PEOPLE are being urged to plan in advance where they will watch the Tour de Yorkshire next week - and have been told that drones are banned.

As preparations for the third Tour de Yorkshire swing into action ahead of the arrival of the race on the Bank Holiday weekend, North Yorkshire County Council is advising people to make the most of the event by planning how they will view it.

Stage One of the race begins on Friday, April 28, when the cyclists will pass through Ryedale and along the Yorkshire Coast.

It will start in Bridlington and make its way through Pocklington, Malton and Pickering and then over the North York Moors to Goathland, before making its way along the coast, taking in Robin Hood’s Bay, Whitby and finishing at Scarborough.

The council has issued advice for spectators and asked them to be safe and respect their surroundings and say the use of drones for photography “is strictly prohibited”.

Last year a drone collided with the Flying Scotsman as it travelled along the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It had been flying next to the steam train when it struck a tree and then the train. There are restrictions about flying drones in public places and they need to be flown according to Civil Aviation Authority regulations.

The authority has also reminded people to keep the race route clear until the last of the riders are out of the way and the end-of-race vehicle has passed.

North Yorkshire County Council’s corporate director for Business and Environmental Services, David Bowe, said: “To make the most of this great event, planning your Tour de Yorkshire day out will help you to enjoy the race and stay safe – spectators are encouraged to walk or cycle instead of driving to locations on the route and to behave responsibly.

“We want everyone watching the race to enjoy it, but we also want spectators to take care, be safe and respect their surroundings.”

Day Two of the tour will pass through Tadcaster, Knaresborough, Masham, West Tanfield, Ripon and then finish in Harrogate.

The third and final day, on Sunday, April 30, will begin in Bradford, passing through Holmfirth and finishing in Fox Valley.

This year the Tour de Yorkshire’s publicity caravan, which travels ahead of the riders each day of the parade to hand out freebies and keepsakes has tripled in size.

It will include Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries, Virgin Trains, Doncaster Sheffield Airport, Flybe, Aunt Bessie’s, Mug Shot, Alzheimer’s Society, the Tour Down Under, Welcome to Yorkshire and even the Consulate of Pakistan.

Cycling fans will also be able to see some of the legends of the sport, the Tour de Yorkshire ambassadors, as they travel behind the caravan, meeting fans and posing for photographs. This will be compered by one of Britain’s greatest former professional cyclists, Hugh Porter MBE.

Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “The publicity caravan is a fantastic way to gear the crowds up ahead of the race and we’re thrilled to see it has tripled in size after the popularity of last year’s event.

“We’ve got some of the county’s best-loved brands taking part, as well as the Consulate of Pakistan and the official Tour de Yorkshire artist, Lucy Pittaway, so it’ll be a superb spectacle and is not to be missed.”

More information on the Tour de Yorkshire route, road closures and timings can be found at; northyorks.gov.uk/tour and letour.yorkshire.com