Motorists Attending Gatecrasher Summer Sound System Event are Advised to Allow More Time for their Journey.

M2 PRESSWIRE-21 May 2008-UK Government: Motorists Attending Gatecrasher Summer Sound System Event are Advised to Allow More Time for their Journey(C)1994-2008 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:21052008

Visitors to the Gatecrasher Summer Sound System at Turweston Aerodrome, Buckinghamshire this weekend are being advised by the Highways Agency to plan their journey and allow plenty of time to get to the event.

The music festival takes place on Saturday 24 May to Sunday 25 May and major roads and motorways in the area are likely to be busy due to the Bank Holiday weekend.

About 40,000 people are expected to attend the event which continues until 6am on both the Sunday and bank holiday Monday mornings, and more than 10,000 cars are expected to head to and from the festival site.

Drivers going to the event are advised to use the following route: From the North -M1 J16, then A45, A5 and A43

From the South - M40 J10, then A43

From the West - M40 J10 then A43

From the East - M1 J15a then A43

The route will be clearly signposted from both the M1 and M40.

Paul Sinfield, route performance manager for Northamptonshire, said:

"The diversion routes to the festival will be well signposted but anyone travelling in the area over the bank holiday weekend should plan their journey in advance and check the latest travel conditions before they set out.

"We are making sure that we can provide as much helpful information as we can to enable people to make their journeys safely and reliably." The Agency, which manages motorways and major roads in England, is also advising drivers to keep up-to-date with the latest road conditions on radio travel bulletins while they are on the road.

To help drivers make smoother journeys over the busy weekend, 17 sets of roadworks will be completed and a further 18 will be suspended between 6am on Friday 23 May and midnight on Monday 26 May. Roadworks at 44 locations will remain in place for the safety of drivers and their passengers.

Drivers can get up-to-the-minute information by phoning the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 504030, by accessing its website: http://www.highways.gov.uk or by tuning into the Highways Agency's Traffic Radio, available on DAB digital radio and at http://www.trafficradio.org.uk.Notes to Editors

1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England's motorways and major A roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.

2. Real -time traffic information for England's motorways and major A roads is now available:

* From our new Traffic Radio service, available on DAB digital radio and the internet at http://www.trafficradio.org.uk To tune into the DAB service, simply press the "scan" button on your radio. The radio will tune into all available channels and you can select the new service by scrolling through the channels until you reach "Traffic Radio".

* On the internet at http://www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo

* By phone from the Highways Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115. (Calls from BT landlines to 0870 numbers will cost no more than 8p per minute; mobile calls usually cost more).

3. Before using a mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. Make sure it's safe and legal before you call.

4. For more 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 at any time. (Calls to 0845 numbers cost no more than 3p/min from BT residential landlines. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary)

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