Traffic Management
2024 Traffic Management Plan
We strive to continue making improvements to our traffic management plan following various concerns expressed by the public in recent years. An updated plan has been carefully considered and addressed by our team alongside expert traffic management consultants.
Changes this year are focused on reducing traffic impacts to local residents – particularly in the Porth area which has experienced delays in the past. Decreasing delays in this area brings the added benefit of making public transport a more efficient and attractive option for the festival, helping our Green Travel initiatives and reducing car usage in the long term.
As in previous years, including 2023, there will be a road closure on Watergate Road during the festival live dates. The closure will start in the same location as previous year; by the SeaSpace apart-hotel (The Sands). There will be soft checks on the approach from Porth to inform drivers of the closure ahead. The closure is in place for safety reasons; when the Arena is open and the pedestrian crossings are in use. To avoid the closure entirely, it is recommended that you plan to use the road to the north of the Airport.
The timings that the closure is in place will vary from last year, but will be closed for the majority of time during the live dates of the festival. It will be opened if it’s safe to do so in the mornings to allow traffic to commute to/from Watergate Bay.
Local road closures along Henver Road will be in place to protect residents from festival traffic. Local residents, deliveries, friends, visitors, etc will all be able to access properties through the road closures along Henver Road.
A new Park and Ride is being used on the fair fields off the A3059 by the Trekenning Roundabout. This area will be used by some weekend ticket holders and all driving day ticket holders. There will be a bus service to the Blue area on site, which will be strengthened during peak egress times to move the planned number of people efficiently.
Public Ingress (Weekend Ticket Holders)
Wednesday 7th – Saturday 10th August: 06:00 – 22:00
Peak arrivals between 10:00 – 16:00
Wednesday 7th August: 70% of arrivals – busiest day
Thursday 8th August: 25% of arrivals – busy, fewer than Wednesday
Friday 9th August: 5% of arrivals – least busy
Saturday 10th August: Minimal traffic above a normal Saturday’s traffic
In order to effectively minimise traffic across the duration of the live show, all vehicles will be subject to a re-entry fee if they choose to leave the Boardmasters car park. This has proven to successfully deter attendees from driving on and off site over the busy weekend. Find out more about travel to Boardmasters here.
Some weekend ticket holders will be parking in the new White Park and Ride site off the A3059 near St. Columb Major. This is to help reduce the impact on Porth and the local area.
Public Ingress & Egress (Day Ticket Holders)
Friday 9th – Sunday 11th August: 10:00 – 03:00
Peak arrivals 10:00 – 14:00
Peak departures 22:30 – 01:00
The day ticket audience includes people who have bought tickets for a single day, two days, or a weekend non-camping ticket, which permits access to the arena on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Day ticket-holders will park in the NEW White Park and Ride Car Park, which is accessed from the A3059 and the Whitecross Road near the Trekenning Roundabout. Guests will also exit this car park on to the A3059 from Whitecross Road. The majority of day ticket-holders will arrive/depart via the shuttle bus service, taxi service, on foot, or dropped off/picked up.
Porth Traffic Management
This year there will be four staffed checkpoints at junctions along the B3276, to ensure residents have free flowing access to their homes and to help deter festival traffic away from Porth.
The traffic team will be able to implement road closures and ticket checks on the way up to Boardmasters to minimise the number of festivalgoers driving into Porth. This will be a staggered approach, from softer checks at the first point, to hard road closures as they progress. The level of check at the first two points will be dynamic and dependent of traffic levels.
These will be located at;
- Henver Road / Port Road Roundabout
- Porth / Lewarne Road Jct
- Porth Bay (Bus Stop after Holiday Park entrance on right)
- Up by SeaSpace Apart-hotel (formerly The Sands)
The first is a soft checkpoint at Henver Road / Port Road Roundabout to filter out the bulk of festival traffic. This will predominantly feature signage advising of the correct routes and road closures. There will also be staff present to re-direct anyone who is clearly a festival attendee (i.e., has a Boardmasters parking pass in their window, has visible camping equipment in the car etc.).
The second will be at the Porth / Lewarne Road Jct, this will be a stricter checkpoint, at which staff will be able to stop more vehicles and speak with drivers about whether they’re attempting to access the fesitval site. At this point, any festival attendees that have made it past the first checkpoint will be redirected out of Porth.
The third is the first hard closure point, only residents & access to businesses (e.g. Holiday parks on Trevelgue Road) will be able to drive beyond this point.
As in previous years, the final hard road closure will then be in place from the SeaSpace Apart-hotel (formerly The Sands) to Watergate Bay.
We cannot implement a full closure of the road into Porth, as we have to retain access for residents, businesses and holiday makers who are not going to the festival.
Porth Resident Access
We are providing a print-at-home ‘Porth Residents Access’ vehicle pass in advance of the festival, which will allow residents to be easily identifiable to staff at checkpoints and support quicker access into Porth. To receive the pass, please complete the application form here. *
Porth resident parking passes will not gain access to Boardmasters festival or any festival car parks. You will be turned away from the festival gate and redirected back past the route you have arrived via. It also does not exempt the holder from any traffic or parking restrictions – either temporary or permanent.
*Please note, these passes can only be in effect if used by residents only – if distributed widely online, the pass will become invalid.
Watergate Road – Road Closure Timings
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