Drivers complained of terrible jams as queues built around Blenheim Palace this morning.
Traffic was at a standstill for long stretches approaching the palace in all directions on the A44 and A4095 until about 1.30pm, when the queues started to ease.
One motorist trying to get to Blenheim as a participant, said cars were nose to tail 'for miles' and criticised traffic management as thousands gather for the Blenheim Palace Classic and Supercar show.
@TheOxfordMail yet another poor management of traffic for Blenheim palace event. Queuing in all directions for miles around Woodstock pic.twitter.com/lCh5P51Zlv
— Richard Boon (@Webmart_Booner) September 3, 2017
Another driver, Philip Cook, said he gave up trying to get to the show at 12.05m labelling the 'total gridlock' an 'absolute joke'.
Traffic crawling back as far as yarnton for @SalonPriveUK @BlenheimPalace @BBCOxTravel @JACKfmOxford @OxfordMailLive
— Townhouse Travel (@townhousetravel) September 3, 2017
Buses were also delayed, with Oxford Bus Company saying the 500 service to Woodstock would only go as far as Oxford Parkway due to the queues.
500 Services to Woodstock are not operating due to gridlock in Blenheim https://t.co/nnrvUNFgji will terminate at Oxford Parkway.
— Oxford Bus Company (@OxfordBusCo) September 3, 2017
Mark.
Last year, crowds for Countryfile Live at the palace sat in queues for hours at a time as the traffic plan for the BBC event was heavily criticised
This year, a new traffic management plan for the popular event was put in place and fewer queues were reported, with organisers saying they learned from the mistakes they made in 2016.
The Blenheim Palace Classic & Supercar show celebrates three key anniversaries: 70 years of Ferrari, 30 years of the F40 and 50 years of Ferrari Owners' Club UK.
The event sees 200 Ferraris attending the day, including 150 cars forming a display to celebrate the anniversaries.
Fabulous Ferraris on display - credit: Rachel Palmer
Woodstock town councillor Sharone Parnes was shocked to see the amount of traffic queuing on the A44 at mid-morning.
He said: “It’s obviously disappointing and it’s going to be frustrating to many people who had plans that were affected by that.”
Mr Parnes questioned why a similar traffic management plan to that implemented at Countryfile Live, a much larger event held last month, was not used for the car show.
Mr Parnes added: “It’s a nice event and many people enjoyed it but there is a responsibility that organisers and venue owners have in mitigating the problems caused by events like this.”
However, some have leapt to the palace’s defence on social media.
Ross Brazel said: “It’s really not that bad. A few events a year that cause some delays against what Blenheim brings to the local area is a small price to pay I feel.”
A spokesman for Blenheim Palace took to its own Twitter account to say: “We are sorry for the traffic delays. The volume of this new event was much higher than expected. Operations were altered as soon as possible to ease flows.”
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