The parade is being organised by the Mayor of London in conjunction with the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the British Paralympic Association (BPA).

Alongside the announcement that 14,000 contributors will be given tickets for the final stage of the parade at the Queen Victoria Memorial at 4pm, final route details and timings were also confirmed.

"For capacity reasons, partly due to the infrastructure still in place from the previous day's Paralympic Marathon, the area from Admiralty Arch to the Queen Victoria Memorial will be ticketed and reserved for groups who have made a major contribution to the Games and the success of our athletes," said a statement from the organisers.

"These will include 14,000 volunteers, members of the blue light services, military personnel, Team GB and ParalympicsGB coaches and support staff, friends and family of the athletes involved as well as schoolchildren from every London borough."

Organisers have also revealed the exact plans of the parade which will see 800 Olympic and Paralympic athletes travel on 21 floats.


Athletes will be organised by sport so that London 2012 medal winners appear throughout the length of the parade.

The parade will begin at Mansion House in the City at 1:30pm and travel along Queen Victoria Street and Cannon Street, passing by St Paul's Cathedral, continuing along Fleet Street, past Aldwych and into The Strand, before reaching Trafalgar Square.

A big screen at the base of Nelson's Column with live commentary will allow spectators to cheer on the athletes as the parade makes its way past Trafalgar Square.

After passing Trafalgar Square, the athletes will go through Admiralty Arch into The Mall (pictured below) and travel down to the Queen Victoria Memorial, where they are scheduled to arrive at around 4pm for the finale of the event in front of the 14,000 ticketed spectators.

Continuous coverage of the parade, including interviews with the athletes, will be broadcast throughout the day on BBC One, BBC News Channel, Channel 4 and Sky.

Members of the public wishing to attend the parade have been told to expect huge crowds between Mansion House and Trafalgar Square.

They have also been advised to plan their journey in advance and take public transport wherever possible as there will be extensive road closures around the route throughout the morning until after the parade passes through Trafalgar Square.


"In the ancient world crowds would line the streets to welcome their triumphant Olympians home, where they would be ecstatically venerated and their victories chronicled for the ages, with names like Leonidas of Rhodes and Milo of Kroton reverberating through history," said Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

"But no sporting heroes will have been more lauded, no achievements more celebrated, and no nation more passionately proud than at the Our Greatest Team Parade, which will sweep through central London in a glorious miasma of colour, noise and excitement.

"This is a chance to celebrate the heroes and heroines who have thrilled us with their skills, sportsmanship, and grace during London's spectacular Olympic and Paralympic Games, and whose names and triumphs will live on for centuries to come."

The parade is supported by BA (British Airways), BP, BT, the National Lottery and Visa and delivered with a range of partners, including the City of London Corporation, Westminster City Council, Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, London 2012 and The Royal Parks.

A parade route map, along with further information and updates, will be available here soon.

Click here for general advice about travelling and transport within London.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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