Temporary road closures for Williams BMW Rochdale Half Marathon and 10K

Residents are being warned about road closures during the Williams BMW Rochdale Half Marathon, 10K and Fun Run, which returns on Sunday 8 October, between 9.30am and 3pm.

Race routes remain the same as previous years and are designed to minimise disruption to the road network while taking in some of the region’s best open spaces - including Hollingworth Lake, Broadfield Park, Kingsway Business Park, the Stanney Brook Corridor and Rochdale Canal.

Motorists are advised to make alternative arrangements in advance if they need to exit any of the closed areas by car on the day. Diversions will be signposted and marshalls will provide assistance if required. No vehicles will be permitted to pass the road closures except the emergency services.

Between 10am and 3pm, sections of St Alban’s Street, Park Street, Broadfield Stile, Broadfield Street, Drake Street, Mere Street, William Street, Tweedale Street, Lower Tweedale Street, Milkstone Road, Miall Street and Durham Street will be closed.

Between 9.30am and 12pm a section of Oldham Road will be closed and The Esplanade near Touchstones museum will be closed from 6am to 6pm.

Canal Street, Hollingworth Road, Rakewood Road and Lake Bank in Littleborough will be closed from 10am to 2pm.

Bus services run as normal, however some stops may be temporarily suspended so bus users are advised to plan their journey ahead.

Full details of the closures are available at rochdale.gov.uk/roadworks

The half marathon leaves the town hall along The Esplanade and runs along the edge of Broadfield Park, before heading through to the Rochdale Canal at Oldham Road Basin. The route then heads past Kingsway Business Park and Smithy Bridge along the canal. Close to the Waterside Restaurant in Littleborough it leaves the tow path and heads up Hollingworth Road towards Hollingworth Lake, making a clockwise loop of the lake. 

Runners then return down Hollingworth Road and back onto the canal. The race retraces its outward route from the town hall until it reaches Broadfield Park, where runners go through the park before re-joining The Esplanade for the final sprint to the finish line.

The 10K follows the same route as the half marathon on to the canal, but leaves the canal at the swing bridge at Kingsway Business Park, making a loop of scenic cycleways, before returning to the canal and the same finishing route as the half marathon.

Councillor Janet Emsley, the council’s cabinet member for equity, safety and reform at Rochdale Borough Council said: “Routes are designed to minimise disruption to the road network and these closures will be lifted as soon as it is safe to do so. We have written to residents in the areas affected and I would like to thank everyone in advance for their co-operation.  

“Spectators are very welcome, so please do come out and show your support.  Many runners will be raising money for charity and this event helps raise tens of thousands of pounds for good causes every year. The three official charities are Springhill Hospice, Jolly Josh and Maggie’s.”

To enter online, view the routes as well as find answers to popular questions about the event visit rochdale.gov.uk/run

The event is co-ordinated by Rochdale Harriers and Rochdale Triathlon Club supported by Rochdale Borough Council.

You can also find the latest information about the event by following @RochdaleHalf on Twitter, or liking ‘Rochdale Half Marathon’ on Facebook and ‘RochdaleHalfMarathon’ on Instagram.