Frequently Asked Questions - South Gloucestershire Council

Please read our FAQs below to find out more about what’s happening when the Olympic Flame visits South Gloucestershire. If you cannot find the answer you are looking for, please email [email protected] If you have general questions about the Olympic Torch Relay please visit the London 2012 website.

Frequently Asked Questions What is the Olympic Torch Relay? 8,000 inspirational people will carry the Olympic Flame as it journeys across the UK. These Torchbearers will have been nominated by someone they know to experience this moment to shine, inspiring millions of people watching in their community, in the UK and worldwide. The Olympic Torch Relay route has been planned so that the Flame will come within ten miles of 95 percent of people in the UK. An average of 110 Torchbearers will carry the Olympic Flame each day and the Relay will cover an average distance of 110 miles per day. The Olympic Flame will travel by different modes of transport throughout the Relay including trains, planes, bikes and other interesting modes of transport and stop at many landmarks and places of interest. Where will I be able to see the Olympic Flame? The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) and host local authorities have publicised every street which the Olympic Flame will be carried along by Torchbearers. A detailed map of the route through South Gloucestershire which takes in Bitton, Longwell Green, Hanham and Filton is available from http://www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelay. How was the route agreed? The route was developed over a two year period in consultation with representatives from each Nation and Region of the UK. The aim is to take the Olympic Flame to within ten miles of over 95% of the population and to showcase as much of the UK as possible. Can the route be changed? No, not at this stage. Local transport and police planning is already taking place around the agreed route. What is the Relay route through South Gloucestershire? The Torch will arrive in South Gloucestershire on Tuesday 22 May 2012 at 5.00pm in Bitton. The convoy will travel along the Bath Road A431 (High

Street) from the Aubrey Meads lay-by, passing (on the left hand side) The Meadows Primary School, Bitton Football Club and crossing the Cherry Gardens roundabout before travelling under the Avon Valley railway bridge. Crossing the Keynsham Road roundabout, the Torch will carry on down Willsbridge Hill into Longwell Green passing Willsbridge Mill, then over the roundabout onto Stonehill and Hanham High Street. The convoy will leave South Gloucestershire around 6.00pm and continue its journey into Bristol. The Torch returns briefly to South Gloucestershire at 0905am the following morning on day 5 of the Relay when it is carried along Southmead Road from BAWA to the junction with Charborough Road. When will it be possible to see the Olympic Torch Relay in South Gloucestershire? The Torch will be in South Gloucestershire on Tuesday 22 May 2012 between 5.00pm and 6.00pm travelling through Bitton, Longwell Green and Hanham. It will return to the district briefly at 09.05am the following morning – Wednesday 23 May 2012 in Filton. What will I see? You will see two convoys: - An activation convoy, which includes a police escort and lead car, with activation vehicles from each of the Presenting Partners (Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung) giving out keepsakes. This section of the convoy is generally 5 – 7 minutes ahead of the convoy. - The Flame convoy: with vehicles accompanying the Torchbearers. Each Torchbearer runs approx 300 metres before passing the Flame to a new Torchbearer. If you come to watch the Relay, you will see all of this and the genuine Olympic Flame, lit from the sun's rays at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece, and representing peace, unity and friendship. Where can I get the best view possible? Standing on the left hand side of the route the Flame is being carried along will mean you are, generally, nearer to the Torchbearers and so will provide a good view. The Presenting Partner vehicles will hand out Torch Relay keepsakes from the left hand side of the vehicles. Generally, there won’t be any barriers between the pavement and the road (unless they already exist). This should help members of the public to get a good view. When should I arrive? We recommend you begin to line the route about 1 hour before it is due to pass through that area. How long will I be able to see the Flame for? This depends on how fast the Torchbearer moves. Each Torchbearer will carry the Flame for an average of 300 metres - some will run, jog or walk.

How can I and other members of the public celebrate the Olympic Torch Relay in our area? Everybody is invited to celebrate the arrival of the Torchbearers and the Olympic Flame in their own way. If you want some ideas there are tips and hints on the London 2012 website under the Local Leaders programme: www.london2012.com/localleaders and some specific ideas for schools at http://www.london2012.com/getset The Presenting Partners will offer people lining the route keepsakes and often these are items that can be worn or waved to give extra movement and colour to the crowd as the Olympic Flame is carried by. Who are the Presenting Partners and what is their role in the Relay convoy? The Presenting Partners are Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. The Torch Relay would not be possible without the support of the Presenting Partners as they fund the whole event. They also provide the entertainment around the Olympic Flame and the Torchbearers. Torchbearer Questions How were the Torchbearers selected? A nomination and selection panel process was used. Each of the 8,000 Torchbearers has a story of personal achievement and/or contribution to their local community. How many Torchbearers have had their places confirmed? 7,600. The remaining Torchbearers (8,000 in total) will be confirmed over the coming months and a small number may not have consented to publicity. How has it been decided who will carry the Torch where? LOCOG has worked hard to ensure people are within an hour of their nomination postcode so friends and family can support them and celebrate their role. Wherever possible LOCOG has offered a Torchbearer a place to carry the Olympic Flame within an hour’s journey time of the postcode at which they were nominated. There will be instances where people are not carrying the Flame in their home town as the Relay is not going everywhere. Torchbearers have been told on which day they will be carrying the Flame and which community they are Torchbearing in. When will Torchbearers be advised which 300 metre slot they are running in? Torchbearers will receive this information four weeks in advance of their slot. Which high profile Torchbearers are carrying the Flame? High profile Torchbearers are still being invited and details will be confirmed in due course.

