Queen's Baton Relay Leeds: The full route and bus diversions as Brownlee brothers mark start of Commonwealth Games

Leeds Olympic gold medallists Alistair and Jonny Brownlee will be joined by local singing stars Class Dynamix, as the city celebrates the start of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022.

Here is everything you need to know:

What is the Queen's Baton Relay?

After travelling around the Commonwealth, the baton is now on its final journey around the country leading up to the opening ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at the end of this month (July 28).

The baton, which contains a message to the Commonwealth within it from Her Majesty The Queen, has been passed on its epic journey by thousands of baton-bearers, who have been nominated and chosen for the honour due to their inspiring backgrounds and stories.

What is the relay route?

Arriving in the late afternoon on Tuesday, the Baton will pass through Leeds Dock, with free family and sports taster events and activities taking place from 4pm.

These include flag-making, table tennis, mini-tennis, paddle-boarding, athletics on a pop-up track, guided walking and running. There will be free parking on the streets around Leeds Dock.

The Baton will arrive at Leeds Dock from 5.25pm before leaving at approximately 5.45pm heading for the city centre

It will then move on to The Headrow outside Leeds Art Gallery shortly after 6pm, before following a route along Park Row, City Square, Boar Lane, Briggate, The Headrow and Cookridge Street before arriving at its final destination on the stage on Millennium Square.

The public are encouraged to line the route to cheer on the baton-bearers as they pass by.

Who will be carrying the baton?

The list of Leeds baton-bearers is as follows: Sneha Daga, Daniel Walker, Peter McGouran, Rifhat Malik, Katy Hopkinson, Jonathan Brownlee and Alistair Brownlee.

Rifhat Malik MBE has been a dedicated Islamic Relief UK volunteer for more than 20 years.

She has helped to raise funds for a wide range of causes and also currently, runs her own charity, Give A Gift, which delivers food and supplies to those in need in the Leeds and Bradford area.

She said: "I am really honoured to have been selected as a baton-bearer for my work in the community over the past twenty years and it is a real privilege to be performing the role as a female from an ethnic minority community background.

"Having been described as a role model I hope my selection will encourage other individuals to believe that they too can achieve things they aspire to.”

Alistair and Jonny Brownlee will be the final two baton-bearers taking the baton onto Millennium Square.

-> Brownlee brothers honoured by university in home city Leeds

They will be welcomed by the Lord Mayor of Leeds Councillor Robert W. Gettings.

What will happen at Millennium Square?

A stage event will then follow hosted by BBC Radio Leeds presenter Richard Stead.

The finale will be a special performance by the pupils of Windmill Primary School who make up Class Dynamix, the Leeds choir who reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent in 2020.

They will be joined on stage by 100 local schoolchildren to perform three songs, including a live performance of the specially commissioned 'Light Up Leeds' as part of the tenth anniversary of Child Friendly Leeds this year.

Pre and closing entertainment on Millennium Square will also be provided from 6pm by local contemporary band ‘Back Chat Brass’, performing their funky brassy beats to get the carnival atmosphere going.

Full list of bus diversions

The Headrow, Park Lane and Boar Lane will be closed while the baton relay makes its way through Leeds.

-> Neville Street to reopen in boost to Leeds bus disruption

The following bus services will be diverted on Tuesday between 6pm-7.30pm:

First 1 4 4F 5 6 7 7A 7S 8 11A14 15 16 16A 19 19A 27 28 29 33 34 42 49 50 50A 51 52 55 55C 64 65 75 85 X84 508 PR1 PR3 X98 X99

Arriva 118 118A 118S 163 166 167 168 444 446

Keighley Bus Company 60

Yorkshire Flyer A1

For the full diversion routes, head over to the WY Metro website.