Essex County Council has announced several road closures throughout the town this Friday, due to Stage One of RideLondon Classique, affecting local schools and businesses.

Carl Wakefield, Executive Principal at Plume Academy, said: "It quickly became clear that we would not be able to run the academy safely and effectively, especially getting all 1,725 students and 300 staff in and out, as well as the conducting usual staff transference between campuses throughout the working day.

"However, rather than move to our remote learning platform for the day, we opted to switch our planned non-student day scheduled for June 24, to this Friday.

"We will still have a full morning's examinations on Friday, but a much lighter schedule in the afternoon. Nevertheless, we feel it will still prove somewhat of a challenge, bringing in over 400 students on Friday morning.

"We are delighted that Maldon has been chosen, and genuinely hope the day proves to be a positively memorable one.

"However, I feel it is important that businesses such as schools, especially in the midst of a full-on examination season involving hundreds of students, are contacted and consulted in a timely manner so as to avoid such a decision having to be made again."

High Street shop The Emporium will be open as usual. Owner Mary Powell said: "I would like to make it clear that White Horse and Friary Fields car parks are open and accessible all day via Fambridge Road.

"Butt Lane car park is open all day, accessible via Wantz Road except for one hour between 10.30-11.30am.

"Please support your local independent shops."

See below for a full list of road closures this Friday:

• Between Market Hill and the lower High Street, the road will be open to local access only, from 4am until 10.30am. However, it will be closed completely from 10.30am until 3pm. It will reopen for local access only from 3pm until the road reopens fully at 8pm.
• Maypole Road will be closed between 12.55-1.55pm
• Goldhanger Road will be closed between 10.50-11.50am
• Langford Road will be closed between 1-3pm. There are also roadworks along the route, which are expected to last until 5 January 2023.
• The B1018/Heybridge Approach will be closed between 1-3pm
• The A414, heading from the roundabout towards Blackwater Retail Park, will be closed between 1-3pm
• In Heybridge, B1022/The Street will be closed between 10.50-11.50am
• The Causeway will be closed from 10.30am-3pm
• Fullbridge (heading towards The Causeway) will be closed between 1pm-3pm
• Fullbridge (heading towards Market Hill) will be closed from 10.30am-3pm
• Market Hill (heading to the High St) will be closed from 10.30am-3pm
• Market Hill (heading towards Fullbridge) will be closed from 1pm-3pm
• London Road will be closed between 1-3pm

Here is a map of the road closures:

For more information on the event, visit the RideLondon website.