August bank holiday is approaching, which can only mean one thing: Leeds Festival is back.

Tens of thousands of people will descend on Bramham Park over the next five days, eagerly awaiting performances by Travis Scott, Hozier, Chappell Roan, Bring Me The Horizon and many more.

The festival is a rite of passage for some, but it does come with disruption to roads surrounding the Harrogate district. Major highways including the A1(M) are set to be affected and local drivers should plan ahead.

People with early bird tickets can access the festival from tomorrow (Wednesday 20) and traffic is likely to be heavy from then until Monday (August 25).

We’ve collated a list of nearby roads set to be affected by festival traffic, as well as information on how to get to-and-from Bramham Park.

A1(M)

For those travelling southbound to Leeds Festival, the event will be signposted from junction 46. 

People travelling from the north or westbound from York should follow signs for the white route, which can be found by exiting the A1(M) at junction 44 and turning left to join Paradise Way. Motorists can then turn left and enter the site at the white gate.

For those travelling northbound on the A1(M), the festival will be signposted from junction 41. People should follow signs for the brown route along the A1(M), which can be found by exiting the A1(M) at junction 45 towards the Grange Moor/Wattle Syke roundabouts.

Following signs towards West Woods Road, turn left on to Thorner Road and right on to Paradise Way, before turning left and entering the brown gate.

Leeds Festival has warned traffic on the A1(M) will be particularly heavy throughout Wednesday and Thursday and on Friday morning. 

The route will then reverse from 9pm on Sunday, August 24, to allow people to leave the festival along the same route. Traffic will be travelling one-way out of the festival and is expected to be heavy on Monday morning.

The festival has also warned local residents to avoid the A1(M) and the Grange Moor and Wattle Syke roundabouts between 8am and 6pm daily, and from 7am until 3pm on Monday, as traffic is expected to be at its peak during these times.

Pick-up and drop-off routes

A dedicated pick-up and drop-off zone has been created just off the A64 York Road at this year’s festival.

There is no pick-up and drop-off facility near the yellow gate this year, the festival said.

According to the organisers, pick-up and drop-off traffic should follow the red route that starts on the A1(M) and requires all traffic to exit via junction 44 and join the A64 York Road westbound. Traffic will then enter the site on a right turn into red gates one and two.

The pick-up and drop-off area will be signposted with zones A to J. 

Festivalgoers are urged not to arrange to meet drivers at certain zones, as some of them will open and close dependent on the volume of people and traffic.

Leeds Festival also said a one-way system will be in place along the A64 this year for the duration of the festival.

The A64 between the Fox and Grapes and the A1(M)/A64 roundabout will be closed to all traffic travelling east from 4am on Wednesday until 3pm on Monday.

Kiddal Lane at the junction with the A64 York Road, and Potterton Lane at the junction with Kiddal Lane, will be closed from Wednesday to Monday.

East Leeds Orbital Route

The festival has advised those travelling towards Bramham village to take the A64 eastbound from Seacroft towards the new East Leeds Orbital Route (ELOR) junction. Follow the ELOR to the A58 and then travel towards Wetherby and Boston Spa.

Residents can also access Bramham village from Boston Spa via Clifford Moor Road, towards Bramham Road. Organisers said this route will avoid any dedicated festival traffic routes.

Additional details

Leeds Festival said there will be a temporary closure on the bridge over the A1 (M) that leads to Bowcliffe Hall and Bramham Park other than for residents and businesses.

Organisers also listed a number of temporary 30mph zones in place during the festival:

• Along Bramham and Thorner Road from the junction with Kirkfield Avenue to the Bramham bypass / Paradise Way

• West Woods Road from Wattle Syke to Thorner Road

• Bramham bypass from Thorner Road along Paradise Way and Spen Common Lane to the A1(M) / A64 roundabout

• A64 York Road from the A1(M) / A64 roundabout to Thorner Lane

The following roads will also have no-stopping orders in place for the duration of Leeds Festival:

• West Woods Road from Wattle Syke to Thorner Road

• Thorner Road bridge over A1(M)

• Bramham Bypass from Thorner Road along Paradise Way and Spen Common Lane to the A1(M) / A64 roundabout

• A64 York Road from the A1(M) / A64 roundabout to Thorner Lane