LOCAL IMPACT
The area in and around Gatehouse of Fleet will be impacted between Thursday, 16 May 2024 and Saturday, 18 May 2024. Detailed road closure and traffic management measures are outlined below.
Tuesday, December 5th 2023
Session #1: 12noon to 2pm
Session #2: 5pm to 8pm
Wednesday, December 6th 2023
Session #3: 10am to 12noon
Location: Gatehouse of Fleet Community Centre, Dromore Road, DG7 2JX
A Royal Mail letter drop in the w/c November 27th will ensure all residents receive this information in written form as well.
Located in Ann Street, Zone 1 will host the Fan Zone which will include an Expo, Stage for Music and Podium Presentations as well as Food & Drink vendors. The Fan Zone will be open and free to attend for the public throughout the weekend.
- Parking will be suspended from Thursday 13:00hrs to Sunday 09:00hrs.
- This area will be closed for vehicle traffic from Friday 06:00hrs to Sunday 09:00hrs.
- The early closure section (outside 7 Ann Street and the Masonic Arms garden) will close for all vehicle traffic from Thursday 16:00hrs.
- Access to Ann Street will be maintained throughout via the Murray Usher Gate & Cally Avenue. The gate will be open from Thursday morning onwards.
- Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout.
Located on the High Street to the northeast of the Clocktower, Zone 2 will include the start/finish line with a gantry and barriers.
- Parking will be suspended from Thursday 14:00hrs to Sunday 00:30hrs.
- This area will be closed for vehicle traffic from Thursday 18:00hrs to Sunday 00:30hrs.
- The suspended bus stop will be relocated to the area outside the Ship Inn (subject to confirmation by the bus operator).
- Access to Ann Street maintained until Friday 06:00hrs.
- Access to Church Street maintained until Friday 13:00hrs.
- Access to Laurieston Road maintained until Saturday 09:30hrs.
- Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout.
Located on the High Street to the southwest of the Clocktower, Zone 3 will include the start pens where participants will line-up ahead of the race start.
- Parking will be suspended from Friday 09:00hrs to Saturday 21:00hrs.
- This area will be closed for vehicle traffic from Friday 13:00hrs to Saturday 21:00hrs.
- Access to Victoria Street maintained throughout.
- Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout.
Located on the B727 heading out from the northeastern entrance to Gatehouse towards the A75, Zone 4 is part of the race route.
- This area will be closed for vehicle traffic from Saturday 09:30hrs to Saturday 11:30hrs to facilitate the safe departure of riders from the start line.
- Alternative routes into and out of Gatehouse via the other junction (Cardoness Castle) with the A75 remain fully open and accessible throughout.
Laurieston Road forms an integral part of the race route and will require closure to vehicle traffic for the safety of participants and the public.
- This area will be closed for vehicle traffic from Saturday 11:00hrs to Saturday 14:00hrs to facilitate safe racing.
- Laurieston Road closed from Laghead area (w3w.co/commit.dive.nuns) to the outskirts of Laurieston.
- Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout.
- Help line (phone number) will be available on race day to coordinate vehicle access where possible.
The B796 from Gatehouse Station towards Gatehouse and the road through Carstramon Wood to Laurieston Road form an integral part of the race route and will require closure to vehicle traffic for the safety of participants and the public.
- This area will be closed for vehicle traffic from Saturday 12:30hrs to Saturday 18:30hrs to facilitate safe racing.
- Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout.
- Help line (phone number) will be available on race day to coordinate vehicle access where possible.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The Gralloch is a cycle race for professional cyclists and amateur cyclists. The Gralloch is part of the UCI Gravel World Series. The winners and the first 25% of each age group will be invited to compete in the UCI Gravel World Championships. The competitors will be competing over a 110km course in the Galloway Forest Park. The start and finish of the race is outside the Murray Arms Hotel by the clocktower in Gatehouse of Fleet.
The Gralloch is being held on May 18th, 2024. The race starts at 10:00hrs (subject to final confirmation). The final finishers are expected around 19:00hrs.
