As thousands prepare to hit the road for the 53rd Worthy Farm extravaganza, the RAC is warning all drivers to check their clutch, brakes and oil before setting off, and EV drivers to make sure they’ve got plenty of charge to get them to and from the site, factoring in the car park queues.
Local routes to Worthy Farm, as well as major connecting roads like the M4, M5 and A303, could face gridlock as early as next Tuesday evening ahead of the car parks opening at 9pm. Traffic data analysed by the RAC shows queues from the M5 at Puriton to the A361 more than doubled between 8pm – 9pm on the same Tuesday last year, while the route connecting the M4 in Wiltshire to the A361 west faced lengthy delays during the same period.*
On Wednesday, it’s best for festival-goers to arrive in the very early hours, rather than between the peak hours of 7am to 2pm along with most of the traffic. Last year, the A37 southbound from Bristol saw delays of more than 30 minutes from 10am, increasing to over two hours by early afternoon. Elsewhere, the 20-mile stretch from the A39 Bridgwater to the site, connecting southbound M5 traffic, saw delays of more than half an hour as early as 7am. All of this was before queuing to get into a car park, which can also add several hours to the day.
When looking for parking, the Glastonbury website advises revellers to use the Blue Route from the A303, then the A37 if possible, where there is more space and less of a queue getting in and out. The website also states those using the A39 typically queue for several hours to get into the car park.
Looking forward to the following Monday 30 June, with more than 210,000 festival-goers leaving site on the same day, queues are inevitable between 8am to 5pm. In 2024, RAC analysis found major routes back to the M5 saw delays of more than 90 minutes longer than usual between midday and 3pm, while queues from the A37 back to Chippenham and Bristol started to build from as early as 7am. Festival organisers suggest the best routes for departure include the 12-mile stretch from the A37 southbound to the A303 via Podimore and the A361 to the A350 via Frome and Swindon, which faced fewer hold-ups last year.
The best time to head home is Monday morning between 1am and 7am, but the RAC is warning festival-goers not to get behind the wheel if they don’t feel safe to drive after a heavy weekend.
Top reasons for a festival breakdown
Last year, the attending RAC patrol team found most vehicle breakdowns were related to being stuck in traffic.** Overuse of the clutch and worn-out clutch pedals all contributed to call-outs on site. Other issues included punctured tyres, worn brakes, oil shortages, fuel leaks and EV batteries in too low a state of charge to get them off site at the end of the festival.
The RAC is advising EV drivers to charge their vehicle en route before getting on to the local roads to the site, so it has a healthy amount of battery life for the return journey. Long queues of traffic can mean more stop-start driving and time spent with the air-con on, while on-site charging points may be busy with long waiting times.
RAC mobile servicing and repairs technician Tristan Kirk said: “There’s nothing worse than a traffic jam when you’re already late and after waiting all year, we understand Glastonbury-goers will want to be through the queues and on site as soon as possible. Not broken down on the side of the road.
“If arriving at peak times, you’ll almost certainly be sat in traffic, so it’s worth doing everything you can beforehand to prepare for a long journey. Make sure your oil and coolant levels are where they need to be and your tyres including the tread are in good condition before setting off. It’s also worth getting your battery and charging system looked at if you’re travelling a long way and have faced recent troubles starting your car. In queues of traffic try to avoid resting your foot on the clutch as it could overheat, causing premature failure.
“Last year, we saw lots of EV drivers facing issues because they hadn’t charged their car en route, meaning the vehicle was flat once they arrived at the festival. It’s just as important to account for the car park queues as it is your journey from home because these can add hours to the trip. Charge points on site will be extremely busy, so we suggest ensuring your battery’s got enough life to make it to and from major roads where there’s more likely to be a fast charger.
“If you run into problems on site, the quickest way to get help is via the myRAC app. Our team can complete some emergency repairs in the car park including broken suspension springs, torn tyres and fuel injectors. But it’s always best to get vehicles serviced or repaired before setting out for Glastonbury – and that’s something we can do conveniently at festivalgoers’ homes and workplaces this week.
“Make use of driving apps before you run out of signal too, like Zapmap to locate a charge point on the way or the myRAC app’s ‘fuel finder’ feature, where you can search for the cheapest petrol or diesel over a two, five or 10-mile radius.”
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