SUSAN BRIGGS, of the Masham-based Tourism Network, has raised questions about the benefits to tourism of the Tour de Yorkshire and our investment in the race, which I am happy to address (D&S Times, Oct 14).

Building on the legacy of the Grand Départ, this year’s Tour de Yorkshire saw more than two million spectators line the route and spend 20 per cent more than the previous year; with accommodation spend up 27.8 per cent year on year, and nonaccommodation items such as food and drink, souvenirs and transport up by 12.4 per cent.

An independent economic impact study, from Leeds Beckett University, showed that the majority of spectators were from Yorkshire (79 per cent) while 21 per cent were from elsewhere in the UK and abroad. We know from an independent report into the Tour de France that there has been a major economic impact and we are still feeling those benefits now.

The race, which runs at the beginning of May, fits around the busy calendar of elite cycling, meaning that we have a world class race, attracting many renowned cycling names, thus boosting visitors to our part of the world.

We have a duty to the businesses in North Yorkshire to promote the county as a popular place for people to visit. This is not just an investment for that weekend when hundreds of thousands of people watch it at the roadside, many from out of the area. The race gets shown all around the world and you couldn’t buy that sort of exposure – and I believe it is incredibly popular with our own residents, who like to make an event of the race – look at Sherburn in Elmet`s festival, look at Thirsk’s yarn-bombers.

It is the type of investment the businesses across our county value and one that I am happy to support.

Councillor Carl Les, Leader of North Yorkshire County Council, Northallerton