Click here to return to the homepage

Back

Information for Island Residents

The Isle of Wight Festival will takes place on the 22, 23 and 24 June. The Isle of Wight Council is working with partner agencies to ensure that the festival is an enjoyable and safe event for both residents and visitors.

Residents parking and permits

A resident only parking zone will again be in place in the Cross Lane/Halberry Lane estate area and residents have been issued with permits. Any vehicle parked within the above area on-road and not displaying an Isle of Wight Festival Residents parking permit is likely to receive a parking ticket.

Between approximately mid morning on Friday 22 June and early afternoon on Monday 25 June there will be restricted access to all the roads in the Halberry Lane/Cross Lane estate area. However, residents and deliveries will be able to use the roads as normal. 

During the period of the restriction, vehicle access for residents and deliveries into all of the roads will only be possible from Fairlee Road (into Halberry Lane), and from Staplers Road (into Cross Lane). Access will not be possible from Fairlee Road (into Victoria Road) and from Staplers Road (into Fairmount Drive and into Mayfield Drive).

Please note:

Resident Parking Permits are provided to residents for their own personal use only and are not transferable. Any residents attempting to sell these permits on to a third party should therefore be aware that doing so will result in an instant loss of entitlement to any future permits

• Please click here to download the Isle of Wight Festival Residents Newsletter (Fairlee Road & District - June 2012)

Traffic information and how to get to and from the festival

Pedestrian safety & Newport one-way restriction (Fairlee Road)

Due to the number of people attending the festival a oneway restriction is necessary to accommodate a pedestrian only lane on the northbound carriageway of A3054 Fairlee Road. The restriction will be in operation between the entrance to the temporary bus station (at the access to North Fairlee Farm) and the junction of Staplers Road. Traffic in this section of road will only be permitted to travel in the direction towards Newport. This will be in operation from approximately 10am on Thursday 21 June until early afternoon on Monday 25 June.

Due to the one-way restriction all traffic travelling from Newport to East Cowes and Ryde, and from Newport to the festival campsite/main festival car park, will be diverted via Staplers Road, Whiterails Road and Station Road to Wootton, A3054 High Street and Lushington Hill.

Possible delays

During the event there will be far more traffic in the Newport/Wootton area, meaning additional delays, especially at peak times. If you live on the Isle of Wight it is strongly recommended that you avoid driving to the festival site as there will only be a limited number of parking spaces surrounding Seaclose Park. Please arrange a lift, taxi, or walk if you live nearby.

Southern Vectis will be operating special festival shuttle buses above and beyond their normal timetable with additional extra late services. All Festival shuttle buses arrive and depart from the Festival bus station in the Campsite. If you have a non camping Festival Wristband you can still arrive and depart from here. Please see the page we have dedicated to Bus Information or visit the Southern Vectis website for festival-specific travel information:www.islandbuses.info

Speed Limits and No Waiting Restrictions (Racecourse, Fairlee Road)

For safety reasons and to minimise congestion, there will be a temporary 30mph speed limit and a 24 hour Highway Clearway Order (where no stopping/parking will be permitted on the road, in any lay-bys on the footway or verge). The restrictions are on the Racecourse/Fairlee Road between Racecourse roundabout and the junction with Staplers Road and in Whippingham Road near to East Cowes Road junction (the event entrance for vehicles) to the Racecourse roundabout at the above times from mid-morning on Tuesday 19 June until the afternoon of Monday 25 June 2012.

Festival car parks

The main IOW Festival car park is FREE and the entrance is off East Cowes Road, 300 metres on the East Cowes side of Racecourse roundabout, Whippingham. Event directions will be signposted.

The car park will open at 8am on Thursday 21 June and will then be open between 8am and 12 midnight on each day.

There is limited parking in Newport car parks and on street. Event goers are advised to use the main event car park.

Temporary late night road closures (Racecourse and Fairlee Road)

The A3054 Racecourse and Fairlee Road will be closed to vehicle traffic in both directions between the Racecourse roundabout and Staplers Road after the event finishes each night.

The road closure will be in operation from approximately:

• Friday 22 June from 1130pm to 1.15am
• Saturday 23 June from 1130pm to 1.15am
• Sunday 24 June from 10.30pm to 12.15am

These closure times may need to change if circumstances require.

Vehicle access along Fairlee Road from the entrance to the temporary bus station (at the access to North Fairlee Farm) to the junction of Staplers Road (including for residents living along this section of road) will not be possible, except in an emergency, during each road closure. Access to Island Harbour and Fairlee Road premises from Mill Lane up to the temporary bus station (the access to North Fairlee Farm) will however be possible during these times.

Seaclose Park

To ensure the health and safety of the public during the staging of the festival at Seaclose Park, sections of the park are closed as follows:

Skate park and tennis courts closed from Monday 11 June and Monday 2 July

The recreation ground on both sides of the access road will be closed between Monday 11 June and Monday 2 July.

