Highways England is advising drivers traffic is likely to be busy around the M56 and M6 over the forthcoming late summer bank holiday weekend with up to 60,000 dance music lovers heading to the annual Creamfields festival in Cheshire.
Creamfields 2016 features 4 days of events – running between 2pm on Thursday 25 August through to 11pm on Sunday 28 August.
Anyone thinking of driving to the annual bank holiday festival is advised to plan their journey and leave plenty of time to get to the festival site on Daresbury Estate near Runcorn, just off junction 11 of the M56.
Extra police and Highways England traffic officers will be deployed around junction 11 of the M56 at Daresbury to deter festival goers from walking on the motorway – an issue in previous festivals particularly at the end of the event.
Drivers are being reminded that anyone stopping on the motorway hard shoulder or live lanes to drop off or pick up concert-goers risks an on-the-spot fine of £30. Anyone caught walking anywhere along the motorway carriageway also risks being fined £50.
Chris Chadwick, Highways England’s Events Planning Manager, said:
We will be doing all we can to manage traffic around the event and keep drivers on the move - festival goers and other drivers can help themselves by planning their journeys and keeping themselves up to date with traffic information.
We would like to remind everyone that the motorway is no place for pedestrians - it is dangerous and illegal and having pedestrians on the network can cause delays for legitimate motorway users. Drivers wanting to pick people up should use the dedicated collection points off the motorway network which will be clearly signed.
Car parks to the site will open at noon on the Thursday and close at 2pm on bank holiday Monday 29 August.
This year, with Mersey Gateway works in full flow, drivers are being advised not to use the M62 to get to the event. Event-goers travelling from the north, south and east of the venue will be directed to use junction 11 of the M56. Traffic heading from the west will be directed to use junction 12.
Highways England traffic officers at the North West regional control centre at Newton-le-Willows will use their electronic motorway signs across the local network to guide festival goers to the site and give information on any incidents or congestion.
Meanwhile, other road users are being advised that the M56 around junctions 10, 11 and 12 around Runcorn is likely to be busy at key times of the weekend. The M56 interchange with the M6 is also likely to experience higher volumes of traffic. Electronic signs along the M6, M56 and M62 are being used to give advance warning about the event.
Highways England is advising motorway users to check the latest travel information before setting out as well as listening for radio traffic alerts and heeding electronic signs once they are on the move.
Drivers can get up-to-the-minute traffic information by calling Highways England’s customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000 or by checking the Highways England website.
Live information on incidents or congestion will also be available from dedicated feeds from Twitter with the M56 and M6 routes covered by @HighwaysNWEST.
Dedicated travel information for those attending the event is available at the Creamfields website.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.