Traffic management for Royal Ascot

With thousands of people expected in Ascot for the annual royal race meeting (June 17 – 21), the Royal Borough is once again making special arrangements to help meet the concerns of local residents about the influx of additional traffic.

New this year are two temporary pedestrian bridges to take race-goers off High Street and keep traffic moving.

Following the success of last year's action to reduce the impact on the area around the racecourse, the council will be arranging:

• more No Waiting traffic cones in roads adjacent to the racecourse
• signs warning motorists that cars left in these areas will be towed away with a tow truck parked in a high visibility location to deter motorists from parking illegally
• enforcement of parking restrictions by council officers
• if necessary, there will be No Entry into Burleigh Road from the A332 Windsor Road in the afternoons, just before the end of the race meeting
• additional direction signs on alternative routes to encourage through traffic to avoid Ascot completely
• new additional afternoon waiting area for taxis on Windsor Road, adjacent to No1 car park (stewarded by Ascot Racecourse Ltd)
• extra checks on taxi accreditations by council licensing officers.

Cllr David Hilton, local ward councillor and deputy leader of the Royal Borough, said:  "While we appreciate the national and international popularity of this annual racing spectacle, the extra traffic causes problems for residents and businesses.

"To reduce the disruption, we are working with Ascot Racecourse to introduce additional measures that will improve traffic flow, including two new temporary pedestrian bridges across the High Street.  Our aim is to encourage race-goers coming from the railway station and from car parks on the south side not to use the surface crossings, and in this way we can help keep Ascot on the move throughout the event."

Cllr Hilton thanked Ascot Racecourse Ltd for working with the Royal Borough to tackle the traffic issues in the town.