One of the UK’s hottest music festivals, Bestival, takes place next week between Thursday 5th and Sunday 8th September, with residents being advised to plan their journeys to avoid delays.
Key routes to the Bestival will become busy as tens of thousands of people travel to Robin Hill, near Arreton for this year’s event.
A map has been produced by the council showing the designated routes for Bestival traffic, which also outlines areas residents should avoid if possible, including the Hare and Hounds junction and Robin Hill roundabout. (see below)
One-way restrictions
There is an important change for traffic using Rowlands Lane, Havenstreet this year, with the road becoming a one-way system. From 18:00 on Wednesday (4th September) onwards it will be one-way from the Havenstreet Main Road junction to the Downs Road.
This will remain in place until around 2:00 on Sunday evening when the direction will be reversed and traffic flow will be from the Downs Road to the Havenstreet Main Road junction. The road is due to return to a two-way flow from 18:00 on Monday (9th September).
There will be restrictions to public footpaths and bridleways close to the Bestival site during the event, and a 30 mph speed limit will also be in force on roads leading to and outside the site for safety reasons.
To help with traffic arriving or leaving by the Red Funnel car ferry in East Cowes on Monday, Beatrice Avenue will be ‘no waiting at any time’ and will also become a one-way system from 05:00 until midnight to help reduce congestion.
Car parks
In Binstead, from 05:o0 Thursday (5th September) until 22:00 on Monday, ‘no waiting at any time’ zones will be in force in Newnham Road.
Council run car parks at Yaverland seafront, Fort Street in Sandown, North Walk and Appley Park in Ryde will be closed and held in reserve each day to be used as vehicle holding areas should the Bestival site become inaccessible for cars. River Road car park in Yarmouth will also be partially closed. Should they not be required, these car parks will be re-opened to the public at some point each day.
Regular traffic updates will be provided by Island Echo in the lead up to, during and after the event. To receive information directly, residents with access to social media are encouraged to ‘like’ Island Echo’s Facebook page and follow @islandecho on Twitter.
The council has also organised a live question and answer session on its Facebook page where residents can ask partner agencies about the event and changes to services.
The event, which takes place between 18:00 to 19:000 on Monday 2nd September, will involve officers from the council, Island Roads, the Bestival itself and Hampshire Police answering questions live. For details on how to take part in the questions and answers session, people should log on towww.facebook.com/isleofwightcouncil and ‘Like’ the page.
