DRIVERS are advised to allow extra time and plan their journeys ahead of two major events this week.

Motorways and major A roads leading to the Glastonbury Festival are likely to be busy this week from tomorrow (Wednesday June 26) to Friday, 28 June, as people make their way to the Pilton site.

Highways England is also advising drivers that the A36, A303 and adjoining roads are also likely to be busy around Salisbury at the weekend for the national Armed Forces Day event (June 28-30).

With Pilton situated five miles outside of Glastonbury, festival traffic has very little impact on the town itself, but drivers are advised that traffic is expected to reach its peak on Wednesday, particularly around junctions 25 and 23 of the M5, as festival goers make their way to the site. In previous years the A39 has been heavily congested by mid-morning.

Increased levels of traffic are also expected on Monday July 1, as people leave the festival site. The primary motorway route for festival traffic to the site is the M5, with drivers exiting at junction 23 to take the A39 and A361, while the A303-A37 is also used for traffic arriving from London, with the A303 eastbound expected to be particularly busy from Podimore Roundabout.

Highways England south west emergency planning officer Gareth Price said: “We’re reminding road users to plan ahead for Glastonbury – around 175,000 people are expected to attend this year’s festival and roads leading to the event are likely to be very busy.

“Increased traffic is also expected in the run-up to and over the weekend of the Armed Forces event in nearby Salisbury.

“Our aim is to keep the Highways England network running while keeping festival goers and other road users safe and informed. Check our traffic and travel information channels, but whatever your journey, we advise people to set off early and allow plenty of time.

“And with temperatures predicted to rise through the week, we’d also advise pre-checking your vehicles for oil, fuel and coolant levels and correctly inflated tyres, also to ensure you have plenty of drinking water with you to stay hydrated.”

Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and major A roads is available from the web at www.highways.gov.uk/traffic