AS BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend gets closer and closer, the transport plans for the music spectacle at Powerham Castle has been revealed.

Teignbridge Council and Exeter City Council have been working with the radio station and Powderham Castle to put the plan together for the 50,000 people that will be heading to the festival on May 28 and 29.

Transport tickets will be available to purchase from Powerderham Castle’s website from Monday, April 4, and must be purchased in advance of the event.

The plan suggests that for a stress-free journey it is recommended that you travel to the venue by train or one of the specially commissioned event bus services as parking on site will be limited.

There will be no private car drop off facilities on or close to the site.

The Plan says:

The A379 will be designated as a clearway between Exminster and Cockwood, this makes it illegal to stop/park on the main carriageway for any reason except in an emergency.

Full information regarding traffic management measures such as road closures and clearways will be made available on Exeter City Council’s website soon.

Please bear in mind that there will be lots of people leaving the site at the end of each day at around 10pm so this should be factored in to your travel plans home.

ADVICE ON BOOKING TRANSPORT TICKETS

Transport tickets will be available to purchase online from this site from 4th April and must be bought in advance of the event.

The car parking and bus booking processes will be handled by Ticketmaster, working on behalf of Powderham Castle, Exeter, and Teignbridge Councils. All prices include a 10% booking fee which covers the cost of ticket handling and postage; the remaining charge goes toward the cost of the transport operation. Rail and Taxi journeys must be booked directly with Great Western Railways and Apple Central Taxis.

TRAVEL BY BUS

Bus tickets will be charged at a flat rate per person and will be for return journeys to and from the same transport hub.

Tickets for bus travel will be posted to the purchaser. These should brought to your chosen transport hub, and will be colour coded for ease of travel after the event. Colours will correspond to your chosen transport route. Lost tickets: Proof of purchase must be provided otherwise you will be re-charged for a ticket.

Bus services from all transport hubs will run regularly, from the departure points below to the event site at Powderham Castle. Peak periods will be serviced with increased frequency during the peak period 0800 – 1200; the services from Powderham Castle returning to all transport hubs will commence from 1700 according to demand, and with greater frequency in the peak period between 2130-midnight.

PARK AND RIDE: £11.00 PER PERSON

A Park and Ride service will be in operation from the following locations:

Exeter Racecourse, Kennford, Exeter EX6 7XS (Approx. 9 miles from site)

Dawlish Leisure Centre, Sandy Lane, EX7 0AF (Approx. 6 miles from site)

These locations will feature ample managed car parking, security and regular shuttle bus services to the event.

DROP OFF AND PICK UP + BUS: £11.00 PER PERSON

For those wishing to drop or collect their children, friends, or family close to the site, this option is a great alternative. The ’Drop off and Pick up + Bus’ site will be at the well-known Matford Park and Ride, (Matford will NOT operate as a Park and Ride on 28th/29th May, it will be Drop-off and Pick-up + Bus ONLY). Nearby local on street parking is available. The ’Drop-off and Pick-up + Bus’ site will be fully staffed with security, a welfare team (from 19.00), toilets, and café. For parents, Matford is the safe option.

Matford Park and Ride Car Park, Matford Park Road, EX2 8FD (Approx. 5 miles from site)

BUS SHUTTLE SERVICE FROM EXETER: £11.00 PER PERSON

A dedicated direct bus shuttle service will operate between Exeter Bus and Coach Station and Powderham Castle (8.4 miles from site via Alphington).

This option is particularly recommended for ticket holders living in Exeter City, Exeter University, Exmouth, and Topsham. Tickets must be purchased in advance. All city car parks will remain open until 03.00am, for city car parking information please check www.exeter.gov.uk/car-parking

SCHEDULED BUS SERVICE NO 2: (TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM THE DRIVER)

Bus Route 2 between Exeter and Newton Abbot, operated by Stagecoach South West, will be running additional services on both days. Timetable to view onwww.stagecoach.com. Tickets may be bought from the driver. Alternatively, Stagecoach weekly/daily passes also apply. This option is recommended for those living within walking distance of a Route 2 bus stop.

TRAVEL BY CAR

There will be no private car drop off facilities on or close to the site.

The A379 will be designated as a clearway between Exminster and Cockwood, this makes it illegal to stop or park on the main carriageway for any reason except in an emergency. Full information regarding traffic management measures such as road closures and clearways will be made available on Exeter City Councils website soon.

ON-SITE CAR PARKING AT POWDERHAM CASTLE - £27.50 PER CAR

For ticket-holders wishing to arrive by car, 2500 public car parking spaces are available. This limited parking must be booked in advance.

Passes must be displayed in the stated location before arrival on site. Those without passes will be turned away. For full terms and conditions please see the Parking Terms and Conditions.

This option is recommended for those arriving from further afield, or those unable to use alternative options in this guide.

ON-SITE DISABLED CAR PARKING AT POWDERHAM CASTLE - FREE

If you require disabled customer parking at Powderham please let us know as soon as you have secured your tickets. Parking spaces can be booked by emailing our access team on [email protected].

TRAVEL BY CYCLE

The Exe Estuary trail (National Cycle Route 2) will enable those wishing to cycle to get to Powderham. National Cycle Route 2 is not lit during hours of darkness. It is strongly recommended that those wishing to arrive at the event via bicycle make their return journey during daylight hours. Some bicycle parking will be provided, although all cycles are parked at the risk of their owners. Cyclists may be asked to register their interest in advance of the event, so that approximate numbers may be predicted.

TRAVEL BY RAIL

Starcross is the nearest station. GWR will be running trains to and from Radio 1 big Weekend. The site is approximately a 20 minute walk away from the station.

TRAVEL BY TAXI

A taxi rank/minicab pickup area for licensed mini cabs will be provided, managed by Apple Central Taxis. The location will be clearly signposted. Taxis managed by the preferred taxi operator, Apple, will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis and all journeys will be set-fared, the fares will be given to the customers at the start of the journey. Private cars attempting to drop off/pick up will be turned away.

A separate lane will be available for pre-booked taxis from other companies and some Hackney Carriages. Fares from companies other than Apple will not be fixed, and should be booked in advance by telephone.