Shropshire Diamond Jubilee event is still on despite wet conditions

Despite weeks of rain, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee pageant at RAF Cosford is still going ahead as planned on Thursday 12 July 2012.

People should be dressed appropriately for the wet conditions underfoot, and drivers are being advised to be prepared for the potential of difficult parking conditions depending on the weather.

The majority of parking areas are on grass which has become quite soggy after the recent rain, so people are being asked to car share if possible as car parking capacity could be reduced depending on the state of the airfield.

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.

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.

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 looking forward to the day immensely and a huge amount of work has gone into making the event enjoyable for everyone.  The rain has made some of the car parks really rather wet so we will be monitoring the state of the airfield closely during the morning.  The safety of everyone is our absolute priority, so it is possible that we will need to reduce car parking capacity to ensure the really soggy areas are not used.

“The weather forecast is looking better overnight and for the morning so we hope the ground will dry out enough so we can accommodate all the vehicles we need to.  That said, we are asking that if you can share cars with family and friends please do, as it would be really helpful both to cut down on car parking space and reduce congestion on the roads.”

A traffic management plan has been put in place for the day, based on previous experience from major events at RAF Cosford, but people are advised to be prepared for some queuing on the roads surrounding the site.

Drivers should use Junction 3 on the M54, following signs for “car parking” and ignoring the signs with coloured squares which are for school coach drivers.

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.