Drivers warned over Tour of Britain delays

The 2015 Tour of Britain races up Hartside Pass in Cumbria Credit: Press Association

Drivers are being warned to expect delays and disruption when one of the world's biggest cycle races visits Cumbria.

Stage two of the Tour of Britain takes place between Carlisle and Kendal on Monday and a series of road closures will be in place while the race passes through the county.

It gets underway in Carlisle city centre at 11am and heads via Penrith, Cockermouth, Keswick, Grasmere, Ambleside and Windermere to the finish line at the top of Beast Banks in Kendal at around 3:45pm.

Both Cumbria County Council and Highways England are reminding motorists to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.

delays are likely along the A66 route at various points during late morning and early afternoon as the cyclists snake through Lakeland – crossing the A66 twice and using a short section of it, between Braithwaite and Portinscale, as part of the stage.

Highways England say A66 congestion is likely – for an hour around noon - at Penrith's Kemplay roundabout where the A66 meets the A6, with traffic heading east from junction 40 of the M6 also likely to be affected.

A number of road closures are going to be closed in the centre of Kendal for the race climax. A road closure encompassing Stricklandgate and Highgate, from Library Road to the Town Hall, Market Place, Branthwaite Brow, Finkle Street and Allhallows Lane will be in place from 2pm to 5pm. A number of roads in and around the finish on Beast Banks, Kendal, will also be closed from 11pm on Sunday 4 September to 10pm on Monday 5 September.

The Tour of Britain starts in Glasgow on Sunday with stage one finishing in Castle Douglas. The race features some of the world's top professional riders including Olympians Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish.