NORTH Yorkshire is being asked to commit to the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race until 2020 at a cost of £380,000.

The county council's Executive will decide on December 4 whether to carry on contributing towards the event for 2019 and 2020. Independent experts say it boosts the region's economy by £98m and this year an estimated 2.6m people lined the route with a 54 per cent increase in spending across the four days of the Tour.

North Yorkshire has hosted more of the race than any other area and officers are recommending funding is agreed.

County Council leader Councillor Carl Les said: "We know bringing international cycling events to North Yorkshire boosts our visitor economy and our businesses, bringing benefits that last long beyond the four days of racing.

"Our support for since the Tour de France Grand Départ in 2014 has been instrumental in bringing the UCI World Cycling Championships, the World Cup of cycle racing, to the county next September.

"The Tour de Yorkshire also generates a great sense of pride. People decorate their towns and villages and hold celebrations and line the streets in their thousands to support the race."

Details of next year's Tour de Yorkshire are being revealed on December 7 with Scarborough and Bedale among the main locations.