor of London's annual world-class festival of cycling, Prudential RideLondon, returns to the capital this weekend. The weekend will give Londoners a chance to get in the saddle on traffic-free roads in the Prudential RideLondon FreeCycle, support friends and watch celebrities such as John Torode, Amy Williams, Martin Johnson and Matt Dawson riding the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 and see elite riders battle it out in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic and Prudential RideLondon Grand Prix.

Ten of the teams who just finished the Tour de France on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées will be competing on the roads of London and Surrey in Prudential RideLondon. Big name riders taking part over the weekend include 2012 world road race champion Philippe Gilbert, double Olympic gold and Commonwealth gold medallist Laura Trott, and the number one ranked team in the world, Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, Mark Cavendish's team.

Prudential RideLondon FreeCycle on 9 August offers the chance for all the family to enjoy a ten-mile traffic-free route on closed roads through central London. This will pass some of the capital's most iconic landmarks across the City of Westminster and the City of London. Everyone is welcome, no matter what their age or ability. Cyclists may cycle at any pace and ride the route as many times as they like, stopping en route to enjoy all that London has to offer and a range of entertainment and activities at five Festival Zones.

The five Festival Zones on Saturday will be at Green Park, St Paul's Churchyard, Guildhall Yard, Leadenhall Market and Tower Hill, with a wide range of bike-based entertainment and activities. There will be the chance to catch the elite women's and youth races on big screens at Green Park and the Mall, watch Penny Farthing polo matches as well as bike building, pedal-powered Scalextric and a world record attempt for the largest bike bell orchestra. The Green Park Festival Zone will be open on Sunday. There will also be a cycling festival in Kingston-upon-Thames including a cycling exhibition. Kingston-upon-Thames will be a great place to watch Sunday's events, with the Prudential RideLondon HandCycle Classic starting there, and both the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 and Classic coming through the town twice.

Ben Plowden, Director of Surface Strategy and Planning at TfL, said:

'The return of a bigger, better festival of cycling on 9 and 10 August will once again demonstrate that London is the UK's capital city for cycling. Prudential RideLondon will give Londoners the opportunity to get out on their bikes in traffic-free roads, and see tens of thousands of riders, including amateurs, celebrities and elites make the ride from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park out into Surrey and finishing on The Mall.'

On Saturday 9 August, road closures will be in place in the City of Westminster and the City of London from 05:00 until around 18:00, including Southwark and Westminster Bridges. All other central London river crossings will remain open. Buses in and around central London will be on diversion or will terminate earlier than usual. Tube, rail, walking and cycling will be the best ways to get around, although stations close to the events are expected to be busier than normal.

On Sunday 10 August, road closures will be in place from 05:00 throughout east, central and south west London. From around 15:00 roads along the route in London will be opened in phases once the event has passed and it is safe to do so, with all London roads expected to be open by 20:30. A number of river crossings will also be closed for some or all of the day including:

• Blackwall Tunnel
• Tower Bridge
• Southwark Bridge
• Westminster Bridge
• Lambeth Bridge
• Vauxhall Bridge
• Chelsea Bridge
• Albert Bridge
• Battersea Bridge
• Putney Bridge
• Chiswick Bridge
• Kingston Bridge
• Hampton Court Bridge

All other river crossings in London will remain open throughout the day.

An extensive communications campaign is already underway to help businesses and the public plan ahead and get around on the day, as well as make the most of the events over the weekend. Since May, information has been sent to more than one million residents and businesses along and close to the event routes to help them plan ahead. A series of public information sessions were held in July in the affected areas to provide details of the temporary changes in place and to offer residents and businesses the opportunity to ask questions. For more information on travel disruption and advice, please visit tfl.gov.uk/prudentialridelondon and PrudentialRideLondon.co.uk.

The road closures will impact more than the immediate Prudential RideLondon route. To avoid disruption drivers are advised, wherever possible, to avoid areas near the event routes in central London on Saturday 9 August, and around the event routes in east, central and south west London, and in the affected parts of Surrey on Sunday 10 August, and to ensure more time is given for journeys.

Advance warning signs are in place around London to advise road users of the closures, and TfL will be providing up to date information through the @tfltrafficnews Twitter feed and on the TfL website to help drivers plan their journey - tfl.gov.uk/trafficnews.

Notes to Editors:

• Prudential RideLondon continues this spectacular summer of cycling in London, following the triumphant return of the Tour de France in July and preceding the Tour of Britain, which finishes in the capital on 14 September.
• This summer's cycling events are likely to inspire thousands more Londoners to take to two wheels, building on the Mayor's ambition for cycling to be an integral part of the transport network. As part of his cycling vision, the Mayor is already engaging in a vast £1billion programme of improvements - creating a series of enhanced cycling superhighways, urban 'quietways' for more cautious cyclists, and turning some outer boroughs into mini-Hollands.
• For more information on the Mayor's Vision for Cycling visit tfl.gov.uk/cyclingvision.
• Prudential RideLondon is a world-class weekend cycling festival developed by the Mayor of London, Transport for London and London & Partners, in partnership with Surrey County Council and is sponsored by Prudential. The event is managed by the London & Surrey Cycling Partnership.
• The Prudential RideLondon events help to promote cycling and encourage more people to cycle safely and more often. The festival combines the fun of a free family ride through central London with the excitement of watching the world's best professional cyclists. Amateurs and professional cyclists will ride on the same closed roads passing some of the capital's most iconic landmarks.
• The Mayor is committed to ensuring London retains its status as the world capital of sport, and has set up the Major Events Oversight Board. The board is chaired by Sir Edward Lister, and comprises TfL, the emergency services and other key partner agencies. It provides strategic direction and advice to the Mayor on the approach to bidding, staging and evaluating major events in London. The board ensures that all major road events continue to be carefully considered and tightly managed to ensure everyone gets full benefit from the event without undue impact on Londoners and London's transport. The boards also looks at ways to ensure the major events programme is effectively communicated with Londoners, visitors, businesses and stakeholders to allow sufficient notice and forward planning for everyone.
• The London Cycling Campaign will provide led rides to and from all London boroughs for the Prudential RideLondon FreeCycle, enabling individuals and groups to cycle from home to the centre of London with return led rides at the end of the day. Go to PrudentialRideLondon.co.uk/FreeCycle