Welshpool lands £45k Tour de France boost

Welshpool is to receive almost £45,000 of Welsh Government money to make the most of the town hosting day three of the prestigious Tour de France on July 4 next summer.

Welshpool Town Council has welcomed the announcement that its ambitious Welshpool Connected Cycling Hubs and Pola Bikes project has secured £44,950 to create a lasting legacy from the 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ.

The funding forms part of the £244,950 investment announced by Powys County Council for cycling infrastructure across Powys, which includes separate projects for North Powys, South Powys and Welshpool.

The Welshpool project, developed by Welshpool Town Council in partnership with Powys County Council and local organisations, will see a total investment of £56,188, including £11,237.60 in match funding from the Town Council.

At the heart of the proposals are three new cycling hubs at Vicarage Gardens, Powis Castle and the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway at Raven Square.

The hubs will provide improved cycle parking, repair facilities, pumps and bilingual visitor and route information, helping cyclists explore Welshpool and its surrounding attractions.

Additional cycle parking and signage are also planned at strategic locations, including Welshpool Railway Station, the Montgomery Canal at Buttington and the town centre.

A particularly exciting element of the project is Pola Bikes, a new bicycle-hire scheme which will initially operate from Welshpool Information Centre, allowing visitors to explore Welshpool and the surrounding area by bicycle without needing to bring their own.

The project will complement the separately funded £100,000 North Powys Cycle Hubs scheme, helping connect Welshpool with other cycling destinations across the region.

The town council said it will work with Powys County Council and its project partners to finalise the delivery arrangements, with the priority Welshpool cycling network targeted to be operational in time for the Tour de France Grand Départ in July 2027.

Remaining works are scheduled for completion by January 2028.