Road Closures and Traffic Measures for Aintree's Grand National Festival
Sefton is once again preparing to welcome thousands of visitors to the borough for the Grand National Festival, which takes place at Aintree Racecourse from Thursday April 9 to Saturday April 11.
The Local Authority is working alongside Merseyside Police and event traffic management partners to help people travel to and from the racecourse as smoothly and safely as possible over the three‑day event.
Traffic and transport levels in and out of the area are expected to be exceptionally high this year with Liverpool FC also playing a home football match in nearby Anfield on the evening of Saturday, April 11.
Ongoing National Highways works on the A5036 Dunningsbridge Road at Park Lane will also add to traffic issues.
The Council’s traffic management teams will also be supporting local residents and businesses who are not attending the festival, helping to keep disruption to a minimum wherever possible.
In order to reduce disruption and potential strain on the transport network, a number of temporary road closures, parking restrictions and traffic controls will be in place throughout the festival.
The following temporary road closures will be in place:
Melling Road will be closed from 7am on Wednesday April 8th until 10pm on Saturday April 11th, between Aintree Lane and Seeds Lane.
A59 (Ormskirk Road) will be closed between 4pm and 9pm on April 9th, 10th& 11th between Park Lane and Topham Drive, including Brenka Avenue.
Park Lane will be closed between 4pm and 9pm on all three race days, between Bridle Road and A59 Ormskirk Road.
Residents who are not attending the festival are advised, where possible, to avoid the area during the afternoon and early evening period, particularly while closures are in place.
Signed diversion routes will be in operation. They are:
Traffic affected by the Melling Road closure will be diverted via Aintree Lane, Wango Lane, Valley Road, Longmoor Lane and Warbreck Moor, with separate routes in place for HGVs.
Traffic affected by the Park Lane closure will be diverted via Bridle Road, Netherton Way, Bailey Drive, Southport Road, Hornby Road, Rice Lane and Warbreck Moor.
Peter Moore, Sefton Council’s Assistant Director for Highways & Public Protection, said:“We want everyone to have a fantastic weekend in Sefton and across the Liverpool City Region in what will be a busy three days for the transport network.
“Where possible those travelling to and from the Aintree Grand National Festival should make use of the excellent public transport facilities on offer including regular bus and train services which alight exceptionally close to the racecourse.
“Of course we know it is not just festival goers who will be reliant on the transport network that weekend. Thousands of residents will be going about their daily business and are likely to face disruption due to heightened traffic levels and necessary road closures.
“Furthermore on the evening of Saturday, April 11thLiverpool FC will be playing at Anfield at the same time as a concert at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool and we know both events are likely to draw huge crowds.
“It is fantastic to see the Liverpool City Region so popular but we have to be aware of the demand on our transport network. We continue to work with partners across a number of agencies and authorities to ensure the weekend goes smoothly and everyone gets to where they need to be as quickly as they can and as safely as they can.”
A temporary area of Bus stops and a Hackney Carriage taxi rank will operate on Park Lane, between Bridle Road and A59 Ormskirk Road, from 3pm to 9pm on all three race days to help people leave the area safely after racing finishes.
Anyone travelling in the area during the Grand National Festival is encouraged to plan journeys in advance, allow significant extra time for travel, follow diversion signage and consider alternative routes where possible.
Traffic management staff and police officers will be on duty throughout the event to help manage traffic flow and keep people safe.
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