Portsmouth is warming up to host the Great South Run with the 5K, Junior & Mini events on Saturday 18 and 10-mile event Sunday 19 October, welcoming 25,000 runners over the weekend and thousands more spectators. With the 10-mile route weaving through some of Portsmouth’s most iconic landmarks it promises to be a spectacular weekend of sport for all ages, celebrating 35 years of the Great South Run.
To help everyone enjoy the event and avoid unnecessary disruption, Portsmouth City Council is encouraging residents and visitors to plan their journeys in advance and consider alternative ways to travel.
Visitors travelling by car are encouraged to use the Portsmouth Park & Ride located at Junction 1 of the M275. The dedicated PR4 service to Clarence Pier will be running frequently throughout the weekend with buses running every 20 mins on Saturday and every 10 minutes on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased via the First Bus app or directly from the driver. Spaces are limited and are allocated on a first come, first served basis. The regular PR1 service will also be running its usual service. Visit Park, ride, run! A dedicated service for the Great South Run weekend – Park and Ride for times and fares.
Some bus routes will be affected by road closures, so check your journey before setting off. Use the First Bus or Stagecoach apps or websites for the latest updates. As a bonus, First Bus is offering free travel home on Sunday 19 October for runners who show their medal to the driver (*excludes Hoverbus and Park & Ride services PR1 and PR4).
Travelling from the Isle of Wight? Extra Hovertravel services will run on Sunday morning, with departures every 15 minutes between 8.15am and 9.15am, plus an additional service at 9.45am. The usual service will be operating every 30 minutes between Ryde and Southsea. Visit Hovertravel to find out more.
Voi rental e-scooters and e-bikes will be available across the city, visit voi.com for details. If you are travelling into to city by train, please check with your operator for updated timetables and plan ahead.
To keep runners and spectators safe, several roads will be closed during the event, including Duisburg Way, Avenue de Caen and Clarence Esplanade. On Sunday, after 9.35am, the final park and ride stop will be City Centre South until the roads re-open.
Event parking on Southsea Common will be available before 9.30am and after 1.30pm. Parking restrictions will also be in place on some roads. Drivers are urged to check temporary signage to avoid parking in restricted areas where vehicles may be removed. Full details are available in the Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) www.portsmouth.gov.uk/tro.
For more information about the event, including a route map, visit greatrun.org/events/great-south-run. For visitor information, head to visitportsmouth.co.uk, and for live traffic updates, follow @portsmouthroads on Twitter.