The AJ Bell Great North 10K returns to Newcastle on Sunday, with 13,000 runners expected to take part. The event, organized by The Great Run Company, will see a series of phased road closures implemented from early morning until mid-afternoon to accommodate the race.
Phased Road Closures and Timings
Closures have been agreed with Newcastle City Council and will be implemented in phases. On Sunday, Great North Road will be shut from 4am until 3pm, while the Central Motorway will be closed from 8.30am until 2pm. City centre roads will be phased closed from 8.30am to 9.45am and phased reopened from 12.45pm to 2pm. A short closure around St James’ Park was in place on Saturday for a Newcastle United Foundation family event.
The event start and finish are on Great North Road, following the beginning section of the Great North Run course towards the Tyne Bridge. Runners will then turn back towards the city centre, passing Grainger Market, Grey’s Monument, the Theatre Royal, Newcastle University, Northumbria University, City Hall, and Civic Centre before returning along Great North Road to the finish line.
Advice for Runners and Residents
The Great Run Company has advised participants to use public transport due to the crowds and road closures. An information pack sent to runners states: "We understand that the road closures will cause some inconvenience. Please plan journeys in advance and allow for additional time as the road network will be busy."
The pack also requests that cars be parked on driveways or side streets where possible, and warns that vehicles left on the route may be subject to an uplift system and penalty charge notices. "Vehicles removed may be subject to a penalty charge notice so please remove vehicles before closures come into effect," the pack adds.
Emergency Access and Road Reopening
Times are approximate, and the road closures will not affect the access of emergency vehicles. Reopening of roads will be done in a structured manner, with event infrastructure removed and roads cleaned before they can be reopened following the last runners. The AJ Bell Great North 10K aims to minimize disruption and ensure roads are returned to normal traffic conditions in a timely fashion.
