The Highways Agency is reminding road users to be prepared when travelling to this year’s V Festival.
Midlands biggest music festival is being staged at Weston Park in Staffordshire from 17 to 18 August and is expected to attract around 90,000 people.
More than 25,000 vehicles are anticipated to arrive next Friday (16 August), and the M6 and M54 are likely to be far busier than normal.
The Highways Agency is working in partnership with the event organisers and local authorities to help festival-goers get to the camp site and to keep motorway traffic flowing. Anyone travelling through the area is however advised to allow extra time for their journey, or to plan an alternative route or time.
There will be extra traffic officer patrols on the M6 and M54 near to Weston Park to clear up any incidents quickly and to help minimise disruption.
Next Friday morning (16 August), the northbound exit at junction 12 of the M6 will be closed - with festival traffic diverted along the M54 to junction 3. A one-way system along the A41 will then help traffic access Weston Park from that point. Southbound traffic on the M6 will be able to leave at junction 12. From there marshals and temporary signs will advise of the best route to the festival site.
Frank Bird, Highway Agency events planner for West Midlands, said:
“As there are a number of road changes and access points for V Festival that will change during the day depending on traffic flow, music fans are strongly advised to follow the signs rather than a satnav once they get close to Weston Park. For example, the postcode will not necessarily be the best access point to the campsite.
“With so many vehicles anticipated to arrive, there will be a possibility of delays. Please ensure that your vehicle has sufficient fuel and make sure that you have plenty of drinks, such as water, available in the vehicle. That way, if there are any delays, all vehicle users will have safe access to fluids keeping them hydrated and safe."
As well as additional Highways Agency traffic officers on patrol, staff at the Highways Agency's West Midlands regional control centre will be monitoring the network via CCTV and other state-of-the-art technology to keep traffic moving.
