Plea to be sensible if travelling to Stonehenge for Summer Solstice
There's a warning from Police
Anyone travelling to Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice celebrations tonight (Monday 20th June) and tomorrow morning are being urged to be sensible.
The warning has come from Wiltshire Police, who say they have been working with partners to make sure the event can go ahead safely.
It's the first time since 2019 that the public can celebrate the Summer Solstice at the World Heritage Site.
English Heritage are expecting around ten thousand people to attend.
Superintendent Conway Duncan, from Wiltshire Police, said:
“We know that Summer Solstice is a very important date in the calendar for many people, who will be planning to travel to Wiltshire to mark the occasion.
“Due to the pandemic, this is the first time in a few years that people will be able to return to Stonehenge for Solstice and we have been working hard to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
“Please make sure you are aware of any parking restrictions, road closures and travel plans in advance to minimise disruption for yourself and other attendees.
“We would urge everyone to act responsibly and enjoy Summer Solstice in a safe and positive way.”
National Highways are also advising motorists to plan their journeys along the A303.
The road past Stonehenge is likely to be busy before, during and after the event.
A 40mph speed limit will be in place on the A303 between the Countess roundabout and Longbarrow roundabout, with the lay-bys closed in between, and the dual carriageway will be reduced to a single lane between Countess Roundabout and Stonehenge Cottages.
John Ingram, National Highways’ Resilience Planner for the South West, said:
“We’re anticipating traffic volumes to increase on the A303 around this event, and our aim is to keep the National Highways network running while keeping road users safe and informed.
“The traffic management will be in place for safety and to keep disruption to a minimum, and we advise all road users to check our traffic and travel information channels, plan their journeys and allow plenty of time.
“A temporary pedestrian crossing will be installed near Stonehenge Cottages for the safety of visitors walking from Stonehenge Road, Amesbury, and we advise all pedestrians to use this to access the site.”