By Mark Mackay

PERTH AND Kinross Council has been forced to defend the legal status of this weekend’s closed road Etape Caledonia cycle challenge.

Several thousand cyclists from all over the UK and beyond will descend on Perthshire on Sunday to tackle the 81-mile route, starting and finishing in Pitlochry.

A host of family events and entertainment has also been built around this year’s challenge.

However, the event has not been without controversy, with opponents claiming that the closure of Perthshire roads during the mass participation cycle is illegal.

That claim has been strenuously denied by the council.

Yesterday, pressure group Anti-Closed Roads Event (ACRE) spokesman Peter Hounam called on the council and event organisers to revisit the plans.

He alleged that the local authority had failed to comply with necessary legislation, with the result that closure orders banning motor traffic were invalid.

With more than 2000 cyclists due to arrive for the race on Sunday, ACRE called for the event to be held on open roads.

The group continues to question whether the event is actually a cycle trial, rather than, as it maintains, a race.

“We are approaching the chief constable, the procurator fiscal, the Scottish Government, MPs and Perth and Kinross Council so that the event can still be run and no one will be disappointed,” Mr Hounam said.

“It is ludicrous that Etape Caledonia has decided to cram the start of 2000 people in a 30-minute time slot.

“Etape Caledonia insists for purely commercial reasons upon this being a closed road event because it needs this unique selling point to attract cyclists away from other events.

“It is not too late to spread the start over several hours so that the event can be held on open roads and the normal local and tourist traffic can get through.”

ACRE has made a submission to the Scottish Executive regarding the event.

Perth and Kinross Council, however, has defended its position, saying the vast majority of affected roads on the Etape Caledonia route are under its control.

“Transerv Scotland, as agent for Transport Scotland, has agreed the closure orders affecting these parts of the route,” a council spokesman said.

“Therefore, ACRE is incorrect in its assertion that road closures on these sections of the route are illegal.

“On other parts of the Etape route, closure orders have been made following the correct protocols.

“Roads will be reopened in sections once cyclists have passed through, to minimise the impact of closures on local residents.

“The majority of roads in highland Perthshire will not be affected at all by the event, and the area will be open for business as usual.”