Apology over Game Fair chaos (From Oxford Mail)
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Apology over Game Fair chaos
10:40am Tuesday 27th January 2009 in News By Chris Kearney
A review published this morning into last summer’s controversial CLA Game Fair has backed the event’s return to the county while admitting the traffic chaos it caused was “unacceptable”.
Motorists across Oxfordshire were brought to a standstill on the first day of the event held in Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, last July.
The review, carried out by the Safety Advisory Group for West Oxfordshire, has apologised for the problems people experienced.
However, its review points to the £13.2m in additional revenue to the county’s coffers brought in by the Game Fair.
Bill Oddy, chairman of the SAG, said: “Events such as the CLA Game Fair need to consider the impact they have on local communities.
“This review concludes that the impact of traffic attending the event on the first day was unacceptable.
“The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), Blenheim Palace and the responsible public authorities apologise for the disruption caused.
“The CLA Game Fair is a national ‘showcase’ event and if organisations and interested parties work together with local communities, there is no reason why the event should not return to Oxfordshire in the future.”
Comments(7)
wallingford1
says...
11:40am Tue 27 Jan 09
LadyPenelope
says...
11:50am Tue 27 Jan 09
And what about the loss to other businesses who have nothing to do with the CLA? I was almost 2 HOURS late, and I don't see anyone stepping up to pay for my loss of time!
If they do this again next year, then they should issue those working in the surrounding area a special work permit for their windscreen, so that they can use the right hand lane of the dual carriageways (A34, A44) to get to work, and CLA traffic can queue in the left lane.
Tom Cranmer
says...
12:02pm Tue 27 Jan 09
LadyPenelope
says...
12:07pm Tue 27 Jan 09
Tom Cranmer wrote:Well the down side is that it might make the queues longer, but they did already have half the A44 closed on the last bit up to the CLA fair, so I can't see why they shouldn't do this with the whole road. Some big signs marked "Local Traffic" and "CLA traffic".
Lady Penelope, you've just solved a lot of problems. Two lanes segregated, a couple of police points and keep traffic moving. Residents permits too, Kidlington and Woodstock were complete nightmares! Well done!Let the CLA pay the costs too.
The other option would be to have a helicopter shuttle to take people to work in the area, all paid for by the CLA :)
The bottom line is that they need to do SOMETHING, as last year was no acceptable.
They could easily simulate this using software.
ourfcnr1fan
says...
1:42pm Tue 27 Jan 09
Zimmer
says...
3:35pm Tue 27 Jan 09
It is obviously in Blenheim's interest to have the Fair here again in just over three years time because of the revenue to the Estate.No doubt extreme pressure will be put on the County Council to allow planning permission for the event to be held at Blenheim again.
I have no doubt that the same excuses will be trotted out when the inevitable snarl up occurs again as it was on the previous occasions. Will the Pear Tree Flyover repairs be completed by then? If they are not then the event should be held elsewhere.
faatmaan
says...
9:00pm Tue 27 Jan 09
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