Seaclose Park play area will be closed between Thursday 21 June and Tuesday 26 June.

The Arboretum, including footpaths and cycle ways, is closed between Monday 11 June and Friday 29 June.

Footpath Closure

The footpath from Seaclose Park access road across Seaclose Park to Island Harbour Marina and the cycle track link from Fairlee Road through Medina High School and the Arboretum are both currently closed until Monday 2 July 2012.

The access road through Seaclose Park from Fairlee Road to Newport Quay and Footpath N120 along Newport Quay from Jubilee Stores to Seaclose Park access Road will both be closed to pedestrians and vehicles from the evening on Wednesday 20 June until the morning of Monday 25 June 2012.

Footpath N120 along Newport Quay from Sea Street to Jubilee Stores will be closed to pedestrians and vehicles from the early evening on Friday 22 June until the morning on Monday 25 June 2012.

The Quay and Sea Street area

Quay Street will be closed from the High Street to the junction with Sea Street between 5pm on Friday 22 June and the early hours on Monday 25 June 2012 to accommodate the main Isle of Wight Festival Taxi rank. Responding to residents concerns from previous years, staff will be in place to monitor taxi operations.

Permit holders who normally park in Quay Street will be allowed to park in County Hall, Sea Street and Little London car parks during this period at no extra charge.

Access for Quay Street residents and businesses for loading and unloading will be permitted from 7ams until 5.30pm on each day. All vehicles will need to access and exit from the High Street direction whilst the restriction is in operation.

Sea Street will be closed to traffic between Holyrood Street and Quay Street with access to Sea Street premises and businesses maintained only to and from the Holyrood Street direction, due to the Isle of Wight Festival taxi rank in Quay Street

From 6pm on each evening during the festival (or earlier if all road parking is full), in the interests of road safety, vehicle access to Sea Street and Quay Street will not be possible except in urgent and emergency situations.

Vehicles will be permitted to leave Sea Street and County Hall car parks after the event on each night when safe to do so. Sea Street will remain closed for up to an hour after the end of the event due to the number of pedestrians leaving the event across The Quay into Sea Street and Quay Street.

Halberry Lane area

HALBERRY LANE ESTATE AREA:- Halberry Lane, Cross Lane, Atkinson Drive, Victoria Road, St Pauls View Road, Gordon Road, Harvey Road, Bellemead Lane, Blackberry Close, Greenfields Road, Cooper Road, Bellecroft Drive, Cook Avenue, Oak Close, Fairmount Drive , Mayfield Drive and Cynthia Grove will be closed to traffic except for residents and deliveries from approximately 9am on Friday 22nd until 1pm on Monday 25th June in the interests of road safety. 

During the above times vehicular access will only be possible into the Halberry Lane Estate area from A3054 Fairlee Road into Halberry Lane and from Staplers Road into Cross Lane.

Note: There will not be access for traffic from Fairlee Road into Victoria Road or from Staplers Road into Fairmount Drive or Mayfield Road.

East Cowes and Whippingham area

The day after the festival closes, plans will be in place to help keep traffic moving and reduce congestion in the East Cowes and Whippingham areas. Beatrice Avenue will become a one-way system for the day.

Ferry and local traffic will be filtered and will continue to head into East Cowes via York Avenue. Light traffic for the ferry will be diverted into Beatrice Avenue by Priory School (formerly Whippingham Primary). Red Funnel staff will then filter traffic near to Saunders Way. Any vehicles arriving too early for their ferry may be diverted away from the terminal with priority given to those with bookings.

Drivers are advised that there will be a waiting time in the Beatrice Avenue marshalling area, although this should be no more than 30 minutes.

Council Services

Isle of Wight Council Seaclose Planning Offices

Access to the planning offices is closed between Thursday 21 June and Monday 25 June. The planning service is available during the festival and is contactable on 821000. Should you wish to speak to an officer in person during the festival period, you should travel to the Council Customer Services Centre at County Hall if you have any Planning enquiries. Current planning applications can be viewed at www.iwight.com/planningapps while the offices are closed.

Isle of Wight Council Register Office

Isle of Wight Council's Register Office will temporarily move to County Hall in Newport during the Isle of Wight Festival. Please view press release for further information.

Medina Leisure Centre

All facilities will be closed to the public at 1.30pm on Thursday 21st June until Sunday 24th June inclusive. On Monday 25th June the leisure centre will re-oen with normal hours.

Cowes Floating Bridge

The chain ferry between Cowes and East Cowes will be operating until 1am on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings of the Festival weekend. This is an extention of its normal timetable which can be viewed here.

Household Waste Collections

Collection days are not affected by the festival, the collection will be made on your normal collection day.

Further information

For general highways information:

Isle of Wight Council, tel: (01983) 823777.

Back to the Top

©2011 Isle of Wight Council | Disclaimer | Privacy | Contact WebTeam | GOV.UK | Freedom of Information | Report a problem