20/04/2012

Full Dress Rehearsal For Olympic Torch Relay

A full practice run of the Olympic torch relay is taking place today on an 80-mile stretch from Leicester to Peterborough.

Roads along the route will be closed as Games organiser Locog traces the journey the torch will make on 3 July.

The rehearsal will test the convoy, crew and communication procedures of the relay, which starts on 19 May.

A total of 122 people from the local area, including students, are acting as torchbearers and each is carrying an unlit torch on a 300m section of the route.

They will be joined by a convoy of 14 cars and trucks, and up to a further 90 vehicles for sponsors, support teams and the BBC, as well as a crew of 400 people.

As roads will be closed the organisers are asking motorists to avoid the route. Rolling roadblocks are being used to close the route a section at a time for around a total of 45 minutes. Residents along the route will also be expected to move their parked cars to make way for the procession.

People are not being encouraged to line the streets.

(H)


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