Download Festival investigates 'unprecedented' traffic levels

Festival organisers said meetings would take place with local businesses and residents ahead of next year's festival

Download Festival has launched an investigation into traffic levels following "unprecedented" congestion ahead of this year's event.

Thousands arrived at Donington Park in Leicestershire on 7 and 8 June causing long delays on nearby roads including the M1, A50 and A453.

Some people reported queuing for more than seven hours to enter the site.

Live Nation Entertainment, the organisers of the festival, said it hoped to establish what went wrong.

It said a number of traffic management debrief meetings had taken place since the event.

It said it believed a higher attendance, an increased number of vehicles and issues over travel routes to car parks were the main contributing factors to the delays.

A Live Nation Entertainment spokesperson added: "We recognise that the level of traffic congestion was unprecedented and not acceptable due to the effect it had on our customers and the local community.

"As organisers of the festival, we have committed to a full review of the traffic management plan and information that was provided to ticket holders relating to the route to designated car parks."

Some people reported queuing for more than seven hours to enter the site.

The company said that in future the annual event would continue with its usual format, opening the campsites two days before the festival to "spread" the arrival of attendees.

There would be meetings with local businesses and residents ahead of next year's festival in an effort to improve "community engagement", it said.

National Highways, which manages the road network, previously said plans would be made to stop disruption happening again.

Phil Shaw, from the organisation, said: "After any major event such as the Download Festival we routinely carry out a review to see if any lessons can be learnt.

"We will be looking at how the event impacted our roads and how we can avoid some of the issues encountered by road users next time."