Final touches being made to Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant event
Final preparations are under way for a spectacular pageant to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee at RAF Cosford – with 35,000 people expected at the event on Thursday (12 July 2012).
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are due to attend as part of their Diamond Jubilee Tour, and the event will feature singing, music and a colourful procession over half a mile long, made up of 5,000 schoolchildren.
More than 35,000 people registered for free tickets, and motorists are being warned to expect some traffic congestion on the roads around RAF Cosford during the morning of Thursday 12 July.
Gates will open at 8am, and people can enter the site at any time, with activities due to start at 9am and the “Reignbow” procession taking place at 1.40pm.
A traffic management plan has been put in place for the day, based on previous experience from major events at RAF Cosford. People should follow signed directions to Cosford on Thursday and are advised to be prepared for some queuing on the roads surrounding the site.
Motorists should tune into local radio during Thursday morning for traffic updates, and live information will be posted on the event’s Twitter feed @ShropshireDJP using the hashtag #jubileeshrops. There is also a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ShropshireDJP where people can share pictures and videos on the day.
The free event is being organised by a team led by the Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, involving Shropshire Council, Telford & Wrekin Council, RAF Cosford and the RAF Cosford Museum.
The Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, Mr Algernon Heber-Percy, said:
“We are all very excited about the day and hope everyone will have a wonderful time. A huge amount of work has gone into organising the event and the spectacular procession, so we are all praying for good weather.
“As is customary for an English summer, we are trying to be prepared for all weathers, so please remember to bring waterproofs, sun cream and drinking water depending on the weather forecast. We have been delighted that so many people have registered for tickets to come along, and naturally with thousands of people making their way to Cosford on a weekday there will be some traffic congestion.
“Gates open at 8am, activities will be taking place all day from 9am, and the pageant procession will start at 1.40pm, so we are hoping there will be a steady stream of traffic entering the site during the morning.”
Traffic signs are now on the M54 and the roads surrounding RAF Cosford to advise motorists of the event on Thursday, and commuters should try to find alternative routes on Thursday morning if at all possible.
Activities will run from 9am to 5pm, featuring demonstrations from Shropshire’s industrial, commercial and agricultural expertise in a “Showcase Hangar”, and musicians and singers will be performing on an outdoor stage throughout the day.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will be hosted at a reception at the RAF Museum, which will be closed to the public during the day, before being driven through the crowds to watch the spectacular Reignbow Procession.
For more details go to the event website at: www.shropshirejubilee.co.uk
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about the event, which may be helpful:
Can’t I just turn up on the day, as it’s a free event?
Entrance is by ticket only, so please don’t turn up without a ticket as it could cause excessive traffic and delays for people entering the site.
Surely having 35,000 people travelling to RAF Cosford on a weekday is going to cause major traffic disruption – how are you going to mitigate that?
A traffic plan is in place, based on the established systems used for the Cosford Air Show which often attracts more than 35,000 people, so we are confident that everyone will be able to access the site safely. However, some traffic disruption will be unavoidable so we do ask for drivers to be patient and find alternative routes on that morning if possible.
Will I definitely be able to see The Queen?
The Queen will drive through the site from a reception in the RAF Museum, and will then watch the pageant from a secure area as is traditional at these kinds of events. The intention is that everyone will be able to see The Queen at some stage, but unfortunately there is no guarantee that everyone will necessarily get a good view. However, the pageant will be filmed and shown on big video screens, so you should get a good viewing experience of the event wherever you are on the site.
Will I be able to visit the RAF Museum during the day?
No, the RAF Museum – including the National Cold War Exhibition – will be closed to the public during the day.
