Road closure arrangements for Velothon Wales 2016 in May are not due to be published until next month but some local businesses and residents along the route through Monmouthshire are already bracing themselves for a battle with the organisers.

Run4Wales have been brought in as ‘delivery agents’ for this year’s event following the backlash in 2015 over lengthy road closures and general lack of communication.

Many people last year were incensed at being effectively confined to their properties for up to 12 hours.

Most agree that things would be vastly improved if rolling road blocks were introduced instead but, with up to 18,000 participants taking to the road for the event, they remain unconvinced that the necessary road closures won’t severely curtail their activities once again.

And they reject the claim by Monmouthshire County Council that the event is a major boost to the local economy.

For some people the event itself is seen as an infringement of their rights as citizens…

Ben Jones of Grove Farm in Llanfoist said, “I have very strong feelings about this. It’s a matter of principle.

“I’m not against people enjoying sport. I’m a keen cyclist myself. But I strongly object to the high-handed way these events are imposed on us.

“I see this particular event as an arrogant infringement of our right to freedom of movement.

“The cycling fraternity take the moral high ground. They think that because it’s sport it matters more than other things - it’s like a religion. They seem to ignore the fact that others might want to enjoy themselves at weekends - to go walking, horse riding and so on.

“The fact that you don’t have the right of access to your own property is a disgrace.

“If the organisers have the audacity to close the roads for the same length of time this year there will have to be direct action.”

Mr Jones says he expects there will be a public meeting of Llanfoist residents to address the issues raised by the event.

His views are echoed by internationally-renowned fashion designer Charles Lester who has already been communicating with Run4Wales by email, checking whether he would be breaking the law to ignore the road closures.

“I’m fighting this on principle because I believe the road closures are an infringement of my rights as a citizen,” he said. “What right has MCC to disrupt my life in this way? It’s ridiculous.”

In one email sent to Run4Wales he warned, ‘I have no intention of being confined to my home for a whole day again. You did it last year and it caused us and our staff a great deal of inconvenience when we were organising a charity event ourselves’.

He added, ‘The damage this event did last year to small shops, pubs, garden centres etc. along the route I suspect could come to at least the amount you are raising for charity.’

Run4Wales responded that their aim was to improve communication with the residents and businesses impacted along the Velothon route and they would be providing them in April with details of the road closure times and also the times where there was an opportunity to cross the route between the two events.

“It is a reality that events of this nature will cause disruption for a period of time but by giving people as much time as possible they are able to plan. However for those who have health care issues or for significant events such as weddings etc we will be able to provide bespoke support,” said the email.

Charles then pressed them to respond to his question about whether it would be illegal for a member of the public to drive on a ‘closed’ road.

The response was that ‘once a traffic order is in place it is illegal for vehicle movement to go on the route’.

Run4Wales went on to explain that county councils, under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, had the powers to prevent anybody from driving any vehicle along the route from the time the road closures were in place.

“Police and local authorities are the only people who have power to give access onto the roads,” they added.

While road closures are likely to be less restrictive this time around, the event itself will doubtless continue to cause controversy…