It brought thousands of cycling fans and a healthy dose of joie de vivre to the Yorkshire countryside. But the Tour de France has been blamed for leaving a much less welcome legacy – an accident blackspot. Before last summer's race, potholes and cracks in the village of Brockholes were smoothed over to provide the elite cyclists with the best surface. Before the race potholes in Brockholes were filled and smoothed to provide cyclists with the best surface. But now residents claim they have been left with an accident blackspot - and the road has been closed . Initially villagers were delighted, but after the cyclists left they  soon realised that the surface of Smithy Place Lane was so smooth cars were sliding across it as they rounded the bend. Now they say the lane has turned into an accident blackspot which they describe as 'deadly' and lethal'. And after a series of crashes highway chiefs seem to agree - as they have used emergency powers to shut the lane. Hairdresser Emilie McLean, 23, of Honley, wrote off her Ford Fiesta when she hit her brakes but failed to stop, smashing into a van. She said: 'It was horrendous. 'I was just driving down when I came round the bend and there was a van coming towards me. I slammed on the brakes but the wheels locked, it was just like being on black ice. There was nothing I could do.' Her car was written off and there was £1,500 damage to the van - but when she reported what happened to the council she received short shrift. After a series of crashes highway chiefs have used emergency powers to shut the lane . 'I just want to know what they are doing about it,' she said. 'What is taking so long?' Another driver, Serena McCluskey, is also in negotiations with her insurance company after the firm ruled she was entirely liable when she too ploughed into the side of a van. Dr McCluskey, a Huddersfield University researcher, described how she braked but her car kept going. She had her eight-year-old daughter in the car at the time and she has now lodged an official complaint with the council. Another local resident, Chris O'Brien, said he believed the road had been a problem since resurfacing work was carried out ahead of last year's Tour de France. 'I have a four-wheel drive but I have come out of there and gone sideways,' he said. 'It's lethal. There's been loads of crashes.' Another resident said: 'The road is deadly. The council smoothed it over and now it's like driving on ice.' A council spokesman said: 'The council is extending the emergency road closure, which expires on March 11, for four weeks. Further investigations are ongoing.' Tour de France leaves Hebden Bridge to climb Cragg Vale the longest continuous gradient in England .
A Yorkshire village had a road smoothed over for the Tour de France . But Brockholes residents say cars now skid on it because it's too smooth . They claim the road is now an accident blackspot as cars keep crashing .