19 June 2024
Nearly three-quarters of a million music and tennis fans will head to two of the UK’s major summer events over the next three weeks.
Glastonbury
Glastonbury kicks off on 26 June with 200,000 festival-goers attending the five day event. Over three quarters* of these will be travelling by car.
Routes around the South West including the M4, M5 and A39 will be busy on Wednesday 26 June as people descend on Worthy Farm and again on Sunday 30 June and Monday 1 July as revellers head home.
The AA supports Glastonbury each year including helping festival-goers to find their cars at the end of the festival. The AA will have a dedicated team on site to provide support to people who experience problems with their vehicles, including with lost keys.
A dedicated Festival hotline number - 0330 053 0338 has been set up for those needing assistance during the event. Preferential rates and immediate service are available to non-members wishing to join The AA whilst attending the festival.
Whether you are going to ‘Somewhere only we know’ with Keane or getting stuck with Squeeze ‘Up the junction’ or jammed on the Orbital, rest assured Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ and The AA will be there to ‘Fix you’.
Anyone for tennis?
Meanwhile, Wimbledon fortnight starts on Monday 1st July with the final day’s action on Sunday 14th. Last year a record 532,651 people attended across the period with more expected to visit SW19 this year. Of those attending 33%* say they will travel to the All England Club by car.
Each year The AA supports the Championships in the organisation and supervision of the car parks and the park-and-ride facility. Courtesy roadside assistance is provided to drivers in the immediate vicinity of the event, irrespective of whether or not they are AA members. The AA is proud to have supported Wimbledon for almost 100 years. Information on car parking for Wimbledon can be found here.
Chris Wood, AA Patrol of the Year said: “Whether you’re a music or a sports fan, it’s vital that your car is event-ready. Taking extra time to carry out a few basic vehicle checks, including checking breakdown cover latest offers can save you a lot of hassle later on – substituting a live event for radio could lead to disappointment all-round.
“The UK’s biggest breakdown organisation will have patrols on duty at many live events across the UK but is urging drivers to carry out essential car checks before setting off to their chosen venue. Following the AA’s simple acronym for vehicle checks before a trip can help to save stress later on;"
• Fuel
• Lights
• Oil
• Water
• Electrics
• Rubber
Chris Sheldrick, Co-Founder and CEO of what3words said: “At busy events such as Glastonbury and Wimbledon, it can be tricky to describe meet up points with friends, and direct assistance should you have vehicle troubles in the expansive car parks. what3words enables The AA to pinpoint the exact location of your breakdown and send their teams to help as quickly as possible."
Other events The AA will be supporting this year include:
Hampton Court Garden Festival; The British Grand Prix at Silverstone; Farnborough International Airshow; Latitude Festival; Leeds Festival and the British Moto GP.
* Yonder received 13,469 responses from AA members to its online poll between the 21st to 29th May 2024. Yonder is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.