Road closures: Full details of changes planned in Wolverhampton for Vaisakhi parade
Motorists and residents in Wolverhampton have been warned to expect road closures as the parade in honour of a Sikh cultural festival passes through the city.
The annual Vaisakhi parade is set to see thousands of people pass through the streets of the city on Sunday, May 5 in celebration of the Sikh New Year and the 325th Anniversary of the Creation of the Khalsa Order and making of Saint-Solider by Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699.
The popular festival will take place at West Park between 12pm and 5pm and will be preceded by a parade through Wolverhampton, covering a large around from Fallings Park through the city centre, Blakenhall and Penn.
Road signs telling people about the procession and road closures have been put up around Wolverhampton along the route, which starts at 9am outside the Guru Nanak Satsang Gurdwara on Cannock Road in Fallings Park and all roads closed on the route closed between 9am and 12pm.
The route of the procession will turn left and head down Springfield Road, with Langsett Road, Monsal Avenue and Bakewell Gardens all closed off, before turning right onto Wednesfield Road in Heath Town, with Burton Road, Cannock Road, Sun Street and Culwell Street closed.
The procession will then head across Ring Road St Patricks, which will be closed in both directions, before heading up Broad Street and onto Stafford Street, with Westbury Street, Thornley Street and Wulfrun Street all closed.
It will follow the route through the city centre along Stafford Street and Market Street onto Snow Hill, with Lichfield Street, Berry Street, Wheelers Fold, Queen Street, Castle Street and Tower Street all closed, before then passing up Garrick Street and seeing St Georges Parade and Cleveland Street closed.
Leaving the city centre, the parade will pass over the closed Ring Road St Georges and onto Birmingham Road, with Lever Street and Howard Street closed, before turning onto Dudley Road, with Drayton Street, Rainbow Street, Mason Street, Johnson Street, Elm Farm Road, Sedgley Street, Bromley Street, Cousins Street, Curzon Street, Byrne Road, Chapel Street and Napier Road all closed along the way.
Turning right onto Ranelagh Road, the parade will pass Shaw Road onto Haggar Street, then onto Park Street South, passing Cross Street South onto Moor Street South, then turning right onto Upper Villiers Street,with Sunbeam Street also closed.
It will turn left onto Marston Road, passing Stanford Road and going over Penn Road onto Oaklands Road, before turning right onto Lea Road, with Owen Road, Bristol Street. Fisher Street, Fern Road, Upper Zoar Street and Retreat Street all closed along Lea Road.
Emerging back onto Penn Road, the procession will head back down Penn Road over the Penn Road Roundabout and onto School Street, heading over Market Square past Peel Street and Pitt Street and onto School Street, with Salop Street, Fold Street and Skinner Street all closed.
It will then follow the road down Waterloo Road and over Ring Road St Peters before turning left on Newhampton Road East and then left onto Park Avenue, passing Bath Avenue.
Finally, the procession will turn left onto Park Road East and turn into West Park at the Southgate entrance for festivities to begin at 12pm.
The Council of Sikh Gurdwaras in Wolverhampton has promised entertainment for all the family, including a fun fair, stalls and prominent Asian musicians and singers performing live on stage.
There will be speeches by religious leaders, a variety of local organisations will showcase their services and free food will also be served throughout the day. Entry is also free.
Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for visitor city, said: "Vaisakhi is always hugely popular and we look forward to this year’s celebrations.
“With 2 months to go, preparations are underway by the Council of Sikh Gurdwaras in Wolverhampton and people who live in the city, to ensure another fun filled family event.
“We are pleased that the event is returning to West Park and are looking forward to being able to celebrate the festival again as it is an extremely important date in the city’s calendar.
“There is limited parking around West Park, so attendees are kindly requested to park responsibly or to make use of nearby car parks on Fold Street and Clifton Street.
"We are urging everyone to put the date in their diary and see West Park come alive to the sights and sounds of the Vaisakhi Festival."
To support the safe arrival of the parade as it makes its way into the park, a temporary one way system will be in place around West Park from 9am and removed 30 minutes after the procession ends to keep traffic moving.