Maidenhead & Windsor

Final preparations are being made for the state visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife to Windsor on Wednesday March 26 when they will be welcomed by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.

The event, which includes a spectacular procession through the town, will mean significant road closures on the day of the state visit itself and for the rehearsal in real time the day before (Tuesday March 25).

Windsor shops and businesses will be open as usual and the Royal Borough and Thames Valley Police are working together to minimise disruption in the town centre and to provide advance information to help people get in and out of the town during both days. Detailed information booklets have been distributed to local residents and businesses on or near the procession route.

Road closures:
Road closures will be in force in the town centre from 9.45am to 3pm on both Tuesday and Wednesday March 25 and 26. However, the police and council staff will be working to ensure that the town is re-opened at the earliest possible opportunity.

There will also be very short road closures to facilitate troop movements between 10.50am and 11.15pm (approx) and again between 1.30 and 1.50pm (approx) at: St Leonard's Road (from Bolton Road), A308 Frances Road, A308 Osborne Road, Kings Road roundabout (by Long Walk), A308 Albert Road (from Old Windsor) and A332 Kings Road (from Peanut Roundabout).

Car parking
Most Royal Borough car parks will be open as usual, with the exception of River Street, Home Park and part of King Edward VII (Datchet Road), which can be accessed from the Datchet direction only before 9.45am.

For drivers who cannot access their usual car park and for those coming into the town centre to watch the procession there is a park and walk facility at The Brocas, Eton (courtesy of Eton College).

The procession
The President and Madame Sarkozy are scheduled to arrive in Windsor at 12 noon on Wednesday March 26. They will be greeted by the Queen and Prince Philip in a specially-constructed pavilion adjacent to Windsor and Eton Riverside Station. Also there to add a welcome on behalf of the Royal Borough will be the Mayor, Cllr Leo Walters.

Afterwards the royal party and their visitors will board horse-drawn carriages for the procession to Windsor Castle, accompanied by a Sovereign's Escort of the Household Cavalry.

The procession route will be: Datchet Road, Thames Street, High Street, Park Street, Long Walk, Cambridge Gate and Cambridge Drive for the drive up the Long Walk to Windsor Castle. Crowd barriers will be installed along the route (with pedestrian crossing points open at all times except during the procession). There will be a viewing area for people who are disabled at the bottom of Thames Street (by the King George V Memorial).

Further information
Full details of the state visit arrangements are available on the Royal Borough's website www.rbwm.gov.uk or on the Thames Valley Police website www.thamesvalley.police.uk

Further information is also available from the council's customer service centre on 01628 683868 or the Royal Windsor Visitor Information Centre on 01753 743900

For local police-related enquiries in connection with the state visit the following telephone number should be used for the days of the rehearsal and state visit only: 07813 072748.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead