Councillor apologises over Wolverhampton fireworks traffic chaos

The bonfire at Wolverhampton Racecourse was marred by traffic chaos as clogged roads left many of those who attended stranded on site for more than an hour.

Councillor John Reynolds, cabinet member for city economy, said: "Overall the event was a great success and we look forward to it returning next year.

"The council and its partners always aim to minimise disruption and we can only apologise to anyone caught up in the traffic delays.

"We will be working hard with the racecourse to improve traffic arrangements in the future."

More than 9,000 people turned up to watch the fireworks at Dunstall Park Racecourse on Thursday, the first time the event has been held at the venue.

But the night ended in misery for those trying to leave the site, after roads around the area became gridlocked from 8.30pm onwards. A mile-long queue of cars backed up through Whitmore Reans and onto Stafford Road.

Tempers became frayed as motorists tried in vain to leave the site, which only has one entrance and exit route.

Some drivers left their vehicles and began bellowing abuse at one another as frustrations mounted. It left some vowing not to return to the event next year.

One woman told the Express & Star that it had taken an hour to get to the site from the Stafford Road – a journey she said would normally take 10 minutes.

Another man said: "I've been waiting an hour to get off the car park. I definitely won't come back next year."

One enraged woman said: "It's been horrendous, people shouting abuse and trying to squeeze past each other."

Others have complained that no park-and-ride buses were put on to encourage people to leave their cars at home.

Commenting on the expressandstar.com, Boycey wrote: "Madness played a month ago, there were park and ride and free buses. None of that yesterday so just mad traffic jams."