Parking restrictions confirmed for Diwali day

Diwali day celebrations will take place on Leicester's Golden Mile on 31 October

A number of parking restrictions have been confirmed for Leicester's Diwali celebrations.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to descend on the Golden Mile in Belgrave for the festivities on Diwali day, which is 31 October.

Leicester City Council confirmed parking will be suspended on 14 streets will from 06:00 GMT on that day.

The authority has warned that any vehicle in any road in the Belgrave area which is deemed to be causing an obstruction will also be ticketed and towed.

Belgrave Road itself will also be closed and all of its junctions and side roads will be off limits between 17:00 and 21:30, the authority said.

The Hindu festival of light had previously been celebrated with two events - a lights switch-on event and a Diwali day event - but the former will not take place this year as the city council looks to save money.

Parking will be suspended in the following roads:

• Loughborough Road

• Holden Street

• Ross Walk

• MacDonald Road

• Hildyard Road

• Marjorie Street

• Abbey Park Street

• Harrison Road

• Surrey Street

• Doncaster Road

• Cossington Street

• Rothley Street

• Rendell Road

• Portsmouth Road

Cars left in these streets will be ticketed and towed, drivers are being warned.

This is to allow emergency vehicles and council staff clear routes through the area, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The restrictions will be in place until 22:00 on Diwali day.