Leeds Festival 2024 road closures: Where are road closures taking place across the city ahead of and during music event? Yorkshire residents warned to look out for festival traffic routes

L e eds Festival will be held at Bramham Park from Wednesday, August 21 to Monday, August 26 and Le eds City Council has issued advice to residents ahead of the event.

Leeds City Council posted on Facebook: “Make sure you’re aware of festival traffic routes and upcoming road closures.

“Over the period, there will be an increase in traffic on the A1(M) between junctions 44 and 45. At the same time, the A64 will be closed to all traffic travelling eastbound.”

Plans are set to be implemented to help minimise traffic disruption to local residents over the festival period, but it is expected that there will be slight disruption regardless.

There are areas in and around Leeds where residents should avoid and alternative routes to use amid the closures.

Where are Leeds Festival 2024 road closures?

A traffic management plan has been amended slightly to help residents throughout the festival period.

There are three key routes for festival traffic:

Brown Route - all car parking travelling from the South (Northbound on A1(M) via Jct 45.

Weekend and day customers parking at the festival will travel from the south up the A1(M) and will be signed via Jct 45 to Grange Moor/Wattle Syke roundabouts and then South on West Woods Road to Thorner Road, left on Thorner Road and then right onto Paradise Way and into site on a left turn into Brown Gate. This route will be used throughout, with particularly heavy traffic on Wednesday, August 21, Thursday, August 22 and the morning of Friday, August 23. This traffic will be travelling one way in.

From 9pm on Sunday, August 25, this route reverses as festival goers leave along the same route but in the opposite direction. This traffic will be travelling one way out and Monday morning will be another peak period.

White Route - all car parking travelling from the North (Southbound on A1(M) via Jct 44).

Residents are advised to use routes via Clifford/Boston Spa/Tadcaster but avoid the A1(M)/Grange Moor/Wattle Syke roundabouts throughout at the peak times between 8am and 6pm daily when peak oncoming traffic is anticipated. Also from 7am to 3pm on Monday (August 28) on main egress of festival traffic.

For Thorner residents who need access to the A1(M) from Wednesday (August 21) to Sunday (August 25), it is advisable to travel along Thorner Road, turning left on West Woods Road and travel north to access the A1(M) at Wattle Syke.

West Woods Road will be closed at its junction with Wattle Syke for southbound traffic for all egress times (Friday/Saturday from 9pm to 3am and Sunday/Monday from 9pm to 3pm). During these periods access to Bramham from A58/Wetherby/J45 will need to be via Boston Spa - a suggested route is Clifford Moor Road (though there are several other routes to go through).

Red Route - all Pick Up Drop Off (PUDO) traffic arriving and departing

The one-way system on the A64 will be in place this year for the duration of the festival. From 4am on Wednesday (August 21) to 3pm on Monday (August 26), the A64 between the Fox and Grapes pub and the A1(M)/A64 roundabout will be closed to all traffic travelling Eastbound (i.e from Leeds to York). The closures will be taken off as soon as possible.

The extended closure period has been agreed with Leeds City Council, as a result of the opening of the new East Leeds Orbital Route (ELOR), as ELOR can be used as a diversion for local traffic.

PUDO Festival Traffic follows the red route that starts on the A1(M) and requires all traffic to exit via Jct 44 and join York Road (A64) Westbound. Traffic will then enter the site on a right turn into Red Gate 2/Red Gate 1.

Bus routes travelling along the A64 eastbound from Seacroft to the A1(M) A64 roundabout may be diverted. You can find out more information on the Metro website.

Road closures in Leeds

Kiddal Lane at the junction with the A64/York Road and Potterton Lane at the junction with Kiddal Lane will be closed from Wednesday, August 21 to Monday, August 26.

Park House Farm - at the layby by the bus stop and access gate to Park House Farm, opposite the Fox and Grapes, there is enough width to create a safe ‘U’ turning area for any vehicles that have misled staff at the Red Bus about their destination and are still attempting to either access the festival or the A64 Eastbound. The A64 will be completely closed in the Eastbound direction at this point.

A64 closure - U turns

A no ‘U’ turn temporary traffic regulation order will be issued in respect of the A64 from the A6120 to the Jct 44 both Westbound and Eastbound. The layout of the Red Bus layby with coning will mean that cars can turn around and go back the way they came without having to do a strict ‘U’ turn.

