A COUNTY councillor has called for road closures for cycling events to be limited to one per road per year, following the row over the Vachery Triathlon.
Hazel Watson, Liberal Democrat member for Surrey Hills, suggested the policy change to council leader David Hodge at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Mrs Watson said certain roads in the villages of Abinger Common and Wotton would be closed three times this summer: for the Vachery event on July 21, the Prudential Ride London-Surrey on August 4 and the Tour of Britain on September 21.
This created a situation which was unfair to residents, she said.
She asked: "Will the leader of the council agree it is essential that we balance the rights of local residents to enjoy living in this area with the rights of cyclists racing and enjoying our countryside?
"Furthermore, will (he) commit the council to only apply for one all-day road closure per year for any one road for cycle road racing this year and to formulate an official policy on this basis for future years?
"I thus call on (him) to listen to public opinion in Abinger and Wotton and not to request permission to close our village roads twice in three weeks for cycle races."
Mr Hodge said it was the council's responsibility to ensure the interests of residents were balanced against "wider benefits" for the county.
He said: "No events go ahead unless the event organiser provides clear evidence that there will be significant economic benefit for the county, as well as associated health benefits and wider promotion of the county."
However, he undertook to ask council officers to review the process for accepting future events on closed roads.
Speaking after the meeting, Mrs Watson said: "I regret that the Conservative leader of the council has supported three road closures relating to these cycling events, despite strong opposition from residents.
"Many people have written to him to express their concerns, but their views have just been ignored."