The Irish Times - Monday, June 29, 2009

AC/DC fans clog roads before gig

KITTY HOLLAND

DELAYS OF up to two hours were experienced by concert goers travelling to last night’s AC/DC concert at Punchestown Racecourse, Co Kildare.

One of the main problems, said AA Roadwatch, was people alighting from buses and coaches before reaching the venue or set-down points at Goffs, and so slowing traffic as a result while the coaches stopped.

One fan, who spoke to The Irish Times , said he and friends had left Dublin on a Dublin Bus coach at 5pm and arrived at the venue at about 7.45pm.

“Most of the problems were caused by people getting off coaches early.”

Another concert-goer, Ciara Lynch from Dublin, was critical of Garda management of the delays.

“There should definitely have been loads of garda going up and down the M7 on motorbikes telling coaches not to stop and to keep going. There seemed to be only one garda directing traffic from a roundabout.”

Gardaí, through AA Roadwatch, were “strongly” advising passengers not to alight from coaches before reaching a designated car park, though a spokeswoman agreed few fans would have be listening to Roadwatch bulletins on the coaches.

An hour before the main act entrances were working efficiently and car parks were working well.