Sessions help residents and businesses to get ready for time trial day
Residents and business owners say they are looking forward to cyclists racing through their neighbourhood in the Commonwealth Games and it is worth putting up with road closures for the day.
The Commonwealth Games Cycling Time Trial will take place in and around Wolverhampton on Thursday, August 4 and will see roads closed to the public and access to other roads limited across the city throughout the day.
To help residents and business owners better understand the impact for them during the day, Wolverhampton Council held a number of drop in engagement sessions at venues across the city to provide answers to any questions posted.
The sessions at the Newhampton Arts Centre on Tuesday, May 17 and the Georgian Room at Wolverhampton Art Gallery on Wednesday, May 18 saw a steady stream of people come in to find out more about the day.
Representatives from Wolverhampton Council and Birmingham 2022 were in attendance at both sessions to answer questions and provide people with guidance books containing links to information, as well as the map of the course.
One of the attendees at the session at the Newhampton Centre was Springvale councillor Barbara McGarrity, who wanted to find out more about how the route and the event would affect residents in her community.
She said: "I came down here as councillor for Springvale as I wanted to see what was happening in the area and how it affected the resident of Springvale and how it'll affect the businesses around there.
"However, I also came down here as I'm really interested in sport and I wanted to find out more about where it will be and when it will be and I feel I do know more now as I have a map and I know where and when it's happening.
"I think these sessions have been well thought out in terms of the content they give, with the information being given out being really good and I think it's up to people now to think about they use that day and prepare themselves."
There were two sessions at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, with the first session allowing business owners to ask questions and the second for residents to attend.
Among those attending the business was Richard Scharenguivel, centre manager at the Mander Shopping Centre in Wolverhampton, which will be one of many businesses affected through road closures during the day.
He said: "I've been really interested to understand the route and the way the profile of Wolverhampton is going to be raised by this event taking place, as well as establishing what the disruptions will be on the day for us.
"It's the first one of these I've been to, but it's definitely been useful for me and will be as well for the other businesses as they will be able to understand the impact, but also the benefits of the time trial.
"I believe that the inconvenience of being disrupted for a day is definitely worth it to be in the eyes of millions of people around the world."
David Page from Tettenhall was part of the later session for residents and said he was excited about the time trial and wanted to know more about it.
The 74-year-old said: "I saw these sessions were taking place and wanted to find out more about the road closures and the event itself, so decided to come down.
"I'm looking forward to seeing the event and the wife and I will be going down to West Park, where I went as a toddler, to see the event setting off and I think it's really a one in a lifetime opportunity to see this.
"I think it's great to see this taking place here and I think these sessions have been very well organised, so I'm just getting excited now."
To find out more and to see the map of the closures, go to birmingham2022.com/getset/wolverhampton
