MOTORISTS are being warned to expect heavy traffic as thousands of rock fans prepare to descend on the Thames Valley.
Reading Festival takes place over the August bank holiday weekend and with it an influx of traffic.
While the festival starts on Friday, August 26, traffic disruption is expected on roads across the region from Wednesday, August 24 and Thursday, August 25, as festivalgoers arrive, with a further delay expected on bank holiday Monday as everyone departs.
Although the roads are not expected to be gridlocked as they were in the early 2000s, motorists are still warned to expect high traffic levels as people come off the M4 and take the borough’s roads to reach the festival site near Caversham.
Reading Borough has asked residents to consider switching to public transport, use their bike or allow extra time to reach their destination.
Temporary traffic management will be in place at various locations around town, including nighttime closures of roads and footpaths.
During Bank Holiday Monday, temporary traffic restrictions will be in place at the Napier Road / Vastern Road roundabout. The northbound closure of Cow Lane will be reinstated between 8am and 3pm to assist the main exit of weekend ticket-holders.
Richfield Avenue, between its junctions with Cardiff Road and Tessa Road, will be closed to traffic between 10.30pm and 1am, on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday (August 26th, 27th and 28th) to enable a safe exit from the festival site for the 20,000 day ticket holders.
And the Thames Path will close overnight, between Scours Lane to the far end of Thames Side Promenade, from 9pm to 7am, from Thursday, August 25th to Saturday, August 27th inclusive.
There will also be a range of temporary traffic measures in place around the Richfield Avenue area, aimed at keeping the roads moving.
A special freephone hotline has been set up for residents’ use who wish to offer comments, or to raise queries during the event. The line will be answered between 9am and 5pm on Wednesday 24th August, and then 24 hours from 9am on Thursday 25th until 3pm Monday 29th August and can be reached by calling 0333 003 5931. Residents can also email licensing@reading.gov.uk, which will be checked regularly during main event hours
Tony Page, Reading’s Lead Member for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, said: “As always, the Council work alongside organisers to help minimise delays as far as possible, but we strongly advise people to plan for the inevitable delays that will occur with 90,000 people attending Reading Festival this year. Using public transport is very often the best and quickest option during festival time.”