A64 closure - bus routes affected

Transdev Coastliner services (840 and 843) have taken an alternative route throughout the festival period in recent years to avoid congestion along the A64. The 173/174 services will not be able to pass through the closure in Aberford this year in either direction. Alternatives are in discussions with the service providers.

A64 closure - residents and businesses

All properties from and including the Fox and Grapes pub Eastbound on the A64 Westbound carriageway are able to turn left out of their property or left into their property and therefore their routes to the A1(M) or York are various.

All properties from and including Park House Farm on the Eastbound carriageway are able to turn right out of their property, or right into their property and therefore their routes to the A1(M) or York are various.

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Residents wanting to travel east, who would normally use the A64, please use the new ELOR junction, follow ELOR to the A58 and use the A659 to access the A1 south to York Road. You can also travel south along ELOR from Leeds Road to join the M1 northbound and join the A64.

Bus routes travelling along the A64 Eastbound from Seacroft to the A1(M) may be diverted.

Thorner Village closure

Just like in previous years, Thorner Village will be closed at the below locations and will operate a vehicle pass system for the duration of the festival during the timings included below.

- Northern part of Mangrill Lane

- Carr Lane (very close to the A58)

- Thorner/Skeltons Lane

- Skeltons Lane/ELOR (signed soft closure only)

- Thorner/Milner Lane (next to the green triangle)

- Wothersome corner (west of junction of Thorner Lane/Thorner Road)

- Thorner/Holme Farm Lane and Bramham Lane

Thorner Village closure timings:

- Tuesday (August 20) - 7pm to 1am next morning

- Wednesday (August 21) - 7am to 1am next morning

- Thursday (August 22) - 7am to 1am next morning

- Friday (August 23) - 7am to 3am next morning

- Saturday (August 24) - 7am to 3am next morning

- Sunday (August 25) - 7am to 7am next morning

- Monday (August 26) - 7am to 3pm

It has also been planned that between 9pm and 3am on Friday and Saturday, and between 9pm on Sunday and 3pm on Monday, the shuttle buses onsite can use the route through Thorner.

Aberford closure

The junction of Main Street with the A64 just to the West of the Jct 44 roundabout will be closed from 4am on Wednesday to 3pm on Monday. Traffic leaving this junction will have an immediate impact on the operation and flow of the A64 Northbound Leeds slip onto the Jct 44 roundabout and then onto the A64 Westbound, which could cause problems quickly on the A1(M).

There will be no access onto the Bramham Interchange from Aberford Village. The closure in place is a hard closure and no through traffic will be permitted. There will be additional signage warning no access to the A64 at Lotherton Lane, Bunkers Hill, Parlington Lane and Cattle Lane to deter festival traffic, however, residents will be allowed access.

The 173/174 services will not be able to pass through the closure in Aberford this year in either direction. Alternatives are in discussions with the service providers.

Diversion routes for Aberford residents wanting to access the A64 are:

Lotherton Lane to B1217 to Towton, to Main Street (A162) towards Tadcaster to join A64 eastbound. For A64 westbound continue to Leeds Road to join A64 west.

Diversion routes for Aberford residents who want to access M1 North and South/A1(M) North and South and A64 are:

Exit village via Bunkers Hill, right turn onto B1217 to M1 junction, M1 North to A1(M) and exit J44 to A64 Eastbound.

Additional road closures

There are the following additional road closures to be aware of.

Throughout the festival period unless otherwise stated, the following road closures will be enforced:

- The junction of Potterton Lane and Kiddal Lane

- The temporary closure of the bridge over te A1(M) that leads to Bowcliffe Hall and Bramham Park other than for residents and business’

- There will be a 30mph speed limit and no U turns on these roads: Along Bramham and Thorner Road from the junction with Kirkfield Avenue to the Bramham bypass/Paradise Way; West Woods Road from Wattle Syke to Thorner Road; Bramham bypass from Thorner Road along Paradise Way and Spen Common Lane to the A1(M)/A64 roundabout; A64 York Road from the A1(M)/A64 roundabout to Thorner Lane

- No stepping (clearways) on these roads: West Woods Road from Wattle Syke to Thorner Road; Thorner Road bridge over A1(M); Bramham Bypass from Thorner Road along Paradise Way and Spen; Common Lane to the A1(M)/A64 roundabout; A64 York Road from the A1(M)/A64 roundabout

If your residence is within the closure areas, you will receive a road closure pass in the post by no later than Monday, August 19, 2024.