Oxegen

AA Roadwatch at Oxegen 2009

The Oxegen 2009 music festival takes place from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th July at Punchestown Racecourse off the N7/M7 in Kildare. The car parks and other facilities will be open from Thursday until late Monday. With close to 80,000 expected to attend, concert-goers are urged to use public transport as the traffic management plan will prioritise coaches, busses and shuttles

AA Roadwatch Controller Nicola Hudson has this advice "Traffic will come from all over the country and it is unlikely you will find a quiet road! Set out early and leave yourself at least 3 hours more than the usual journey time. If you are prepared for a tailback you will not be stressed when you get stuck in a delay" "Don't forget that there are a lot of day ticket holders and we are likely to see heavy traffic every day and not just at the start and end of the event"

Up to 30,000, four-day camping ticket holders are expected to arrive on Thursday with traffic likely to spread out through the day from midday to late. Friday is expected to be the busiest when up to 40,000, three-day ticket holders arrive and with the music kicking off from 1pm, many people are likely to hit the road earlier than in previous years. The peak time there is likely to be from 2-7pm.

Public Transport is the key to avoiding the crowds in Co. Kildare. Bus companies are running dedicated services to Oxegen from Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick, so book ahead to secure your seat. Furthermore, free Park and Ride facilities will operate with 7,000 spaces at Goffs, off the M7 at junction 8 signposted ‘Kill South and Johnstown'. From there you can avail of the free shuttle busses to the festival site.

Safety on the roads is a massive concern at a time when people are in a jovial and festival mood. Nicola has the following advice "Designate a driver in advance of your journey, especially if you have day tickets only. Also, we would urge campers driving home on Monday, to abstain from drinking late on Sunday night as the alcohol is unlikely to have left your system. A hangover is a sure sign that you shouldn't drive!" Sleep is also a factor. "If you don't have enough sleep before driving home, make sure that you pull in regularly at safe locations and take a rest"

Full details on transport services, parking and routes along with live traffic updates all weekend, are available at www.aaroadwatch.ie and the AA Roadwatch team will be broadcasting live from Oxegen throughout the festival.

Top tips from AA Roadwatch:

How to make your drive to and from the festival as safe and comfortable as possible!...

GETTING THERE

  • Fill with fuel before you go and again when around half-full rather than wait for the light.
  • Check tyre condition and pressures - increasing them for heavy loads if necessary. The correct pressures will be given in the car's handbook.
  • Use the new and improved AA Routeplanner complete with AA Roadwatch traffic updates, for traffic delays or roadworks that could affect your journey.

ONCE YOU'RE THERE

  • Make sure lights and everything else are turned off when you leave the car – the last thing you want when you get back to the car is a flat battery. Bring your AA Membership Card in case you do have a breakdown, 1800 66 77 88. Remember to bring your phone and make sure it's charged! (Turn it off when you don’t need it if you don’t have access to a charger while you are at the festival). The AA can't get to you if you can't call us!
  • Remove all valuables and lock the car. (Satnavs are particularly attractive to thieves – take it with you and clean away any marks left on the windscreen by the mount.)
  • Make a careful note of where you’ve parked – look up and down the row for landmarks that will help you find the car.
  • Keep your keys safe, secure and dry – key replacement on newer cars is costly and can take several days if reprogramming is necessary.

LEAVING

  • Don't rush to leave as soon as the last act is finished - thousands will do the same so you will only end-up sitting in endless queues in the car park.
  • Check traffic before you go – you can get live traffic reports on your mobile from AA Roadwatch by calling 1550 131 811.

TIREDNESS

You're unlikely to have slept much during the weekend so special care is required on the way home

  • Don't drive for more than two and a half hours without a break.
  • Share the driving with others if you can - check insurance details first!
  • Frequent short stops (of at least 20 minutes) are better than one long stop.
  • Avoid heavy meals and alcohol before driving.
  • Remember that it's illegal to stop on the motorway hard shoulder, except in an emergency.