A COUNCIL has revealed the Tour de France generated £19.2m for a district as moves to mark the event with a mass ride across the route emerged.

Harrogate Borough Council said a study had found the world's largest annual sporting event had produced unprecedented and ongoing tourism benefits and attracted crowds of 310,000 as the race passed through the area over two days.

It stated 180,000 visitors who came to the district to watch the event spent £17.6m.

A report by tour organisers has previously found the race boosted the Yorkshire economy by £102m.

After passing through Richmondshire, the opening stage featured about 20 miles of the district, and the following day the riders passed between Green Hammerton and and Knaresborough.

The report states there were 102,600 visits to tourist information centres in the district from July 1 to September 30 last year, its highest ever quarterly figure.

Visits to the centres in the autumn and winter increased by 17 per cent and to museums by 28 per cent.

Surveys found 96 per cent of the visitors said they would visit the area again, while 94 per cent of district residents agreed that the Tour has been good for the local area.

Councillor Richard Cooper, the council's leader, said it was continuing to work to maximise the legacy of the event.

He said: "The event raised our profile considerably on the world stage, huge numbers flocked to the region and it had a significant impact on the economy."

Richmondshire District Council leader Councillor John Blackie said it did not have the resources to analyse the economic impact of the event, but said it was clear tourist-related trade was feeling the benefits of the global exposure.

He said: "There is no question we are still enjoying a legacy from the tour, there are certainly more people about in places like Hawes."

Councillor Blackie said a move by Grand Depart co-organisers Welcome to Yorkshire, which has been likened to the Great North Run, to launch a legacy ride for the public, where part or all of the race route would be closed to traffic, had received a mixed reception.

He said: "There is no way that people in the Upper Dales want to put up with nine hours of road closures."

A spokesman for Welcome to Yorkshire, which will help oversee the first Tour de Yorkshire, a three-day international race, in May, said the legacy ride was an idea which was being considered for next year.