ROADS in Huddersfield to be used by the world’s best cyclists will be improved.

Kirklees Council has pledged to look at all roads forming the route of the spectacular Tour de France when it hits Huddersfield in July 2014.

And officials are now looking at ways in which planned roadworks can be brought forward to help create the best race possible.

The council is liaising with other bodies to ensure the two stages in Yorkshire as part of “Le Grand Depart” do not run into problems.

But it will be some time before the cost to Kirklees Council taxpayers is known.

The Tour is expected to cost Yorkshire £10 million.

The county’s tourist board, Welcome to Yorkshire, outlined its estimation of costs in answer to a Freedom of Information request to Kirklees Council.

Yorkshire will host the start of the 2014 event, scheduled for July 5 and 6. And the two-day race will see cyclists make their way through Elland, Ainley Top, Huddersfield and Holmfirth on the way up to Holme Moss.

The Yorkshire section of the Le Tour, which has already been locally dubbed T’Tour, is expected to bring a massive boost to the local economy.

Welcome to Yorkshire estimates this at around £100m, which would represent a tenfold return on investment.

All figures are provisional and a detailed study will be undertaken to assess both the economic and social impact of the event.

Kirklees Council said that necessary road improvements would probably be made by rescheduling proposed works from existing budgets.

A council spokesman said: “Over the next few months, organisers ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation) will work closely with Welcome to Yorkshire and local authorities on the technical specifications. This will lead to much greater definition of the budget.

“Until we have the technical visits, it is not clear what the detailed budget breakdown will look like.

“However, rather than additional budget requirements, work is likely to concentrate on rephrasing already programmed highways works to ensure roads are suitable.

“The routes were advised in January and further technical details relevant to each venue will be forthcoming over the next few months, which will enable each authority to refine these costs to create realistic budgets.

“Welcome to Yorkshire and the Yorkshire local authorities are currently investigating a range of funding streams to support the hosting fee, the event delivery and the long term cycling strategy.

“The level of cost to be carried by councils, including Kirklees and its ratepayers, is therefore not yet known.”