MUSIC fans driving to Leeds Festival today are being urged to stay mindful of a series of road-related warnings.
The huge event, which is set to attract some 90,000 attendees, will see the likes of Chappell Roan, Travis Scott and Hozier perform.
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But drivers heading to the event by car have been warned to be extra attentive – with officials with National Highways telling road users to avoid using their satnavs.
As expected, traffic will likely be heavy and will be complicated by roadworks combined with temporary speed limits and festival-related closures.
The iconic festival, which takes place at Bramham Park and runs from Thursday, August 21, to Sunday, August 24, coincides with the bank holiday weekend – which is expected to further exacerbate traffic delays.
National Highways has warned of severe congestion on major roads and motorways, particularly the M1, A1(M) and A64.
Junctions 43 to 45 of the A1(M), including Hook Moor where the A1(M) and M1 merge, are expected to be especially affected.
The A1(M) southbound between junctions 44 and 47 will likely be slow on Monday due to festival-goers leaving the site on top of bank holiday traffic.
But in addition to congestion warnings, motorists are advised that temporary speed limits of 30mph have been introduced on Paradise Way, West Woods Road and the A64 York Road between Bramham crossroads roundabout and approximately 500m northeast of Stockeld Lane.
These speed limits, enforced by West Yorkshire Police, will be in place from Wednesday, August 20, to Monday, August 25.
These measures, introduced by Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Police, aim to ensure the safety of those attending the festival, as well as local residents and other motorists.
Paul Jeffrey, lead for the West Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership, said: “West Yorkshire Police is working closely with our partners at Leeds City Council to support the 2025 Leeds Festival.
“This includes carrying out speed enforcement on roads around the venue to provide safety to motorists, festival attendees and local residents.”
Dave Skupski, National Highways Operations Manager, also emphasised the importance of planning ahead.
He said: “Leeds Festival has a significant impact on traffic on our network.
“With the bank holiday weekend and ongoing concrete barrier works reducing capacity, we expect roads to be extremely busy.
“Follow festival signage, pay attention to electronic updates, avoid relying solely on satnavs and plan your journey carefully.”
For non-festival travellers, he advises drivers to allow extra time for their journeys and to trty to avoid peak times where possible.
National Highways will deploy additional traffic officers and use electronic signage to manage disruptions, while control room operators will monitor traffic via CCTV.
In general, whether drivers are heading to the festival or other plans or responsibilities, officials urged patience and caution to all those on the road to ensure safe and smooth travel during the busy period.
Leeds Festival: Peak travel times
Traffic is expected to be busiest at the following times:
Thursday: 8am to 4pm
Friday to Sunday: 10am to 1pm
Saturday and Sunday nights: 9pm to 2am
Bank Holiday Monday: 8am to 2pm
To support traffic flow, the northbound exit slip road at Junction 45 of the A1(M) will be closed from 4am to 2pm on Monday.
What’s more, the A64 westbound approach to the A1(M) will be closed to through-traffic after the Bramham crossroads.
The Coastliner bus service between York and Leeds will be diverted during the festival.
