Duxford BoB Air Show traffic today

[Superpilot]

Absolute madness. It was obvious they couldn't handle so many people today. Sat there on the A505 at noon, moved about 150 metres in 1hr 30 mins (3 miles to go). Saw the Red Arrows display start and end, in that time we moved another 50 metres. Kids in the back, screaming, hungry. Don't think I was the only one to head back. What a waste of a day! :(

[Tupperware Pilot]

I remember the same problem at he 60th Spitfire show back in 1996......so nothing has changed!
Tend to fly into Duxford, its easier.

[Molesworth 1]

... but just think how long it would have taken if you'd gone by car!:ooh:

[Zulu Alpha]

We got there by going via back lanes after getting to 4 miles away and then sitting there for 1/2 hr. Even via the back way it took an hour

We had tickets to the Thales private enclosures and hence a car park ticket for next to the museum.

The Thales bus that set off at 9.30 finally arrived 5 hrs later after a 30 mile journey!!

They made tannoy announcements to say that they sold out and closed the gates because they had no parking space left. They asked people to phone anyone who was stuck to let them know. They said they would refund anyone who had prepurchased tickets.

I suspect the traffic was bad because they had to turn cars away one by one which must have taken ages.

The highlight was the display by 16 spitfires. I have seen one or two together before, but seeing 16 take off in pairs and then all wheeling around the sky in front of us was something very different and quite amazing. Just like what it must have been like in WW2, it made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

A close second were the Patouille de France and then the Typhoon.

Very sorry to anyone who was stuck in the awful traffic. Sounds like it was grossly oversubscribed.

[impulse9]

Very disappointed! Also sat on the 505 for 2 hours and got in a 1430, so caught the best bits. I couldn't believe it when i saw the reds at 1230 from the car! From the IWB website "flying displays from 1400" ......wtf

[yakker]

You would think after all these years they could organise an airshow. I must admit when I arrived it was not very busy. But cars entered the grounds in single file, then had to go through 8 separate lanes to a booth to pay for your tickets (no lanes set aside to those of us who prepaid) and then filter back to one lane is plain stupid. It took 30 minutes to go through this system, I had spent less time queueing to get from the M11 into the grounds.
In future if I don't fly-in I will not bother.

[Zulu Alpha]

By 1.30 they had closed the M11 exit from the south.

There didn't seem to be any system to let people know it was sold out, hence ticket holders were blocked by people arriving to be told they couldn't get in.
They need an airshow radio station which people can tune into.

I suspect tomorrow may be the same. 16 Spitfires in display is something special.

[niknak]

I know that there are new illuminated signs on the A11/M11 (south and north), in fact they've been there for a while now - all of them have large yellow signs "sign not in use yet". If someone plugged them in at least they could be used to advise traffic of the circumstances.

Equally I think that the IWM could easily afford to finance similar types of illuminated signs on the A505 and similar heavily used approach routes.

I don't know the area well enough to suggest that temporary one way road systems should be implemented for the really big events at Duxford, but whatever happens the IWM have ultimate responsible for getting this sorted, not the local councils or council tax payers.

[Zulu Alpha]

This is from the website

Sunday 5 September

An exceptionally busy day is expected at the air show on Sunday 5. Visitors are advised to arrive early to avoid disappointment. Please note that the flight line walk will open at 10.00am. The flying display commences at 2.00pm with the Red Arrows and finishes at 5.35pm.

Information for Saturday's Pre-booked Ticket Holders

Due to unprecedented attendance at the air show on Saturday 4 September, the Museum's car parks reached capacity and the gates were closed to further vehicles.

Pre-booked ticket holders who were unable to gain entry to the Museum on Saturday are welcome to attend the air show on Sunday 5 September. Unused pre-booked Saturday tickets will be valid for entry on Sunday. Alternatively, please email [email protected] or telephone 01223 499 353 from Monday for information about receiving a full refund.

The Museum wishes to apologise for any inconvenience caused and thanks its visitors for their support.

[beamer]

Obviously not a solution for everybody but if circumstances suit why not park up four or five miles out and cycle in past all the traffic - used to do that at Fairford for years not to mention Silverstone and other big events; it also makes getting around the airfield/circuit so much easier.

[yakker]

Saturday there was a lot of people walking in to the show. When I left and saw cars parked on the grass verges (both sides of the road) for a couple of miles from Duxford, it seems they did as you suggest Beamer.

