Stone Roses concert-goers warned by police: Drive and walk to Heaton Park sensibly or face the consequences

By Adam Ryder

Stone Roses concert-goers heading to Heaton Park this weekend are being warned by police to drive sensibly and walk only where allowed – or face the consequences.

On-the-spot fines of £60 plus three points will be issued to motorists who stop on the hard shoulder or lanes to drop-off or pick up concert-goers.

Pedestrians walking along the motorway carriage way of Junction 19 at Heaton Park and Junction 18 at Simitar Island face a £50 fine.

Sgt Neil Anson of the North West Motorway Police Group said: “It is illegal and dangerous to stop a vehicle or walk anywhere on the motorway network except in an emergency.”

The measures were introduced following problems when Oasis played to 210,000 fans at the venue and concert-goers caused massive disruptions to motorway users.

The Highway Agency have organised a park and ride of the M62 towards Bowlee Recreation Ground where a shuttle to Heaton Park will operate.

During the concert nights no traffic will be able to leave the M60 motorway at Junction 19 via the clockwise or anti-clockwise exit slips between 10pm and 1am.

Clockwise M60 drivers will be sent onto Junction 20 at Chadderton instead and anti-clockwise drivers will be able to turn at Simister Island and join the anti-clockwise carriageway to exit at Junction 20.

Highways Agency Events Planning Officer Phil Stockford said: "We have been liaising closely with the event organisers and the traffic management company to consider what advice we can give to people planning to drive to the show.”

Advice will be reinforced with advance electronic signage along the motorway network plus additional hard signage.

Junction 19, the nearest junction to the park, will be closed, as the council and traffic management company will control and monitor A576 Middleton Road.

Highway Agency Officers will be closely monitoring traffic using CCTV cameras and patrols will help keep drivers moving.

For more information visit www.heatonpark.org.uk or www.highways.gov.uk/traffic

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