THE NEWPORT Half Marathon – which showcases the city’s iconic features and raises thousands for charity – returns on Sunday, March 1.

More than 2,000 runners took part in the event last year, raising a combined total of more than £200,000 for various worthwhile causes.

And the event, which is sponsored by Admiral and organised in support of St David’s Hospice Care, is expected to bring crowds in their droves once again.

Here’s all you need to know.

Road closures

On race day, road closures and/or restrictions will be in action in the following areas from around 6.00am.

The race starts at 9am – and once the last runner has passed your area, the restrictions will be removed.

Planned closures and/or Stop-Go controls will be in place on the following roads:

No access onto Commercial Road

No access onto Alexendra Road

No access/exit to inside lane on SDR

No access.exit to inside lane on Usk Way

No access/exit to inside lane on North Bound Usk Way, or any road feeding off it.

No access/exit travelling north towards Caerleon on Clarence Place or Caerleon Road, or any road feeding into/off it.

  • Bank Street
  • Stockton Road
  • Scarborough Road
  • Stockton Close
  • Croydon Close
  • Croydon Court
  • Cumberland Road
  • Haisbro Avenue
  • The Moorings
  • Caerleon Road
  • Caerleon Bridge
  • The Broadway
  • Cold Bath Road
  • Albany Street
  • Sainsbury Roundabout
  • Albany Street (junction of the Turnstiles)
  • Slip Road from A4042 to Harlequin Roundabout
  • Slip Road from Harlequin Roundabout to Old Green Roundabout
  • East Dock Road

Can I still enter?

Yes – however a refund or deferred place will not be possible if you can longer run on the day.

And participants who do enter in the next six days will need to collect numbers from Newport Leisure Centre on the day between 7am-8.45am.

When does the race start and finish?

The race will start at 9am in the heart of the city centre on Commercial Street.

The finishing time for the race depends on when the last runner crosses the line.

This should be around early afternoon and the race line is by Castle Bingo.

The prize ceremony will take place at 11am at Newport Leisure Centre.

South Wales Argus:

(The route features some of Newport's iconic features. Picture: Huw Fairclough.)

Where can I park?

Free parking is available in side streets but spaces are likely to be few and far between.

Runners are being encouraged to use www.gocarshare.com to find and share lifts with other participants.

But you can also park at:

The Kingsway Centre Car Park, Emlyn Street

Spaces: 1,050

Charges:

0-1 hours: £0.50

1-2 hours: £1.00

2-3 hours: £2.00

3-5: £3.00

5-10: £5.00

10-24 hours: £10.00

Newport High Street
High Street, Newport, NP20 4AX

Spaces: 392

Charges:

Up to 2 hours: £2.50

2-3 hours: £4.00

3-5 hours: £6.00

5-8 hours: £8.00

8-12 hours: £11.00

12-24 hours: £13.00

Newport Station (Transport for Wales)

Newport Station, Newport, NP20 4AX

Spaces: 184

Charges:

24 hours: £10.00

Frairs Walk

Friars Walk Shopping Centre, John Frost Square, Newport, NP20 1EA

Spaces: 350

Charges:

Up to 1 hour: £1.00

1-2 hours: £1.50

2-3 hours: £2.40

3-4 hours: £3.60

4-6 hours: £6.00

6-10 hours: £8.00

10-24 hours: £15.00

The route

MORE NEWS:

Starting towards the lower end of Commercial Street, the route heads off straight towards the Southern Distributor Road - The A48 >Left - Usk Way >Right - Clarence Place >Left - Caerleon Road >Left - Bank Street >Right - Stockton Road >Right - Stockton Close >Left - Cumberland Road >Right - Hasbro Avenue >Left - Caerleon Road >Left - Cycle path through Caerleon >Left - Pillmawr Road >Left onto Cycle Path >Right off Albany Street towards Heidenheim Drive >Left along Heidenheim Drive to City Centre >Left over Pedestrian Bridge >Right along River Path >Right over SDR Bridge >Right into East Dock Road >Left onto River Path to finish.

What’s the weather looking like?

At the moment, it should be perfect conditions for runners.

There will be sunny intervals with a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius at 9am, climbing to 7 degrees Celsius at 12pm.

This is a sharp contrast to last year where runners and spectators were greeted with an unrelenting deluge of rain.

And the year previous, where the event was postponed twice because of snow.

Where can I watch?

Organisers have said spectators can watch the runners from the Riverfront Theatre, or at the Blaina Wharf pub nears the SDR Bridge.

The University Campus Building will also be open for refreshments too.

But if you're near any of the route, you should be able to watch on from most stretches.

Where can I go to the toilet?

Toilet facilities are available at the Newport Centre, Riverfront Theatre and in the University of South Wales Campus.

There will also be portable toilets situated near the start at Friars Walk and Hill Street.

There will also be toilets located along the route, near the water stations.