CYCLING fans have been urged to plan their journey to watch the Tour de France well in advance as the famous race travels through the Bradford district.

Stage One of the famous race comes through Burley-in-Wharfedale, Ilkley and Addingham on Saturday, July, 5, with the caravan of around 180 promotional vehicles due to enter the district at around 10.15am.

The second stage takes in Addingham, Silsden, Keighley, Cross Roads, Haworth and Oxenhope the following day, with the caravan due to enter the district at around 10.45am.

The competitors are expected to go through around two hours later.

Anyone with plans to travel over the weekend of July 5 and 6 can view a new online map showing road closures, car parks and live traffic details.

The website, letour.yorkshire.com/travel, includes a live journey planner to help people work out how they will get to and from where they are watching the race.

Bradford Council has written to residents who live along the route of the Grand Depart to inform them of road closures and any parking restrictions that apply to them.

Those who usually park on the race route, have been advised to move their cars to either other nearby street parking or to residents only car parks that are being set up where needed.

Around 5,000 business owners have been contacted by the Council to tell them of road closures and parking changes as well as encouraging them to consider what alternative arrangements they may need to make for deliveries and staff.

The roads on the race route will be closed at 5.30am on July 5 and at 6.30am on July 6.

No vehicles will be allowed to drive on or across the race route after road closures are in force.

But people will be able to walk and cycle on and across the race route up to 30 minutes before the promotional caravan travels through.

During the road closures there will be no access for vehicles to properties either adjacent to, or on the race route itself.

Bradford Council leader David Green said: "It is really important that people are aware of the road closures and restrictions, regardless of whether they want to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity or have other plans.”

For more information about the Tour de France in the Bradford district , go to bradford.gov.uk/tdf.

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance will add a third aircraft to its fleet during the Grand Départ.

The third aircraft will be used for the week leading up to the event as well as over the weekend itself. It will be operational from stand-by points at pre-identified and surveyed sites close-by to, and along, the route.