King-sized: 263 miles of English roads closed for Charles III's coronation

Street parties would stretch further than New York to Washington, DC (if USA had a king)
By Adam Hill May 5, 2023 Read time: 3 mins
This is one street that won't be closed: the new king needs to use it to get home (© Jessica Girvan | Dreamstime.com)

One.network typically uses its platform to help transport authorities and other agencies to communicate with the travelling public.

But it has put the technology to a different use this weekend to work out that the coronation of the UK's King Charles III will result in the closures of 263 miles of England's roads.

This is to allow for street parties, where residents will brave the English weather to celebrate with their neighbours.

It has found 3,087 official street closure plans registered across 75 county councils in England.

This means that royal revellers are planning parties which would stretch from London's Westminster Abbey to Lands’ End in Cornwall - or, for US royal watchers, further than the distance between New York and Washington, DC.

"It would take nearly three days to walk down just one side of the table, without stopping for cake," the company helpfully points out.

Hampshire and Kent are paired in first place as the most celebratory counties, with 251 street official plans submitted each.

BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) and West Sussex tie for second place with 180 each.

Devon, with 146 plans, is not far behind them.

According to One.network’s data, the most popular celebration day of the coronation weekend will be Sunday (when 62% of parties) will be taking place, followed by Saturday (the day of the coronation itself with 27%) and Monday (11%). 

“Organising a street party is hard enough, but local councils should be given a huge hand for their great efforts in facilitating this country-wide celebration," says James Harris, CEO of One.network.

"With their hard work approving and managing road closures the country can party safely, whilst minimising disruption for road users.” 

What are the top 10 English counties for King Charles coronation street closures?

       Highway Authority Name    Number of Plans
1     Hampshire County Council                     251
2     Kent County Council                               251
3     Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole   180
4     West Sussex County Council                  180
5     Devon County Council                            146
6     Leicestershire County Council                141
7     Surrey County Council                            141
8     Essex County Council                             139
9     Northamptonshire County Council          125
10   Oxfordshire County Council                     91

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • UK motor racing circuit installs EV charging
    December 6, 2016
    Electric vehicle (EV) charging company ChargePoint has installed EV charging facilities at Thruxton motor racing circuit near Andover in the UK. The Rapid charger and twin Fast charger are operated by ChargePoint Services’ GeniePoint Network and can be accessed via robust RFID card access or smartphone App and will be available for public access seven days a week. Situated just half a mile off the busy A303, they are ideally positioned for EV drivers to recharge whilst travelling between Hampshire and
    Read More
  • London's new £19bn transit line opens
    May 24, 2022
    Elizabeth Line speeds up east-west travel in the UK capital and its surrounding areas
    Read More
  • IAM shocked by the worst speeders in England and Wales
    February 12, 2015
    The UK’s Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has lifted the lid on the worst examples of excessive speeding caught on safety cameras across England and Wales in 2014. Britain’s two worst speeders were caught at 146mph, both by Kent Police on the M25, one travelling anti-clockwise, the other going clockwise. There were three other recorded instances of speeds of 140mph or more; 145mph on the M6 toll road (70mph limit), 141mph on the A1 Great Ponton Northbound road (70mph limit) and 140mph on the A5 C
    Read More
  • Authorities play the parking ticket
    April 10, 2014
    Having long been a cause of contention with their constituents, local authorities are now using parking provision to entice shoppers and reduce congestion. To say that parking, and particularly parking enforcement, is a contentious and emotive issue is something of an understatement. Across the globe the discontentment with parking facilities, charges and enforcement is a major cause of friction between local authorities and the residents, businesses and drivers in the area. Recently there was outrage in
    Read More

Highlighted Content