Final preparations are well underway for a parade through the capital next Monday (10 September) that will represent the greatest ever gathering of British Olympians and Paralympians. Londoners and people planning to come to the capital to cheer on their heroes are being reminded that they should expect large crowds, plan their journey in advance and take public transport wherever possible.
It is anticipated that up to 700 Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes, including over ninety percent of medal winners, will take part in the parade.
Members of the public will be able to view the parade, which has been organised by the Mayor of London in conjunction with the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympic Association, as it runs between Mansion House and Trafalgar Square. Extensive road closures around the route will be in place throughout the morning and until after the parade passes through Trafalgar Square. These will have an impact on a large area in and around central London so it is essential to plan ahead.
However to get the best views of all of the floats and interviews with the athletes, continuous coverage of the parade will be broadcast throughout the day on BBC One, BBC News Channel, Channel 4 and Sky.
The parade is due to set out from Mansion House in the City at 1:30pm, with around 700 Olympic and Paralympic athletes travelling on 21 floats, organised by sport and with medal winners across the length of the parade. They will travel along Queen Victoria Street and Cannon Street, passing by St Paul's Cathedral, continuing along Fleet Street, past Aldwych and into The Strand, before reaching Trafalgar Square. A big screen at the base of Nelson's Column along with live commentary will allow spectators to cheer on the athletes as the parade makes its way past Trafalgar Square.
After passing Trafalgar Square the athletes will go through Admiralty Arch into The Mall, travelling down to the Queen Victoria Memorial. For capacity reasons, partly due to the infrastructure still in place from the previous day's Paralympic Marathon, the area from Admiralty Arch to the Queen Victoria Memorial will be ticketed and reserved for groups who have made an invaluable contribution to the Games and the success of our athletes. These will include 14,000 volunteers, members of the blue light services, military personnel, Team GB and ParalympicsGB coaches and support staff, friends and family of the athletes involved as well as schoolchildren from every London borough.
Most roads along the route will close at 11:00 with those around Guildhall and Gresham Street in the City closing at 06:00.
The list of confirmed athletes taking part includes Olympic gold medallists Mo Farah (athletics - float 1), Jessica Ennis (athletics - float 2), Greg Rutherford (athletics - float 3), Anthony Joshua (boxing - float 6), Ed McKeever (canoeing, float 6), Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, Laura Trott, Victoria Pendleton (cycling, float 7), Charlotte Dujardin (equestrian, float 8), Katherine Grainger (rowing, float 14), Ben Ainslie (sailing, float 15), Peter Wilson (shooting, float 16), Alistair Brownlee (triathlon, float 20). ParalympicsGB stars like Hannah Cockcroft, Jody Cundy, Sophie Christiansen, Jonnie Peacock and others will be taking part in the Parade to bring to a close a sensational 11 days of sport at the Games which close on Sunday night.
The full list of floats, broken down by the sports which will be travelling on them is (please note: this sequencing is subject to change):
British Airways will lead a flypast with the Red Arrows over London to thank Team GB, ParalympicsGB and the home crowd for making the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games a huge success. The airline has been granted special permission to fly over The Mall at 1,000ft during the Greatest Team Parade on Monday 10 September.The flame-coloured ‘Firefly’ A319 aircraft, which was used to bring the Olympic Flame to the UK at the start of the Games will now display a special ‘thank you’ message spanning 13 metres on its underbelly. During its 20-minute journey, it will pass over the Olympic Park reaching The Mall one minute later at approximately 1541.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “This summer our great city has hosted an unbelievable spectacle of sport and thousands will want to celebrate the achievements of our athletes by coming to the Parade. It promises to be an incredible afternoon but I do want to remind people coming that we expect the route to be extremely busy and planning ahead is absolutely crucial if they are going to be able to make the most of their day. Everyone coming should take the time to check on their public transport arrangements and make sure they leave plenty of time to find a good spot. But don’t forget that there will be continuous television coverage on the main channels that will offer the very best views of the action.”
The ‘Our Greatest Team’ parade is being organised by the Mayor of London, BOA and BPA, with the support of Visa, BA, BP, BT and National Lottery. It is being delivered with a range of partners, including the City of London Corporation, Westminster City Council, Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, LOCOG and The Royal Parks.
London’s Transport Commissioner, Peter Hendy CBE, said: “Monday’s athletes’ parade will be the only chance Londoners will have to see Team GB and ParalympicGB athletes all together, following an incredible summer of sport, and we expect large numbers of people to line the route and cheer their sporting heroes on their way.
“Full road closures mean bus routes in central London will be on diversion and motorists should avoid central London on Monday; spectators, motorists and public transport users should plan ahead using www.tfl.gov.uk”
All timings are approximate and details subject to change. A parade route map, along with further information and updates, is available on www.molpresents.com/parade. For general advice about travelling and transport within London go to www.tfl.gov.uk. For information on the Paralympic Route Network: www.getaheadofthegames.com.
If you’re viewing the event from Trafalgar Square or the Mall, consider staggering your journey as demand for nearby train and Tube services will be high immediately after the event.
11 of Team GB’s athletes won medals in one of the Royal Parks, and to date 17 ParalympicGB athletes stepped onto the podium in the parks during London 2012.
The Royal Parks Chief Executive, Linda Lennon CBE said: “The contribution that volunteers and Games Makers have made to the success of the Games is phenomenal and we’re thrilled that they will be able to celebrate with Team GB and ParalympicGB athletes in iconic locations such as The Mall and The Queen Victoria Memorial on this special day.”
Whilst The Royal Parks anticipates that Green Park and St James’s Park will be busier than usual on Monday, as visitors and Londoners alike head to central London to soak up the atmosphere of the parade, the advice is that spectator areas on The Mall and around the Queen Victoria Memorial will be reserved for Games Makers and Volunteers and that there will be no public viewing opportunities.
PUBLIC INFORMATION
- The public will be able to watch the parade from Mansion House to Trafalgar Square. A route map with further information and updates is available at www.molpresents.com/parade
- Members of the public planning to attend the parade are advised that very large numbers are expected and viewing capacity will be limited. Viewing areas along the route will be closed once they are full.
- You are advised to take up a static position along the route where you will be able to watch all of the floats as the pass by, please do not plan to follow the parade as it moves along; this will not be permitted.
- If you are planning to watch the parade, please arrive early, be prepared to wait for several hours and think carefully about bringing small children. Pack water and sun cream or waterproof clothing, depending on the weather.
- Stewarded disabled viewing areas will be in place along the route, at Mansion House, St Paul's Cathedral and Trafalgar Square.
- For anyone wanting to avoid the anticipated crowds, the parade will be broadcast live on television and it will be possible to watch at home, with friends, at a pub or club or other location.
- Road closures will be in place, with restricted access in areas along the route, which will affect traffic and public transport routes. Please do not attempt to drive in or around the area, instead use public transport, cycle or walk.
- When using public transport plan your journey in advance, checking for changes to bus routes and tube station or entrance closures. For travel information, visit www.tfl.gov.uk. For information on the Paralympic Route Network: www.getaheadofthegames.com
MEDIA ACCREDITATION IS NOW CLOSED
- Media accreditation is now closed. BBC, Sky and Channel 4 will be pooling coverage of the parade.
- Media pens will be positioned at Mansion House, St Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar Square and Queen Victoria Memorial. Access to pens are for accredited media only and on the day will be on a first come first served basis.
- Please note that athletes will not be leaving the convoy to approach media pens. Interviews with athletes are being coordinated by the BOA and BPA and more detail about arrangements will be available in due course.