Road Closures in place for RAF service and parade in Torquay

On Thursday 21 June, RAF Brize Norton will be granted Honorary Freedom of Torbay under the Honorary Freedom of Boroughs Act 1885.

There will be a number of road closures between 1230 and 1500. Castle Circus in front of the Town hall will be closed between 1230 and 1345 and Torquay Seafront will be closed between 1240 and 1420.

Parking suspension will be in place from Castle Circus, Union Street and Torbay Road and from Abbey Sands to Princess Gardens between 1000 and 1500. The Town Hall Car Park will be closed 0700 between 1700.

Between 1235 and 1250 there will be a total closure of Lymington Road, to allow the parade to assemble and safely move to the front of the Town hall. Therefore traffic will build-up and will take a while to clear after reopening.

After 1250, traffic along Lymington Road and Castle Circus will be diverted up St Marychurch Road.

It is recommend drivers avoid the area during this time or allow extra time for their journeys.

There will be a ceremonial service at 1300 outside Torquay Town Hall, which will give, by tradition, the service personnel from RAF Brize Norton the right and honour to march through the Borough bearing arms.

A parade, led by the Band of the RAF Regiment, through Torquay Town Centre to Torquay Seafront will commence at 1340 and will fall-out on the promenade at 1415.

The parade route will start from the Town Hall, go down Union Street and Fleet Walk turning left and then will go around the Clocktower and on to the seafront promenade to the right of the Princess Theatre. There will also be a RAF Flypast taking place during the ceremony, timings to be confirmed in due course.

RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire is the largest RAF Station with approximately 5,800 Service Personnel, 1,200 contractors and 300 civilian staff.

The Station is home to the RAF’s Strategic and Tactical Air Transport (AT) and Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) forces, as well as host to many lodger and reserve units.

With its mixed fleet of aircraft, RAF Brize Norton provides rapid global mobility in support of UK overseas operations and exercises, as well as AAR support for fast jet aircraft both on operations and in support of UK Homeland Defence.