The Start and Finish of The Gralloch is on the High Street in Gatehouse of Fleet. The majority of the route is in the Galloway Forest Park. Sections of the route will be on public road where traffic management restrictions will apply to provide a safe environment for the riders and the public.
The Fan Zone is in Ann Street (subject to final confirmation).
Anyone who wishes to compete can enter The Gralloch (minimum age is 19 on 31.12.2024). The Gralloch is highly inclusive however there are Cut-Off points and any cyclist not reaching those points by a certain time of day will be asked to return to Gatehouse of Fleet via a shortcut and will not be counted as official finishers.
If you are a business we hope that you will have a windfall weekend because of the people coming to ride in or watch The Gralloch. We also hope that the cycling helps to inspire kids to ride their bikes more, particularly with the Kids Races taking place whilst The Gralloch competitors are out racing in the forest.
Impacted businesses should contact us if they need support in planning access for staff and coordinating delivery/collection schedules.
We believe that there will be a long term tourism boost for the area. Needless to say, that the whole community is invited to come and watch the spectacle and enjoy free entertainment in the Fan Zone and get involved in helping us to deliver the event.
We work closely with local clubs, charities and organisations. Let us know if you’d like to get involved. Just drop an email to: info@grallochgravel.com
There will be some inconvenience in putting on such a large event and that comes in the form of some traffic management, road closures and parking bay suspension. We have designed the event to minimise these issues but inevitably there are some unavoidable downsides which we will work hard to help residents with.
There will be some road closures for setting up the Start and Finish Zone, as well as for the Fan Zone. There will also be some traffic management installed on both Laurieston Rd, B796, B727, Carstramon Wood and Queens Way to facilitate rider and public safety.
There will be some parking bay suspensions for the 16th and 18th May 2024 during the set up and operations of the event.
If you live in any of the Zones described on this page you will be affected by the traffic management, road closures and parking bay suspensions.
The Fan Zone is a designated area for various activations at the event including but not limited to:
Event Registration
Stage & Podium
Event Expo
Catering (food and drink)
Talks and Entertainment
The Fan Zone is open and free to attend for everyone (public and participants). The Fan Zone is located in Ann St (subject to final confirmation).
The Fan Zone will be a busy area and will naturally have background noise of people. There will be talks and entertainment in the Fan Zone as well as the podium presentations. The times during which we expect noise for the stage will be published here as the detailed schedule evolves. There will also be a PA system in the Fan zone for announcements. During opening hours the Fan Zone shall have ambient music playing.
During the hours leading up to the start of The Gralloch there will be music playing through the PA system in the Start and Finish Zone. This will be louder than the music playing in the Fan Zone as its purpose is to build atmosphere. There will be commentary via the PA system throughout the race day.
The bus stop outside the Murray Arms will be relocated to The Ship Inn (subject to final confirmation from the bus operator).
Our team will work with all disabled and vulnerable people directly affected to develop personal plans to minimise the inconvenience. Alternative parking spaces will also be made available for all those residents impacted by parking bay suspensions. Further details and locations of these alternative parking locations will be shared in April 2024 following community consultation.
The Gralloch organisers work with the community, specifically the Gatehouse Community Council and D&G Council, to bring short- and long-term value to the area which from our experience can be substantial.
The short-term benefits are in the form of trade and excitement with the longer term bring in the form of jobs and economic opportunity for the region.
We do not pay compensation.
In the first instance we ask that any journeys to and from your house are planned to avoid the closed roads.
On race day we will have a telephone number available on the event website. The phone is located in the Event Control Room. Please call us and explain where you are and we can advise you based upon the dynamics of the racing and maintaining a safe environment for the public and the riders. Emergency services will always have immediate access to all areas of the race route. Emergency service representatives will be located in the Event Control Room on race day.
A dedicated parking area will be available to all event participants just to the north of Gatehouse of Fleet, along the Old Military Road towards the Big Water of Fleet viaduct (location subject to final confirmation).
Participants will be informed that using the on-street parking in Gatehouse is not allowed.
The Gralloch organisers are working with one of the largest traffic management contractors in the country.
Advance warning signage and extensive diversion signage will be installed to ensure all alternative routes are easily accessible.
