Olympic: The streets of Barking and Dagenham will be brightened up with banners

The Olympics organisers have confirmed the streets and timings for the Olympic Flame’s route through Higham and Gravesend.

Gravesham Borough Council will be hosting the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay for a total of an hour and 10 minutes on July 20 with the borough decorated in a London 2012 theme following the securing of £30,000 funding to mark the occasion.

Council leader Cllr John Burden said: “This is a once in a lifetime chance to see the Olympic Flame and Gravesham will be welcoming people from all over the world to join residents lining the streets to cheer on the Torchbearers.

“The council has been working with community groups and local schools to ensure this will be a great day for everyone.”

LOCOG (London Organising Committee of Olympic Games) has worked closely with representatives from a number of sectors in each nation and region of the UK to devise the route and is taking the Olympic Flame to within 10 miles of over 95 per cent of the population.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG added: “Today we bring the Olympic Torch Relay to life. The Flame symbolises the Olympic spirit and its journey around the UK will bring the excitement of the Games to our streets. Now the people know the route the Olympic Flame will be carried along and the Torchbearers for their community, they can start planning how they might celebrate and make it Gravesham’s moment to shine.”

The Torchbearers also confirmed to carry the Flame today include those that were successful through the public nomination processes run by LOCOG and the Presenting Partners, Coca Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. LOCOG has endeavoured to slot all community Torchbearers within an hour of their nomination address so family and friends can cheer them on. Each Torchbearer will wear a white and gold uniform which been designed by adidas.

An average of 115 Torchbearers a day will carry the Olympic Flame during its 8,000 mile journey around the UK before it arrives at the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Gravesham council has been working on its London 2012 initiative, Go Gravesham, for three years ensuring that the area takes the opportunity to enjoy and prosper from the Olympic Games.

Schools across the UK can now access free learning resources linked to the Olympic Torch Relay through Get Set (london2012.com/getset), the official London 2012 education programme. The activities are designed to help schools and colleges make the most of the Relay by lining the route, and cheering on their local Torchbearers. Resources include ideas for making Flame hats and shakers to welcome the Flame, an assembly presentation to get the school behind a Torchbearer and a film showing one Get Set network school’s preparations for the Relay.

THE ROUTE AND TIMINGS

The route starts in Higham from about 9.37am to 9.45am on the Rochester Road, from Copperfield Crescent to the 50mph speed limit signs. Then from Thong Lane (about 9.50am) it will make its way into Gravesend town centre along Rochester Road and Milton Road, turning in Wellington Street and Saddington Street to arrive at the Gurdwara about 10.15am.

After a brief stop it will leave on Saddington Street, turning right onto The Grove going to the Clock Tower and left into Milton Road, King Street and New Road through the town. It will then go along Darnley Road, Pelham Road, left onto Old Road West and right on Wrotham Road ending its time in Gravesham about 10.48am at the 40mph signs just past Dennis Road.

Streets along the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, which can be viewed in full at www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelay, gives street-by-street details and proposed start times for when the Olympic Flame will travel through Gravesham.