Moving T in the Park to the rural surroundings of Strathallan will pose “challenges”, according to the most senior police officer in Perth and Kinross.
It was announcedlast monththat the festival will move from Balado after 18 successful years.The new site is located on the 1,000-acre estate surrounding Strathallan Castle and planning is already well under way.Festival bosses will introduce a detailed traffic management plan in the coming months, which could include a series of transport hubs and park-and-ride sites, as well as significant road improvements.
Members of the community have raised concerns about the suitability of the area surrounding the site and its ability to welcome tens of thousands of visitors each year.
DF Concerts, however, are confident that the chosen site offers everything possible and, although area commander Chief Inspector Mike Whitford admits the new site will give festival organisers new challenges, he, too, anticipates that it will work in the long term.
“It’s near the A9 but it has rural roads so all of that will have to be thought through and that is the challenge for the planning team for next year,” he said.
“That will consist of how to support the community and manage normal daily business but, at the same time, allow for thousands and thousands of people getting to the event.”
He continued: “I’ve no doubt it will be the same type of questions that happened when it first came to Balado but once it’s set up everyone knows how it works and communities settle down.
“Kinross has never raised any significant issues and Balado has worked very well.”
A T in the Park spokesman said: “We have a highly experienced traffic management team that designs plans for major events all over the UK.
“One of the key deciding factors on choosing a new venue was ensuring that it had a workable traffic route to ensure ease of travel for both festival-goers and the local community.”