Travel advice for the Tall Ships event in Hartlepool

The Highways Agency is advising visitors to The Tall Ships Races in Hartlepool to allow plenty of time for their journey as there will be extra traffic on the roads leading to the Hartlepool area from Saturday 7 August until Tuesday 10 August.

The Agency is providing two Traffic Officer patrols on the A19 between Middlesbrough and Peterlee, additional Incident Support Units will also be on duty as well as dedicated breakdown recovery vehicles. These additional vehicles and patrols will operate on the A19 from 10am till 10pm each day.
As up to 300,000 visitors are expected at the event each day, visitors should be prepared for delays and are strongly advised to carefully plan their journeys to the event. Drivers should make sure they have food and drinks, their car is topped up with fuel and water, and that they take regular breaks. Visitors with babies or small children should also ensure they have extra nappies and baby food, anyone on medication should take extra supplies in case of delays.
The Highways Agency will provide helpful information to enable drivers to make their journeys to Hartlepool’s event safely and reliably. Overhead electronic message signs and mobile signs on the A1 and A19 will keep people informed and will be altered to manage traffic. Visitors should follow the signed routes and not sat navs systems. Drivers not attending the event are advised to use alternative routes if possible.
Highways Agency emergency planning manager, Guy Huckle, said: “We will be doing everything we can to make the journey to the Hartlepool area as smooth as possible. Our additional patrols will be there to help motorists and to clear up incidents quickly. All routes to the event will be well signposted, but people travelling in the area should plan their journey in advance and check the latest travel conditions before they set out.”
Visitors can plan their journeys by tuning into the Highways Agency’s Traffic Radio service, available on DAB digital radio and the internet at www.trafficradio.org.uk: http://www.trafficradio.org.uk On the internet at www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo: http://www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo by phone from the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000, or downloading the new Highways Agency iPhone application.

Author: Lee Sibbald, July 30, 2010
Filed under: Traffic Information

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