Make sure you're ready for the long and winding road to Glasto 2022!
Released On 20th Jun 2022
The world-famous Glastonbury Festival returns this week - and Somerset County Council will again be working closely with organisers to help keep hundreds of thousands of music fans moving.
More than 200,000 people will be heading to Worthy Farm near Pilton for the festival - many by road, for the first time since 2019 to catch Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar and many more perform.
Somerset County Council has traffic management staff working at the festival control room and will be keeping people updated on the latest travel conditions all week via @TravelSomerset on our Facebook and Twitter channels, as well as at www.travelsomerset.co.uk
Roads will be far busier than usual, and it takes time to get everyone onto the site; so, anyone travelling in the area is advised to allow extra time for their journeys.
Somerset County Council's Lead Member for Transport and Digital Cllr Mike Rigby, said: "It is excellent to see the return of Glastonbury Festival taking place in our wonderful county once again after a difficult couple of years. We are incredibly lucky to have such a renowned, worldwide event and we are very proud to work alongside the festival throughout the year in preparation.
"Like every year, we will be working throughout the week and doing our best to keep residents and festival goers up to date.
"With the current train strikes, we implore people to please plan ahead if you need to travel. You can follow our Travel Somerset page on Twitter and Facebook for regular updates."
During Glastonbury, the Council works closely with the event organisers to manage the highway network and keep vehicles moving. There is also an embargo on roadworks on all main routes meaning non-emergency works are suspended and roads are kept clear.
Travel advice from Somerset Road Safety
Pack your vehicle safely; heavy items packed low, loose items stowed securely, luggage not piled higher than the seat backs or blocking the seatbelts. Remember that your car will handle differently when fully laden, and your braking distances will increase.
Plan your journey. Don't leave it until the last minute; check the route, live travel information at www.travelsomerset.co.uk and programme your sat-nav before setting off. Remember, your sat-nav will not get you all the way to the right place within the festival site so please follow the signs and directions of marshals as soon as you see them.
Always follow the advice and information given by police officers and security staff on the ground. You might be directed in what seems like the wrong direction, but there is a detailed traffic plan in place to help keep people moving.
Carry plenty of water and snacks and be prepared for a significant increase in journey times.
If your trip is going to be a long one plan plenty of rest breaks into your journey; we recommend a 20-minute break for every two hours driving.
Planning your journey home is just as important. When leaving the festival, you are highly likely to be directed in a different direction to that which you initially came from. There will be several closures in place to help traffic leaving the site. Please do not U turn close to the site as experience has shown that those using the signed routes get home far quicker by travelling a few miles extra.
Get some sleep: You’re likely to be fatigued after several late nights and tired drivers make mistakes, so get some rest before starting your journey and remember to take rest breaks during the trip home.
Drink/drugs: There are severe penalties for those caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and many don’t realise just how long they can remain over the legal limit. If you’re the one driving home, remember that you need to be sober and free of drugs. Don’t put your life or the lives of others at risk.
Remember to do a FLOWERS check, ahead of going to Glastonbury and also before returning home:
F (Fuel): Make sure you have enough for your journey
L (Lights): Clean all the lights and ensure they are working properly
O (Oil): Check the oil level and top up if needed
W (Water): Check the coolant level and top up the windscreen washer fluid
E (Electrics): Make sure your battery is in good working order
R (Rubber): Check tyre pressure and tread depths
S (Self): Ask yourself: ‘Am I fit to drive?’ If you are sharing the driving, is everyone insured?
More road safety advice can be found on the Somerset Road Safety website at www.somersetroadsafety.org, or you can follow the team on Facebook www.facebook.com/somersetroadsafety, @SCC_RoadSafety on Twitter and @somersetroadsafety on Instagram.
Stay up to date with the latest on the roads by following @TravelSomerset on Twitter and Facebook or check www.travelsomerset.co.uk.
