Maria Miller, MP for Basingstoke, has warmly welcomed the decision to route the Olympic Torch relay through Basingstoke next year. This follows the announcement by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) of the detailed route that the Olympic Torch relay will take. It has been confirmed that the route will go through the centre of Basingstoke on July 11th  2012.

Maria has been working hard to bring the Torch through Basingstoke ever since the outline route was announced in May this year. Her campaign has included lobbying Lord Coe, head of LOCOG, and the Secretary of State and Ministers at the Department of Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport. She has been encouraging them to include Basingstoke by highlighting the enormous enthusiasm in the town for London 2012, including letting them know about the wealth of projects going on in local schools to educate and inspire our young people about the Olympics and Paralympics.

Maria said: “It really is fantastic news that the Olympic Torch will come through Basingstoke next year as part of the build up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I know that there will be huge excitement and support from people in the town to mark this historic event. “

She added: “Having the Olympic Torch come through the town will also give us the opportunity to showcase to a worldwide audience what a great place Basingstoke is. I know that the Borough Council will be working hard to make the day a great success.”