Travel and transport questions When should I get to my spot to watch the Torch Relay? We would advise you to start thinking about where you might stand and to arrive at the spot approximately an hour before the Flame is expected to allow yourself time to get a good vantage point and the best experience from the Relay. Will public transport be affected? Buses and trains should be running as scheduled. However, there may be increased demand and we urge that you leave plenty of time to travel. Any additional information about transport advice will be posted once confirmed. Will roads be closed for the purpose of the Relay? To keep disruption to a minimum, a well tried and tested rolling road closure system will be used. This will be managed by the police in conjunction with South Gloucestershire Council. How should I travel to the event? We recommend that you use public transport and allow plenty of time to get to your chosen spot to see the Flame. Where can I park? All public car parks will be open on the days of the Olympic Torch Relay.. They may however be very busy, so we do advise that people use public transport wherever possible. Information for local residents on the route I live on the Torch Relay Route what will it mean for me? We hope that you will enjoy this once in a lifetime moment to be part of South Gloucestershire’s sporting history and join us in welcoming the Torch as it passes your doorstep. Some details are still to be confirmed and we encourage you to check this website from time to time for the most up to date information. Will there be many people ouside my house watching the Relay? It is difficult to predict how many people will choose to watch this event. However, we do anticipate that it will be popular and that there could be several rows of people standing in certain locations along the route, waiting to see the Torch pass. The route will be fully stewarded.

How long will it last? The Torch will pass at approximately 4 miles per hour. It is anticipated that people may start to line the route up to 2 hours beforehand but will be encouraged to leave immediately after the Torch has passed. Can I hold a street party or event to celebrate the Relay? We would ask that you do not hold a party in the street during the time of the Relay so not to disrupt the Torchbearers’ route. However, we would encourage you to think about holding a party in your property or garden, and decorating your home to celebrate the day. We will be holding a competition for the best dressed residence along the route and you will receive a letter in April with details of this. Are there any special events happening along the Torch Route? It has been confirmed that Avon Valley Railway will welcome the Olympic Torch by positioning one of its traditional British steam locomotives on the railway bridge over the route as the Torchbearer runs underneath. A number of other events are being planned by schools and community groups to celebrate the Olympic Torch Relay and we hope to bring you details of them nearer the time. If you are planning an event please email [email protected] to let us know. Please keep checking this website for further information on what’s happening in South Gloucestershire for the Olympic Torch Relay. What are you doing to keep the Relay route clean and tidy before and after the event? We have been advised that the giveaways that will be handed out by the Presenting Partners will be viewed as keepsakes and spectators along the route will keep them as souvenirs. We will ensure that appropriate street cleansing, waste management and recycling programmes are in place to keep the route clean and tidy. Information for local businesses What are the rules regarding referring to the Olympics? There are laws protecting the London 2012, Olympic and Paralympic marks/representations (which includes the Olympic and Paralympic symbols and mottos (or anything similar), the words Olympic, Paralympic, Olympian, Paralympian, Olympiad, Paralympiad (or anything similar), ‘London 2012’, ‘Team GB’ and the London 2012 mascots. A summary of the protected Games marks can be found at: http://www.london2012.com/documents/brand-guidelines/guide-to-protectedgames-marks.pdf

Information about London 2012’s special legal rights and other more general information about London 2012 brand protection can be found at: http://www.london2012.com/brandprotection including: FAQs - http://www.london2012.com/about-us/our-brand/frequently-askedquestions.php Guidelines for business - http://www.london2012.com/documents/brandguidelines/guidelines-for-business-use.pdf Guidelines for the tourism sector http://www.london2012.com/documents/brand-guidelines/brand-protectioninformation-for-the-tourism-sector.pdf Guidelines for non-commercial organisations http://www.london2012.com/documents/brand-guidelines/guidelines-for-noncommercial-use.pdf Guidelines for identifying official London 2012 products – All London 2012 official merchandise carries the official London 2012 hologram which incorporates the latest technology to ensure that counterfeits can be quickly and easily identified by enforcement authorities. A document outlining how to identify official London 2012 products can be found at: http://www.london2012.com/documents/brand-guidelines/identifying-officiallondon-2012-products.pdf Will my deliveries be affected by the Olympic Torch Relay? Depending on the location of your business, deliveries may be affected. If you are located along the route in Bitton, Longwell Green or Hanham we would recommend scheduling deliveries on Tuesday 22 May before 4pm. Can I sell London 2012 merchandise? Only official London 2012 merchandise can be sold by businesses. The London 2012 website provides information around how businesses are able to sell official London 2012 product in their stores. Information about this and a full list of licensees is available at: http://www.london2012.com/documents/brand-guidelines/london-2012licensees.pdf

This document has been produced by South Gloucestershire Council Last updated 29 March 2012 [email protected]