The final countdown to our moment to shine
From Councillor Ken Meeson, Leader of Solihull Council on 25 June 2012
The Olympic Torch Relay comes to Solihull this weekend and Solihull Council is making sure residents are up to date with the latest information.
The Relay will be in the borough on Sunday morning, 1 July, and there will be plenty of opportunities to line the streets and cheer the Torchbearers on.
Residents should note that the Torch Relay is made up of three parts, and there will be a short time delay between each.
The first part is a pre-activation convoy of small vehicles from the Relay’s three main sponsors – Coca-Cola, Samsung and Lloyds TSB. This will be followed by a second sponsor vehicle convoy, before finally the Torchbearer convoy.
The third convoy is the one that the Torchbearers and the Olympic Flame will be running in.
Anyone lining the streets to watch the Relay is advised that the first part of the Relay could pass by as much as an hour before the Torchbearer convoy.
The Torchbearer convoy is due to bring the Flame to the borough shortly after 7.30am, at Solihull Lane (B4025). It will then travel down Streetsbrook Road towards Solihull town centre.
The Flame should join Solihull High Street at around 8.05am before travelling on Church Hill Road and Prince's Way and then onto Blossomfield Road, passing Tudor Grange Leisure Centre at 8.20am.
At 8.40am it will continue along Blossomfield Road and onto Marshall Lake Road, and then pass through Earlswood on Shutt Lane shortly after 9.15am, before leaving the borough at 9.30am.
Residents planning to line the streets to watch the Relay are being advised to pack a Torch Relay bag for the morning – this should include items such as a camera, food and drink, and preparations for all types of weather, including sun cream, a hat and a waterproof coat.
Solihull High Street will be an ideal place to watch the Relay; free parking is available in all town centre car parks until 10am, town centre food and drink retailers will be open early and there is host of family fun planned for after the Flame has left the town centre.
Councillor Ken Meeson, Leader of Solihull Council, said: “Our moment to shine is here and it will be great to see the borough play its part in the Olympic Games. I hope lots of residents can line the streets and help give the Torch Relay a big Solihull welcome.”
More information about the Relay’s visit to the borough, including what is on offer in Solihull town centre, can be found at www.solihull.gov.uk/olympics.
Solihull Council will also be tweeting live coverage from the town centre – find its profile at www.twitter.com/SolihullCouncil.
For enquiries from members of the press and media only, please contact Alex Hemming on 0121 704 6136
Email: alex.hemming@solihull.gov.uk