V Festival traffic delays expected

The event, which this year features Justin Timberlake, The Killers and Paolo Nutini, is set to attract 85,000 people to Weston Park from Friday through to Monday.

A series of temporary restrictions will be in place on the A41 on the first day of the festival, while the Highways Agency will open up a section of the M6 currently undergoing roadworks to cope with the extra traffic.

South Staffordshire Council say road users are likely to be faced with slow-moving traffic along all key routes around the site.

On the festival's opening day, long delays are expected between 7am and 8pm on the stretch of the A5 between Gailey Island and Pickmere roundabout. Traffic is also expected to be slow between J3 of the M54 and Pickmere roundabout on the A41.

Between 7am and 7pm on the same day the A41 will be one-way in the northbound direction between the M54 junction three and Pickmere Roundabout.

On August Saturday and Sunday, minor disruption is expected on the primary routes to and from the park, with a slight increase in traffic likely between 9am and 2pm.

The Highways Agency said the M6 and M54 are likely to be far busier than normal, with traffic officer patrols and extra free recovery vehicles stationed on the motorways in an effort to clear up any incidents quickly and minimise disruption.

To accommodate the extra traffic, part of the managed motorway under construction between junctions 10a Cannock and 13 Stafford of the M6 will be open during the festival.

The southbound carriageway will have additional lanes running between junctions 13 and 12 from 6am on August 15 and 4pm on August 17.

Last year, festival goers faced delays of up to two-and-a-half hours as roads around the site became gridlocked . An estimated 22,000 vehicles will head to the festival area.

Frank Bird, Highway Agency events planner for the West Midlands, said: "There will be narrow lanes and a 50mph speed restriction throughout the smart motorway work between junctions 10a and 13 but the fact we are able to open up the hard shoulder on the southbound carriageway means we can improve traffic flow in the area.

"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 to keep you and your passengers hydrated in the case of delays."

More than 75,000 people camp on site during the event.