Motorists are being advised of possible traffic disruption caused by a religious procession taking place next weekend.
The annual Nagar Kirtan procession, which every year attracts about 10,000 Sikhs, will be making its way through the city on Sunday, December 3.
The event takes place on the same day as the Leicester Tigers play Newcastle at the Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium, which kicks off at 3pm. The Queen’s Road Christmas Fair also takes place the same day.
Nagar Kirtan involves a colourful procession which sets off from the Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara in East Park Road, between 11am and 12noon, and will follow a route through the city to Holy Bones, near St Nicholas Circle.
The route will include St Peter’s Road, Sparkenhoe Street, East Park Road, Swain Street, St George’s Way, Charles Street, Northampton Street, Granby Street, Gallowtree Gate, East Gates, High Street, St Nicholas Place and finally to St Nicholas Circle, before finishing at nearby Holy Bones, at 3pm.
The main impact on the road network will be around St Georges Way and Waterloo Way between approximately 1pm and 2pm, and also at St Nicholas Circle around 2pm to 3pm.
Drivers should try to avoid those times when there are most likely to be delays.
The procession will involve a series of rolling road closures as passes through the city. There will also be some parking restrictions in the streets near East Park Road, namely parts of Leicester Street, Rosebery Street and Nottingham Street.
Information signs will be going up on main routes into the city ahead of the procession to warn drivers, while the city council’s Area Traffic Control team will be providing regular traffic and travel updates to help people coming into the city.
Nagar Kirtan is a major event in Leicester’s religious and cultural calendar, which celebrates the birth of Sikhism’s first Guru and founder, Nanak Dev Ji.
The event has been celebrated in Leicester for more than 20 years, and involves people in the procession walking from temple to temple, singing hymns and filling up on food.
Leicester assistant city mayor for climate, economy and culture, Cllr Adam Clarke, said: “Nagar Kirtan is one of the major religious events in Leicester’s calendar, which every year attracts thousands of people from the city’s Sikh community.
“We will be operating a series of rolling road closures as it passes through the city in order to ensure the safety of spectators and people taking part in the procession.
“We want to be sure that people planning to visit the city centre on that day are aware of this event and can plan accordingly.
“We’re in contact with the rugby club so they can advise travelling fans, on what looks set to be a busy day for traffic in and around the city centre.”
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