Tour de France - a stage before 2012?

The London Mayor Ken Livingston and Transport for London head Jim Hendy will meet with Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme, for face to face talks about a possible return for the race to London in the lead up to the 2012 Olympics.

Jim Hendy, Christian Prudhomme and ken Livingstone

At a press conference that preceded the talks Ken Livingstone outlined the economic and social successes of the Grand Depart in 2007 - some £70 million pounds was generated and an immediate 10% increase in cycle journeys was noted in the first month post race.

The Mayor also said that money raised from a 'gas guzzling' £25 per car congestion charge would be ringed fenced to implement cycle schemes.

Livingstone then remarked that biding for the Grand Depart was a 'very completive business' and that London may not seek to hold the very specialist Grand Depart but a stage, which would be easier within the 2012 time frame. This and other ideas were the substance for their meeting later in the day.

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