Thousands of local residents and runners across the country are setting themselves up for Sunday’s Bath Half Marathon of 2014.
The annual event is set to attract nearly 15,000 runners to the route, with thousands more standing to the sides and cheering those taking part on.
The Bath Half Marathon is one of the longest established and most popular city centre road events in the UK.
The race, which starts at 11am on Great Pulteney Street in Bath, has raised millions of pounds for charity, with £2 million alone being raised in 2013.
Updated Road Closures
Between 09.45-15.30hrs, the following roads will be closed:
A4 dual carriageway, A4 Newbridge Road, A36 Lower Bristol Road, Ambury, Broad Quay, Charles Street, Chapel Row, Charlotte Street, Churchill Bridge, Churchill Bridge Gyratory, Claverton Street eastbound, Darlington Street, Gay Street, Green Park Road, Lower Bristol Road, Midland Bridge Road, Midland Road, Newbridge Road, Pinesway, Pulteney Road, Queen Square, Queens Square Place, Rossiter Road, Sydney Place, Upper Bristol Road & Windsor Bridge Road and the A367 Wells Road – Northbound carriageway.
A footpath closure on Newbridge Road between park & ride and Turnpike will also be in force.
Temporary traffic arrangements will be in place to ensure access to Kingsmead and Avon Street car park whilst the half marathon closures are in operation. A temporary One-Way ‘loop’ will operate round Avon Street, Corn Street, St James Parade & Dorchester Street between 09.45hrs and 15.30hrs.
The normal ‘day time’ operation of the bus gate on the High Street and Northgate Street will be suspended between 09.45-15.30hrs on race day to allow cross-town traffic whilst the course route closures are in place.
The only access route into the city centre between 09.45hrs and 15.30hrs will be the northern route via Milsom Street and Walcot Street. Cleveland Bridge will be the only river crossing unaffected.
The ongoing closure of the A431 Kelston Road has meant that Bath Half organisers have had to change local diversions, with people travelling from Bristol now having to divert along the A420 through Wick and then join the A4174 Avon Ring Road.
A new revised leaflet has been made available for local residents to familiarise themselves with the diversions for Sunday. It can be found here.
First Great Western are also set to provide an additional 24 trains to the service on Sunday for the large amount of people expected in the city.
17 of the services are being provided in the afternoon to take people home after the race, with the additional 7 set to bring runners and spectators into Bath.
The services are planned to run between Bristol Temple Meads and Bath, Westbury and Bath and Swindon and Bath.
First Great Western have also asked passengers to check their ticket in advance, as the 8.05 service from Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbout will not be stopping at Oldfield Park or Keynsham.
