People will have a once in a lifetime chance
to see the Olympic Flame when the Torch
Relay comes to Peterborough as part of a 70-day tour of the UK
on Tuesday 3 July 2012.
Residents are encouraged to line the route and
cheer the inspirational Torchbearers who will carry the Flame
through Peterborough. People are also invited to celebrate the occasion on the Embankment where
a host of entertainment is planned.
The Torch Relay will enter the county at
5.15pm when it will be carried through Burghley House Estate and
Gardens. It will then travel to Nene Valley Railway from Wansford
station to Orton Mere station.
From Orton Mere, at 6.35pm, the Torch will
travel up Oundle Road until turning left on to London Road and
passing over Town Bridge. The route of the Torch has been decorated
by children from local schools and community groups, who have
designed their own parade of life sized lions and
unicorns.
After passing over Town Bridge, the Torch will
then be taken along Lower Bridge Street across Bourges Boulevard
and into Upper Bridge Street, before turning right through the
Cathedral’s gateway. Street theatre group Close Act will create a
mythical world in Cathedral Square as the Torch passes through. The
Torch Relay will then pass through Dean’s Court, into Wheel Yard
and right into City Road.
The final part of the journey will see the
Torch pass through St John’s Street, into Vineyard Road, turning
right on to Bishop’s Road, then into Rivergate and Embankment Road
before arriving at the city’s Embankment at 7.20pm.
The Torch Relay will conclude with a second
performance by Close Act on the Embankment at 7.28pm. The
performance promises to provide a spectacular and unforgettable end
to the Torch Relay.
Aside from the Torch Relay, a free programme
of events will take place on the Embankment between 5pm and 8pm.
Included will be a performance by 800 school children who will join
a host of professional musicians and other community groups to
perform the specially written Song for
Peterborough, There With You, at 5.35pm.
A post Olympic party will also be held on the
Embankment hosted by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire breakfast show
presenter Paul Stainton, which will conclude with a burst of
fireworks at 9.45pm.
The following morning (Wednesday 4 July), the
Torch Relay will leave The Embankment at 7am whilst an acoustic
version of the Song for Peterborough is performed.
Councillor Marco Cereste, Leader of
Peterborough City Council, said: "Excitement about the Torch Relay
is really starting to build in our communities which is wonderful
to see. A great deal of planning has gone into this event, not just
for the council, but for our partner organisations, schools,
businesses, community groups, and others. Deserving of a special
mention are the school children who have perfected the Song for
Peterborough or worked on the wonderful lion and unicorn sculptures
that will line the route. They should be incredibly proud of their
achievements.
"This is Peterborough's moment to shine in the
light of the Olympic Torch - a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
see the legendary Flame and be a part of the event. I am
encouraging all of our communities to come along and enjoy the
spectacle and give the Olympic Torch Relay a first class
welcome."
Annette Joyce, Head of Commercial Operations
for Peterborough City Council, said: "We are expecting thousands of
people to line the relay route and attend the celebrations in the
city centre.
“We are working to keep traffic disruption to
a minimum and will be lifting road
closures as soon as the Torch has passed. However, I
would urge people to leave extra time for their journey and get to
the Embankment and the relay route early to avoid
disappointment."
A number of road closures will be in place
between 6.30pm on Tuesday 3 July and 8am on Wednesday 4 July. Many
of these road closures will be rolling so will be lifted soon after
the Torch has passed. The Bishop’s Road car park will be closed
from 8pm on Sunday 1 July 2012 until Wednesday 4 July 2012 so that
it can be used as a base for the support vehicles for the
event.
Further details about all the road closures,
as well as all the Torch Relay events, are available on the
council's website - www.peterborough.gov.uk.
Ends.