Information for local residents

Traffic warning!

Traffic in London on the day of the Show will be particularly bad this year: the usual road closures in the City are going to coincide with others in the West End for Armistice Day and the dedication of the New Zealand Memorial in Hyde Park. If you can avoid driving into town, do.

Frequently asked Questions

Please keep sending in questions: we will reply as quickly as possible, pester people on your behalf and post the answers as we get them.

My bus goes through the City: will it still be running on Saturday?

Yes, but it might be a bit muddled. Buses can't travel through the area affected by the Show, and TfL says services will be 'subject to curtailment, diversions and delays' for most of the day, but they will still run. We would expect there to be continuing disruption and knock-on effects in the evening, too. These are the services affected last year:

1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 21, 23, 25, 26, 43, 45, 46, 56, 59, 63, 68, 76, 77A, 91, 100, 133, 141, 153, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 205, 214, 242, 271, 341, 344, 388, 705, RV1

...and the latest details can always be found on their real time service disruption pages.

Can I get to work on foot?

Yes, but don't leave it too late. The main difficulty will be getting across the processional route, especially as the start of the Show approaches: it is lined with crowd barriers and vigilant constables, not to mention the large crowds that will start to fill the pavements. Some areas will also be cordoned off to serve as assembly points for the procession: London Wall and the Museum of London roundabout are generally closed to pedestrians as well as other traffic, and the area around Temple Bar is closed at lunchtime as the procession stacks up for the return leg.

If you're trying to walk to or from somewhere between Cheapside and Victoria Street - the outward and return routes of the procession - we would suggest that you use the underpass at Bank station, or travel to City Thameslink and use the Ludgate Hill exit.

Can I drive out of the secure area?

Probably not. If you live right on the edge of the closed area - Beech Street, say - then you'll be ok provided you avoid the times when floats are being marshalled into the procession: the police are very strict about security but they do also try to keep the disruption of local life to a minimum.

If you live further inside the secure area then I'm afraid the answer is a definite no: all the roads are closed, they're mostly full of brass bands and giant fish limbering up and there really is no way to get through even if you were allowed to. Which you're not. If you must travel on Saturday, please park your car outside the secure area and walk out to it. We're very sorry about the inconvenience.

Please also note that nobody, however nearby their destination, will be allowed to drive into the secure area. That includes anyone who lives on the edge of it and has managed to drive out. The security and safety of the Show are taken very seriously indeed and you will not be able to charm your way past the police cordon.

Will my visitor be able to drive into the 'traffic restricted' area?

Yes, provided they don't need to go through the closed area at any point. Turning down Golden Lane from Old Street should be fine, for example, but it can't be reached from Beech St, which is closed. They may also find that parking space is even more limited than usual, and will probably have to wait for the occasional brass band to bicycle past.

This page will gather together all the information we have that is of use to people living in the area affected by the Show. If you have any questions, please do send them to Will, the site builder: he's maintaining a list of frequently asked questions (see right) and he needs people to ask them frequently.

Road closures on the day

The road closures on the day of the Show will be exactly the same this year as they were last year. The area affected runs from Kingsway to Bishopsgate and Holborn to the river, but the area west of Farringdon Road closes and then reopens a couple of hours later than the City area. The roads and parking page will give you all the details and a downloadable map of the area affected.

Blackfriars bridge will be closed, and access to the north end of Southwark bridge very limited. The other bridges are not affected.

Don't forget that there will also be extra crowds and traffic around Blackfriars and Victoria Embankment for the fireworks at 5pm.

Pedestrians and Cyclists

The situation is much easier if you're on foot or on a bike - especially given the absence of traffic - but there are some things to be aware of:

• There will be no buses in the closed area. Tubes will run as normal, but the stations will be very busy.
• You can't cross the processional route once it has been set up, especially once the procession has begun: it is lined with police and they don't look kindly on barrier-jumping. At all. You can use the stations at Bank, City Thameslink and Mansion House to cross the route.
• Leave plenty of time: after about 10am the pavements around the route will fill up quickly, especially around Bank, Mansion House and St Pauls. It can take a long time to get down Cheapside, but you will find that back roads and cut-throughs are fairly clear.
• Don't leave your bike chained to a lamp post on London Wall or - to be on the safe side - anywhere else on or near the processional route. It is likely to be removed on Friday night or Saturday morning, however securely it may be locked.

Postcodes affected

The 'secure area', in which the roads will be closed, corresponds roughly to the whole of postcodes EC2 and EC4. It also takes in a bit of WC2 - east of but not including Kingsway, the eastern side of Aldwych and Lancaster Place - that covers WC2R, WC2A and a bit of WC2B.