Tour de France to cause Tube and road disruption in London

Transport for London has warned travellers in the capital to prepare for disruption as the Tour de France winds its way from Cambridge to London on the last English leg before riders head across the Channel.

Cambridge and Essex councils have also published information on travel disruptions caused by the race.

TFL has advised motorists to avoid affected areas "unless absolutely necessary", warned to extra people on the Tube and issued advice to those heading to airports around the capital.

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Critics say that authorities have been economical with the information on the event due to the "major disruption" the race is likely to cause.

"Monday's stage feels like it has rather sprung up on residents of the south of England," the Daily Telegraph's cycling correspondent Tom Cary writes. "With all the hype surrounding Yorkshire and the Grand Depart, very little attention has been paid to the third leg from Cambridge to London; partly, one suspects, because Transport for London may not have wished to draw attention to the fact that central London would suffer major disruption on a weekday".

Most streets on or near the race route have been closed since 10am. Below is a list changes to bear in mind if you are travelling in or around the capital by road today.

The race will also generate significant traffic on the Tube and rail network, says TfL.

• Charing Cross station is expected to be busy between 3.45pm and 6pm. Entrances to this station in and around Trafalgar Square will close between noon and 6pm. During these times access in and out of the station will be through the main ticket hall. A one-way system and a "managed queuing arrangement" may be necessary in the afternoon.
• Embankment station is expected to be very busy after the race finishes at around 3.45pm
• Epping Tube station is expected to be "exceptionally busy" between 2.30pm and 5pm. During those times, the ticket hall entrance will be exit only and Hillcrest Way will be entry only
• Green Park Tube station is also expected to be busy after the race and entry to the station will be via the south side of Piccadilly and from the Green Park entrance only. Managed queueing is also expected and the entrance at the north side of Piccadilly will be exit only
• King's Cross will be busy during the evening peak after the race
• Stratford station customers are advised that the station will be busy between 3.30pm and 6pm
• St James's Park Tube station is expected to be busy between 3.45pm and 6pm
• Temple Tube station is likely to be similarly busy between 3.45pm and 6pm
• Tower Hill Tube station customers are told to expect delays between 3.45pm and 6pm
• Westminster Tube station is expected to be "exceptionally busy" between noon and 6pm and the station will be exit and interchange only during these times

River Services will operate as normal. But Embankment (and possibly other central piers), are expected to be much busier than usual. TfL warns that consequently some services may have to stop at alternate piers. The Woolwich Ferry will also run as normal, but a reduced service is expected in some parts of London, including the north side of the river.

For information on River Services, follow @TfLRiver on Twitter.