[Contacttower]

Whether it be Farnborough, RIAT or Duxford it seems impossible to get the number of cars wanting to arrive into the show in a timely fashion, I don't know whether there is anything that the organisers could do to make things better but I think in future I'm just not going to drive.

I flew into Flying Legends a few years ago and that was great, no delay getting in, although there was a bit of a queue to get out. Mini bus delivered us from the aircraft to the display line and in general the whole experience was much more pleasant. For Farnborough, which is also a nightmare, I think the train works a lot better than driving.

[Malcom]

I just dont see the problem! There used to be plenty of space before hangars went up in the carparks. :rolleyes:

[JEM60]

In fairness to Duxford [I attend one day shows for at least 2 days, and the two day show for 3 days,and have done for the last 18 years, so my experience with this is relevant.]], the last time this happened, as a previous poster stated, was 14 years ago. There have been no problems at all getting people in, at any other show. If there are mass Spitfires, plus the Red Arrows, then there is going to be a problem. Parking space is limited at Duxford, and if a huge amount of public decided to go, one person in each car for example, then it is possible to run out of room to put them. Saturday's crowd was unprecedented. The place was heaving. I arrived with no queue from the East, at 7.45. I do have the benefit of a staff pass, but this does not get me through the traffic. On Sunday, my wife was working there from 1p.m, so we LEFT EARLY at 9am, and arrived there at 9.45 with a 100 yard queue. The main problem,on Saturday, as I could see from the motorway end, was that the left hand lane on the motorway became blocked. It seems, then, in talking to other people, that the Police, not Duxford, decided that clearing the motorway had to take priority, therefore, there was little chance of people coming from the east, on the A.505, of moving quickly at all.
I always cringe a little when people make posts that say, for example 'you would think that Duxford would know how to organise parking by now', because, running four shows per annum and numerous special events over many many years gives them a damn sight more experience of organising this than Joe Public has, but other people always seem to have other ideas on how to do it. Duxford is not responsible , for example, for people leaving home at midday, driving 60 miles, and expecting to get straight in!! Have they not been to a big Airshow before? Perhaps some people would be better off blaming themselves for their late arrival than the Duxford management, who are not responsible for traffic control off their land.
So, if it is a show with mass Spitfires, and Red Arrows, arrive early, and I mean by 8 am, or face the possible consequences.

[NutLoose]

Sense would allow cars in then queue to enter through ticket booths on foot.

[Zulu Alpha]

JEM60.

I think some criticism is due. The bus taking the Thales guests to the Thales VIP enclosure left Bury St Edmunds at 9.00 for a 45 min journey. Plenty of time for a show supposed to start at 14.00 or 12.30 for the Arrows) It took 5 hours for them to get in and they had gold car park priority parking.

Maybe the problem was the police but it spoilt the day

[Stephen Furner]

I went on Sunday and got in with little or no trouble. 10 or 15 mins of very slow moving traffic when in sight of the airfield was all I experienced. The traffic was directed along past the airfield and the people with passes filtered out as we went along. I and the other casual visitors were directed into a large field to park our cars in across the road behind the land war museum. From here I walked back to the road crossed to the entry gate and paid for a ticket to get in. Slightly more hassle than when I last visited but not a major problem. Generally it appeared very well organized with a lot of people out for the day with their families having fun.

I have put few photos on Facebook: Duxford 5 Sept 2010 | Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2053004&id=1118091118&l=67cda7ba6c)

[JEM60]

ZULU ALPHA.
I take your point, and as I stated, the problem was coming from the east A.505. for the reasons given earlier. I am surprised that the bus driver didn't use a map and divert. I met several people who, on encountering the queue, turned round, used smaller roads, came down through Thriplow, and ended up on the A.505 from the Baldock direction, merely half a mile from the car park, but then, that's local knowledge, but maps can work.
Did anybody coming from the west on the 505 have a problem?? Problem mainly is that ALL traffic from London is probably going to use the M11, which is why it stacks up.

NUTLOOSE. This does actually happen. A great many cars on the airfield are staff, volunteers, trade etc. All traffic between the hangars are staff etc., Motorway end is disabled and G.6 pass holders like my wife.[Friends of Duxford tent.]. Public parking is behind AA museum, and Land Warfare Museum. There is not that much on airfield room, and once that is full, people then park across the road, in the overflows, which, I think, hold possibly more cars than on airfield. They park, then walk to the booths.
As I have said, this is 14 years since a crowd like that has arrived, so, whilst being unfortunate, it is most definately not the norm for Duxford shows. Don't be put off by it, it is unlikely to ever happen again, I suspect.:{