19 June 2012
Road users in Yorkshire are being advised to plan their journeys as the Olympic Torch Relay arrives in Huddersfield next week on the second leg of its tour of the region.
The Highways Agency is suggesting drivers familiarise themselves with the Olympic Torch Relay timetable - available at www.london2012.com - and expect delays if they are planning to travel near relay venues, including towns and cities hosting evening celebrations.
The Olympic Torch arrives in Yorkshire for the second time on Sunday morning (24 June), travelling through Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford, Skipton and Ilkley, and heading to Leeds for an evening celebration at Temple Newsam.
The Highways Agency, which operates the region's strategic road network, including motorways and key A roads, is not anticipating major delays for drivers. However, drivers may find the Olympic Torch in a police-led motorised convoy on the strategic road network at times and should also be aware that several of the relay stages may affect journeys just off motorways and major trunk roads.
Drivers are also being asked to be aware of extra traffic heading into the region's towns and cities for Olympic Torch Relay celebrations.
Vanessa Gilbert, Highways Agency regional director for Yorkshire and the North East, said, "Road users who are planning to use routes in Yorkshire near relay venues can help us to help them by planning their journey in advance and leaving extra time to complete journeys. Where appropriate we've asked our contractors to put out hard signs advising drivers when the relay is 'in town'. We will also use our electronic message signs to give drivers information about any diversions and delays, and provide up-to-the minute information about traffic conditions on the motorways and other major roads we manage using local radio. People can use a range of Highways Agency mobile services to check the traffic conditions on these routes before they leave or when parked - they include an iPhone app, mobile website and regular updates on our Twitter feed at @HAtraffic_yorks"
Highways Agency Traffic Officers will be patrolling the motorways throughout Yorkshire to clear any incidents quickly, while staff at our regional control centre at Calder Park near Wakefield will be monitoring the network via CCTV and using other state-of-the-art technology to keep traffic moving.
After Sunday's evening celebration in Leeds, the Torch makes its way south to evening celebrations in Sheffield via Wakefield and Barnsley. The Torch then travels east via Rotherham, Doncaster, Scunthorpe and Grimsby, to evening celebrations in Cleethorps, before leaving the region early on Wednesday 27 June towards an evening celebration in Lincoln.
Roads managed by the Highways Agency which may be affected next week because the Torch is travelling along or near them or because the routes are near celebration venues include the M621, M1, M62, M180 and A180.
It will be necessary to close the exit slip roads on the A1(M) at Junction 36 (Warmsworth) on Tuesday 26 June at 10am to allow the safe passage of the Olympic Torch procession which will be travelling across the junction towards Doncaster town centre. The slip roads will be reopened as soon as safely possible after the torch has passed through. We ask that drivers travelling along the A1(M) in the vicinity of Junction 36 take extra care at this time.
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