MOTORISTS are being urged to be prepared for road closures in towns and villages across North Yorkshire when the Tour De Yorkshire passes through.

The cycle race, which runs from April 29 to May 1, will affect roads in the Selby, Ryedale and Hambleton districts.

North Yorkshire County Council said roads would be closed about 20 to 30 minutes before the race arrived and would reopen as soon as it had passed, with the last race vehicle clearly identified. "However, some longer closures will be needed at key points along the route," said a spokesman.

Council leader Carl Les said it would be a 'fantastic event' with enormous benefits to the county, and the authority wanted to ensure there was minimum disruption for everyone who needed to use the roads over the weekend.

“We want to make sure that everything is in place to make it a huge success and ensure the race passes off smoothly for everyone – the competitors, the spectators, and all other residents and highways users," he said.

Stage 1 on Friday April 29, when there will be Tour events at Tadcaster, Kelfield Village Institute and the Regen Centre, Riccall, will see the riders depart Beverley at noon, reaching North Duffield at about 1.10pm and travelling through Riccall, Kelfield, Cawood, Ryther and Ulleskelf before reaching Tadcaster at about 1.50pm.

The slip road exit from the A64 on to the A162 at Tadcaster will be closed from 1.15pm to 2.45pm to remove the risk of cars queuing back on to the A64, with a diversion route west on the A64 to A1(M) Junction 44, using the roundabout to return on the A64 eastbound to exit on the A659 into Tadcaster. The on slip road onto the A64 will not be closed, except during the rolling road closure.

Stage 2 on Saturday April 30 will see riders arriving in Sherburn in Elmet at about 3.20pm and passing through South Milford, Monk Fryston, Hillam, Birkin, Beal and Kellingley on their way to the race finish in Doncaster.

Stage 3 on Sunday May 1 will see riders passing throughThirsk before heading up Sutton Bank at shortly after 1pm, passing Helmsley at about 1.20pm and Kirkbymoorside at about 1.35pm, and then on to Whitby before finishing in Scarborough at about 4.25pm.

The race route will be closed between from the east of Sutton under Whitestonecliffe to the Sutton Bank visitor centre from 10am to 4pm, with a signed diversion in place via the caravan route.

Traffic will be able to head west from Duncombe Park to Sutton Bank visitor centre to access event car parking until noon. Westbound access will not be permitted between noon and 2pm. From 2pm until 4pm there will be local access only from Duncombe Park to Sutton Bank.

Local access from Thirsk to Sutton under Whitestonecliffe will be allowed from 10am to 11.30am. From 11.30am until after the race has passed at about 2pm eastbound access from Thirsk to Sutton under Whitestonecliffe will not be allowed. After the race has passed, there will be local access from Thirsk to Sutton under Whitestonecliffe until 4pm,