Bilbao (EFE).- The mobility restrictions on the streets and highways of the Basque Country due to the passage of the Tour de France, which will have three stages in the Basque Country this year, will affect a “great majority” of society.
For this reason, the Basque institutions have asked citizens to plan their trips and inform themselves in advance.
Representatives of the Basque Government and the three capitals of the Basque Country have announced this Monday the “unprecedented” security and mobility operation prepared for the Tour, which will take place in this community on July 1, 2 and 3.
Every day, 1,700 Ertzaintza agents will participate in the security device, who will have the support of local police, firefighters and health teams.
The Security Councilor, Josu Erkoreka, has warned that the passage of the Tour is going to mean “important” mobility restrictions and that, at some point and in some way, it will affect the “great majority” of Basque citizens.
Erkoreka and councilors of the Basque towns from which the stages of the Tour will start or arrive. EFE/Miguel Toña
plan trips
For this reason, it has asked citizens to “plan” their mobility in advance for those days, to find out about the restrictions that may affect them and to use public transport.
He has warned that, when the race begins on July 1, the traffic limitations for the Tour will coincide with the operation out of the summer and the Passage of the Strait, which also has repercussions on Basque roads.
He has stressed that the limitations will affect airports, especially those of Loiu and Hondarribia, the route and stops of public transport, at the entrances and exits of work centers, health appointments, celebrations and other recreational activities prepared for those days.
The counselor has indicated that the institutions will make available to the public three “rutometers”, one for each stage, which will be adjusted if there are changes and in which the estimated hours of the race will appear.
4 hours minimum cutting
He has warned that the Ertzaintza and the local police will establish roadblocks, “at least”, 4 hours before the passage of cyclists.
In the case of the four locations that will have departures and arrivals of the Tour -Bilbao, San Sebastián, Vitoria and Amorebieta- the cuts will have a “much longer” duration.
166 urgent access points have been established for the sole and exclusive use of the emergency and firefighting services.
There will be 2,190 “cutting points” at intersections, roundabouts, merging lanes, rural roads leading to highways and accesses to industrial estates, among other areas.
The device has counted 66 critical points in which the police presence will be redoubled, in areas such as high mountains where a greater number of fans is expected.
Erkoreka has warned that no one will be able to access the race circuit from any place that is not designed as an emergency access point, neither in the opposite direction nor without an escort from the Ertzaintza.
Command in the BEC
The Barakaldo BEC will be the nerve center and logistics of the entire security operation.
In Bilbao, from where the 2023 Tour will start on July 1, traffic restrictions will begin on Wednesday, July 28, with the arrival of the teams at Parque de Etxebarria.
On June 29 will be the presentation of the teams in Abandoibarra, and on July 1 the Tour will start next to the San Mamés stadium.
The Comprehensive Security Master Plan, designed months ago by Basque institutions, will have the support of 1,800 volunteers who will be in charge of providing information to the public.
The institutions estimated in their day a budget of 12 million euros for the organization of the three stages of the Tour in Euskadi. EFE