Queues but no chaos as 55,000 flock to Cosford Air Show

Motorists were caught in queues stretching up to seven miles as spectators headed to the site yesterday.

But organisers said there were no repeats of last year's chaotic scenes, which saw roads around the venue gridlocked.

That was partly because 5,000 fewer spectators came. Last year's attendance figure of 60,000 broke records as people flocked to see Prince Harry take part in the show with the the Apache Attack Helicopter Display Team.

Amanda Butcher, a spokeswoman for the air show, said: "At the moment we have not had feedback from all our ticket outlets but we are estimating around 55,000 people.

"We are really pleased, it is a bit less than last year but it helped with traffic and, on the ground, we won't have the official figures for a few more weeks."

Drivers yesterday experienced delays of around 30 minutes, compared to the four-hour hold-ups endured during the 2013 event. Queues started forming just after 7am as people attempted to avoid congestion by setting off early.

By 8am, cars were queuing on the M54 at Junction 3 Cosford turn-off and on the A41 stretch from Wolverhampton.

Highways bosses said show traffic reached its peak at about 9am with queues on the M54 reaching back almost as far as Junction 2, seven miles away.

Many more people appeared to have travelled to the show this year by rail to avoid traffic delays.

Both Arriva and London Midland laid on additional trains with a service leaving Wolverhampton every 45 minutes.

Daniel Wood, of the Highways Agency, said:

"It appears to have gone relatively smoothly compared to last year."

West Mercia Police tweeted last night: "Thanks to everyone for their patience at Cosford Air Show. We had around 19,000 vehicles travelling to the event today."

Elsewhere, thousands flocked to the Bob Jones Memorial Air Show at Welshpool Airport yesterday.

Five hours of displays began at midday with a flypast by the Red Arrows. The aerial attractions at both shows included the country's last flying Vulcan, an RAF Eurofighter Typhoon, a display of wing walking by the Breitling Wing Walkers, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team.

See also:

• Unique view of Cosford Air Show . . . from cockpit of a Red Arrow

• Cosford Air Show in pictures

• YOUR air show pictures

• Star comment: Flying high despite the road delays