Cosford Air Show road chaos to be tackled
Extra staff and a professional car parking company will be brought in to help manage traffic at Cosford Air Show, after thousands of visitors got stuck in traffic chaos last year.
Organisers today unveiled new arrangements for the event, which will attract thousands of visitors to RAF Cosford on June 8.
The changes will see accredited staff put in place to direct traffic at key junctions so busy routes can be managed rather than relying on traffic lights.
The gates to the show, from the A464, will also be open to the public for longer in a bid to reduce pressure on the M54.
Air show spokeswoman Amanda Butcher said: "Last year's record crowds saw considerable congestion and long tail backs in the surrounding area so we have worked hard with all the local agencies to come up with a number of changes which we expect to bring a much improved traffic flow and improvements to the car parking arrangements."
A professional car parking company with experience in major events will also be working with staff at RAF Cosford to improve car parking entry and exit systems and make sure traffic flows well with in the car parks.
Ms Butcher added: "We will be able to get people on and off the site more quickly and also be able to respond to any build-up of traffic on the local roads by changing the flow priority.
"As a result, we are confident that we will see a significant improvement this year."
Last year, queues stretched for up to six miles along the M54 between junction two for Wolverhampton and junction 3 at Tong. The A41 and the A5 in Shropshire were also badly congested.
Cosford Air Show, which is one of the biggest events in the region's calendar, will this year include the first appearance of two operational aircraft from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, while the crowds will also be entertained by the Red Arrows, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the RAF Falcons.
Organisers of the show say this year's event will provide a £2 million boost to the area.
Last year's show attracted some 60,000 visitors, with businesses in the surrounding areas said to have benefitted.
Tickets to the show which cost £20 for adults and entry is free for under 16s, can be bought online.
