First ever Pharmalink Maidenhead Half Marathon - Sunday 4 September: Travel arrangements to minimise disruption

Maidenhead's first ever half marathon will take place in and around the town early on Sunday 4 September and detailed travel arrangements have been put in place to minimise disruption to local residents, businesses and roads users.

Almost 2,000 runners will be converging on Maidenhead town centre for the 9.30am start and organisers Purple Patch Running have worked with the Royal Borough to devise a programme of rolling road closures so that most people along the route will be affected for only short periods of time.

The programme will operate from 8am to 2.30pm and this means that roads will be closed 30 minutes before the runners reach the area and re-opened after the last runner has gone through and the cones removed. In some cases this will be for as little as 20 minutes.

Also to keep disruption to a minimum only partial road closures are being used wherever feasible to maintain access for as many residents as possible as the runners pass by. For example in Ray Mead Road and Cookham Road one lane will remain open to allow access for people living on the opposite side of the road.

However, full road closures will be in operation in parts of the town centre from 8am to 2.30pm including at St Ives Road (where the race starts and finishes).

More than 4,000 letters have been distributed to residents and businesses along the route, explaining the closures relevant to them. The organisers have also given the assurance that there will be access at all times for emergency vehicles (and emergency workers living along the route).

It is expected that the half marathon will attract more than 3,000 people to Maidenhead and the organisers are also hoping local people will turn out to cheer on the runners.

Cllr Richard Kellaway, the council's Lead Member for Maidenhead, said: "This is the first time we've had a half marathon in the town and, given the number of athletes, their families and supporters expected, we are hoping the event will benefit local businesses in the wider town centre.

"Our hope is that it will become an annual event but we will be monitoring it very carefully to see how it is run and managed and to get reactions from residents and businesses before taking a decision on any future proposals."

Details of the road closures are available at www.purplepatchrunning.com/races/pharmalink-maidenhead-half-marathon. Anyone who needs help regarding the road closures in their area should not hesitate to contact Purple Patch Running on 01628 474953 or email: info@purplepatchrunning.com

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