Leicester roads to close ahead of huge Kasabian gig which could cause 'hour-long delays'

A series of road closures will be in place for Kasabian’s homecoming Leicester gig this weekend. Some 35,000 rockers expected to attend the Summer Solstice II event at Victoria Park on Saturday (July 6).

The gig marks 10 years since the band's original Summer Solstice performance. Leicester City Council is warning drivers that roads in the city will be busier than usual this weekend, and that queues of more than an hour are possible in the build-up to the gig itself.

A spokesperson for the authority said in a statement that road closures would be in place throughout Saturday in a bid to ensure the gig is “smooth running”. All of the closure will be in place until midnight.

READ MORE: Motorists face 4 miles of diversions as main route is closed off

The council's highways network manager, Rupert Bedder, said: “Things will be busier than normal on the day of the event, but we’re confident that the extra measures being put in place by the organisers will meet the demands of festival goers and ensure that the rest of the city remains open for business.”

The full list of road closures

• Regent Road (between Granville Road and Salisbury Road) will be closed from 6am until midnight

• Regent Road (between Tigers Way and University Road) will be one way only eastbound from 6am until midnight

• Granville Road will be closed from 6am until midnight

• London Road (between Mayfield Road and Waterloo Way) will be closed from 9pm until midnight

• Victoria Park Road (between St Marys Road and St Leonards Road) will be closed from 9pm until midnight

• University Road will be one way only southbound from 6am until midnight

A designated pick-up point for cars and pre-booked taxis to the gig will also be in place on Saturday. This will operate from the Morrisons car park in nearby Counting House Road, with the area signposted by organisers. A taxi rank for the gig will be in University Road, with access to it available via Peace Walk.

Up to 3,000 additional parking spaces have been created for the event by organiser Live Nation. These are available for ticket holders and are located outside the city centre, but within walking distance of Victoria Park. These must be pre-booked on the Park the Car Here website.

Those cycling to the gig can take advantage of a free bike park which will be operating close to the main entrance of the park. For those going by bus, the city’s free electric Hop! bus service will be running an extended service on July 6, with a temporary stop in Tigers Way, just before the junction of Lancaster Road. This service will run every 10 minutes until 11.30pm.

The city council will extend existing residents’ parking schemes for the day of the concert. These will apply in Clarendon Park, with temporary schemes introduced in streets off London Road and in Stoneygate to prevent unauthorised parking in the areas closest to Victoria Park.

Mr Bedder said: “As with previous successful events on Victoria Park, we’ve worked closely with the organisers to ensure they have a comprehensive travel plan for the event that will encourage ticket holders to travel sustainably and help minimise any impact on local residents.

“Look out for the real-time parking information that’s displayed on the approach roads to the city centre, which will help people find an available space. And for concert goers, our advice is to plan your journey to and from the event in advance to help avoid delays or disappointment.”

Victoria Park’s gates will open at 3.30pm, with Summer Solstice II expected to end at around 10.30pm. The city council has called on people to arrive before 8pm in anticipation of queues. More information can be found online.

We are now bringing you the latest updates on WhatsApp first