Cynlluniau Rheoli Traffig ar gyfer Sioe Frenhinol Cymru
Precautionary measures, including the provision of an additional 54 acres for parking, have been taken by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society to help avoid exceptional traffic problems similar to those caused by bad weather at last year’s Royal Welsh Show.
The extra parking will cost some £20,000, and servicing the new parks with shuttle buses a similar amount, the Show Director, Harry Fetherstonhaugh, told the annual meeting of the society.
Mr Fetherstonhaugh said 800 metres of new drains will have been installed on the showground for the 2008 event and 1700 metres of new stone roads laid in car and caravan parks owned by the society including the North 2 car park, the North 5 special car park for disabled visitors, North 6 members’ caravan park and roads at Wernfawr which have been extended. Some 2270 metres of tracking will also be available for laying in car parks the society does not own.
Changes in the show layout and traffic management plan include:
• North 9 vehicle park (formerly the Judges and Stewards car park) will – as was the case last year – be used for livestock lorry and trailer parking for cattle and sheep.
• North 11 will continue to accommodate livestock caravans (cattle and sheep) and the pig and goat exhibitors’ vehicles.
• North 10 (formerly a public car park) will be the Judges and Stewards car park with entrance and exit via the Livestock Entrance. Tracking will be laid to create not only a spinal road but also lateral roads to ensure that it can be used in all weathers.
In order to avoid a repeat of last year’s parking problems the society is making available drier fields on three major approaches.
• North 16 (Wernhalog) will be used for the first time in 2008 and will serve vehicles approaching from Hundred House and the East on the A481.
• North 17 (Neuadd) between Howey and the showground will accommodate vehicles approaching from the Northeast on the A483. It was used last year for the first time on three of the show days.
• North 18 (Graig Goch Fawr) between Newbridge on Wye and Cwmbach was also used on three days last year. It will park those vehicles approaching from the Northwest on the A470.
“I beg members and visitors to cooperate fully with the traffic management team and use these new car parks and the shuttle bus system which will ferry passengers to the showground entrances on arrival and right back virtually to their cars at the end of the day. Please note there will be no forward parking on these routes.”
“I hope you will agree that the society has taken some very real and positive steps following the experiences of last year,” Mr Fetherstonhaugh said.