19/08 Leeds Festival 2006 at Bramham Park 25 - 27 August

Leeds Festival 2006 at Bramham Park 25 - 27 August

HIGHWAYS AGENCY ADVICE TO DRIVERS
POSSIBLE CONGESTION ON M1, A63, A6120, A58 AND A64 IN NORTH AND WEST
YORKSHIRE

Jon Cole from the Highways Agency will be available for ISDN interviews
in the run up to the event. To arrange please contact Eva Peros on Tel:
0113 283 6592

Major trunk roads and motorways in West Yorkshire are likely to be very
busy over the August Bank Holiday as drivers head to the Leeds
Festival.

The festival runs from 12pm on Friday 25 August to 3am on Sunday 27
August and is staged in the grounds of Bramham Park, east of Leeds, south
of Wetherby and close to the A1 and A64. The number of visitors
expected at the event is around 65,000 with over 13,000 expected to arrive by
car.

The festival organisers, Mean Fiddler, are encouraging visitors to
travel by public transport and there will be special National Express and
See Coaches festival services running directly into the site from all
over the UK. Also operating will be regular shuttle bus services to and
from Leeds Rail Station, Leeds Bus Station and York Rail Station,
straight into the event site.

The Highways Agency Traffic Officers will be managing the traffic from
the Regional Control Centre in Wakefield and in yellow and black 4x4s
on the roads. Traffic Officers will be on hand to keep traffic moving,
ease any congestion and assist drivers as necessary.

Drivers are being advised to allow extra time for their journeys and
non-Festival traffic is being advised to avoid the area if possible, to
help minimise disruption.

Peak traffic flows are likely on Thursday 24 August and on the morning
of Friday 25 August as festival goers arrive on site. Most traffic is
expected to depart the site late in the evening of Sunday 27 August and
before noon on Monday 28 August.

Jon Cole from the Highways Agency said:

"The Highways Agency has worked closely with Mean Fiddler, West
Yorkshire Police and Leeds City Council to develop traffic management plans
which aim to ease congestion around the site. We are aiming to minimise
disruption to the strategic road network and ensure regular road users
are affected as little as possible.

"The Highways Agency and the police will monitor traffic congestion on
the local road network and, if necessary, put into action agreed
diversion routes."

TRAVELLING TO THE FESTIVAL

The routes to the festival will be well signposted and have been
publicised by the organisers via promotional literature, the Internet and in
written information sent out with all tickets to the event.

- Those travelling from the South on the M1 will be directed onto the
A63 to the Leeds ring road (A6120) and then eastbound onto the A64.

- Those travelling from the South and the North on the A1 will be
directed to the A659 (westbound), to the A58 (southbound) to the Leeds ring
road (A6120) and then eastbound onto the A64.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES FOR ALL OTHER TRAFFIC

Regular users of the A64 are strongly advised to consider using
alternative routes wherever possible and to allow extra time when using the
M1, A6120, A63, A58 Southbound and A64 during the festival period and in
particular on Thursday 24 August.

- Traffic that would normally use the A64 to access the A1(M) and East
Coast should use the A63 and the M1 North.

- Traffic that would normally use the A64 Westbound to access Leeds
City Centre and Leeds East should use the M1 (South).

- Traffic that would normally use the A64 Westbound and Ring Road A6120
to access Leeds North should use the A1 (North) and A58.

- Traffic that would normally use the Ring Road A6120 to access the
A1(M) and the M1 (South) and the East Coast should use the A58 and the
A1(M).

Drivers can call the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 504030
or log on to http://www.highways.gov.uk for more information and help
with journey planning.

Notes to Editors
1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for
Transport. It manages, maintains and improves England's motorways and
trunk roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.

2. The Highways Agency traffic information website is at
http://www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo.

3. For real-time traffic information, the Highways Agency 24-hour voice
activated telephone service is on 08700 660 115. (Calls from BT
landlines to 0870 numbers will cost no more than 8p per minute; mobile calls
usually cost more)

4. For general information about the Highways Agency and its work,
visit the Highways Agency website http://www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone
the Highways Agency information line on 08457 50 40 30 (Calls from BT
landlines to 0845 numbers will cost no more than 3p per minute; mobile
calls usually cost more. Service operates: 8am to 8pm weekdays, 9am to
5pm weekends).

Safe driving at roadworks
During 2005, five workers were killed and 12 seriously injured in the
course of their work on Highways Agency roads. This was the worst year
for 5 years.
For the safety of all road users and roadworkers, drivers approaching
roadworks are advised to:
* Keep within the speed limit - it is there for your safety.
* Get into the correct lane in good time - don't keep switching.
* Concentrate on the road ahead, not the roadworks.
* Be alert for works' traffic leaving or entering roadworks.
* Keep a safe distance - there could be queues in front.
* Observe all signs - they are there to help you.