By the time you read this, you will have noticed the youthful hordes of green-wellied masses descending on our town.
No reason why you should, but I’d wager that most people won’t have too much of an idea about the many hours of planning that go on behind closed doors to host a major event of this size, and the essential role played by the local council.
Whether it’s noise monitoring, traffic control, food safety checks, community safety, litter and rubbish clearing, or planning effective communications with Festival Republic and the emergency services, it’s a busy time for Council officers.
I’m told that may years ago, Reading used to regularly gridlock before and after the festival weekend causing widespread chaos. It is therefore testament to all the hard work and planning, and no little experience, which means there is a relatively well-oiled machine chugging away behind the scenes.
That’s not to say there is no impact for local residents, there obviously is, but the impact is also an extremely positive one for the town in terms of the economic benefit to local businesses, as well as a key date in our burgeoning cultural calendar.
A few different things to note this year. Industrial action on the railways means that (as I write this) Reading Station will be closed on Saturday evening from 7pm. So, while on an ordinary festival year we see most traffic disruption in the days leading up to festival weekend and on the Bank Holiday Monday, this year we expect a major pinch point on Saturday night as thousands of day ticket holders who would ordinarily travel by train need to find another way of getting home.
Clearly, the extra car and taxi journeys this creates will bring extra pressure on already busy roads around the town centre and the festival site.
The advice of event organisers and the Council is to avoid driving in the area if you can on Saturday evening, as you may find yourself caught in significant delays.
If you are picking up or dropping off from the site, Hills Meadow Car Park will be the dedicated area for drop off/pick up (use sat nav postcode RG4 8DH).
For the first time this year, campfires and disposable barbecues are banned from the festival site.
This is welcome.
The change has been made by Festival Republic to support the Council’s local air quality action plan. The move will contribute significantly to improved air quality at the site and, also importantly for local residents who live in the area.
It is right that every year there is even more focus on the environmental impact of such a large event, which attracts more than 100,000 visitors. I was pleased to hear that, following the success of the first-ever Eco Campsite last year, it has been tripled in size by the organisers due to demand (after initially selling out).
We will also all be familiar with the post-festival drone images of many hundreds of discarded tents.
I’m told that last year the total waste generated at the site was 42 tonnes lower than in the previous year, and there was also a 21% decrease in tents left behind at the site.
That is very welcome news, and I know organisers are continuing to push the message out to festivalgoers about the importance of taking their tents home with them, but clearly there is still work to do.
Also new this year is a Council-led initiative which involves placing two glass bottle banks directly outside the front entrance of the Aldi store on Vastern Road.
You may have seen many visitors leaving the festival site to buy drinks in glass bottles before decanting them into alternative containers, as glass is not permitted on the festival site. By introducing these two new banks at this strategic location we hope to capture as much glass recycling as possible, which not only contributes to the town’s glass recycling tonnages but reduces glass litter and breakage on the route back to the festival site and lowers pressure on the overflowing public litter bins in the area.
A special hotline number – 0208 0801 469 – will again be in operation for Reading residents who have any questions or concerns over the weekend. The line will be in operation, 24 hours a day, from 9am Thursday, August 24, until 3pm Monday, August 28. Residents can also email licensing@reading.gov.uk.
And as always, the intention is to avoid unreasonable disturbance to residents (as much as is possible with a major music festival taking place on our doorstep). Sound testing, under the supervision of Council officers, will take place on Thursday evening and then on each subsequent day of the festival prior to the live show.
Finally, I should say that if you’re going to the festival, or someone you know is, that I sincerely hope it’s a fun and safe weekend for everyone.
Cllr Jason Brock is the leader of Reading Borough Council
