Which roads will be closed?

EXTRA road closures will be in place for this year’s Miners’ Gala, with drivers warned to keep Durham’s roads clear or risk getting their vehicles towed away.

With crowds of 200,000 expected on Saturday and heightened security across the country, police have extended the usual Gala Day restrictions on motorists.

Several city centre streets will be closed to traffic with no vehicles, not even bicycles, allowed on the route on Saturday.

No vehicles will be allowed on Framwelgate Bridge, Market Place, Saddler Street, Owengate, North and South Bailey, Dun Cow Lane, Bow Lane, Silver Street, Elvet Bridge and New Elvet Bridge, Territorial Lane, Green Lane, Elvet Waterside, Court Lane, Elvet Crescent, Old Elvet and New Elvet, plus Pelaw Leazes to Baths Bridge between 6am and 8pm on Gala day.

The Northern Echo: CLOSURE: Police have increased the number of roads to be closed or face parking restrictions for this year's event

Church Street, Hallgarth Street and Whinney Hill will also be closed to vehicles, but some access for residents only will be maintained when possible.

North Road (between the junction with Black Western Hill and the A690 junction), Flass Street and Sutton Street will be closed between 6am and 10am, and again between 3pm and 8pm.

Due to safety considerations, road closures have been extended this year to include Claypath (between Prince Bishops Car Park and Providence Row) and also the eastbound slip road from the A690 to Claypath and North Road (between its junctions with Framwelgate Bridge and Milburngate), North Road (between its junctions with the North Road roundabout and Milburngate), Milburngate (between North Road and the access to Framwelgate Waterside), Crossgate (from the junction with North Road/Framwelgate Bridge to the junction with South Street) from 6am to 8pm.

An additional restriction also sees parking banned from 6pm on Friday in New Elvet, Old Elvet, Prison Green and Green Lane. These roads need to be kept clear of vehicles until 8pm on the Saturday.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: “This measure was brought in after a number of cars had to be towed away in previous years.

“Police found several owners had parked up before enjoying a night out in the city and then returned the next day fully expecting to pick up their vehicles.

“Any vehicles remaining in the Elvet area after 6pm on Friday may be removed by the police under the contract vehicle recovery scheme.

“It will cost owners a recovery fee plus any storage charges to get their vehicles back”.

What time does the action get underway?

THE first bands and banners will set off from North Road from around 8.30am, following the Gala’s traditional route through the city centre.
The colourful parade will make its way across Framwelgate Bridge and up Silver Street to the Market Place.

Marchers will then make their way up Saddler Street and over Elvet Bridge to the County Hall, where bands will pause outside the Royal County Hotel for the annual salute from Gala speakers gathered on the balcony.

The Northern Echo:

Durham Miners' Gala in 1964

They will then move on down New Elvet to The Racecourse, where folk musician Benny Graham will entertain the crowds on the Gala field, which will be flanked with stalls and entertainment.

Speeches will get underway once all the bands and banners have reached The Racecourse, which organisers estimate will be around 12.30pm.

Who is speaking?

THE keynote address from the platform will be by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Other speakers are Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner, film director Ken Loach, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey, Clare Williams, northern regional secretary of the trade union Unison and Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association.

The Northern Echo:

Jeremy Corbyn speaks at a previous Miners' Gala

After the platform speeches, crowds are expected to leave at around 2.30pm as the bands move back down the parade route for the annual blessing of the banners service at Durham Cathedral, expected to start at 3pm.

Will the roadworks cause problems?

WITH record crowds expected at this year’s Gala, Durham County Council has suspended roadworks taking place on Elvet Bridge and at Nevilles Cross for Gala Day.

What is the situation with buses?

EXTRA buses will be in operation serving the three park-and-ride sites which ring the city to ferry passengers to the Gala. The park and ride system will be open from 7am to 7pm, although there will be a number of slight changes to service routes.

Operator Go North-East says it will be laying on extra journeys on its 265 service between Murton and Durham on Gala Day.

Bus stops on Milburngate, North Road, Claypath, Elvet and New Elvet will all be suspended between 6am and 8pm, meaning there will be slight changes to usual routes.

Passengers are asked to use Durham Bus Station or County Hall for services 13, 14, 15/15A, 16/16A, 21/X21, X22 or 50, and Durham Bus Station and Leazes Bowl for 20/20A, 204, 208 and 265.

And finally, what's the weather forecast?

AT the moment, it is predicted to be a dry, warm and overcast day with sunny spells.