Muddy Lane: Open this year?

[Glasto Mart]

Our group always camp in Big Ground. I remember last year that they closed Muddy Lane to foot traffic for the whole festival.

This proved most annoying for us when we were heading down to the south east part of the site we would have to take the long route back west through Big Ground and then east down through Kidney Mead, essentually going in a triange shape, when a quick straight line down Muddy Lane would have got us there in no time.

I notice that the fine guide for this year still shows the path as being a main route, but does anyone know if this will be the case or will it be more annoying zig-zig trips again for me?

[r0cky]

Yes, I believe Muddy Lane is open this year to pedestrians.

[ivan]

It was shut in 2007 as well !

A right pain on the old legs , what with the mud !

[Pinhead]

I worked Muddy Lane for Oxfam last year, so know what the policy was then, and I would not be surprised to find that policy in place again for this year (especially if wet).

Right from the beginning of the festival, the logistic organisers rather than Oxfam, decided to close Muddy Lane to pedestrians during the busy hours each day as it has now been nominated as the main access route for all the tractor pulled sh1t trucks, and to some extent security vehicle traffic. It had been decided that the lane was simply too small and dangerous to allow people down there as the tractors are huge now and you cannot really avoid them without jumping into the steep sided verge along some stretches. Coupled with the way security belt down that lane, it was perceived as a safety risk. Plus, a lot of the site traffic was finding that it was backing up (especially going up hill), due to unsympathetic pedestrians, causing delays for the site infrastructure people.

Thus, Muddy Lane was closed to pedestrians soon after the start of the festi, though you could walk over the cross roads in its mid section. This policy was frequently changed throughout the festi however, largely due to mis-comminication between Oxfam, Site Offices and Security. On occasion, it was opened to pedestrians in either direction, then closed, then opened again - you get the picture. Traffic too got confused - sometimes it was traffic up the lane only, then down only, then only up from the crossroads etc. etc. So policy did change frequently, but I anticipate that they'll have cleared that up and closed it in its entirety this year to pedestrians.

[paulo999]

Pedestrianised from Wednesday morning, with vehicles routed outside the fence between PGC and PGB.

That's the plan at least.

[eve & nash]

Hope it will be open! Stop the traffic of people walking through cockmill.

[James@greenspace]

where is muddy lane?

[ivan]

where is muddy lane?

[Pinhead]

Pedestrianised from Wednesday morning, with vehicles routed outside the fence between PGC and PGB.

That's the plan at least.

[ivan]

Interesting change of policy there then. Will they be making it vehicle access only again after the rush however?

Would be easier if they did route around the fence - perfectly good lane there for security and site crew to use, but not so good for the sh1t wagons after the festi has started I'd imagine. Thing is, despite telling epople they could not go down there, and discoraging them from doing so, many just took the p1ss and went down there anyway.

[paulo999]

Interesting change of policy there then. Will they be making it vehicle access only again after the rush however?

Would be easier if they did route around the fence - perfectly good lane there for security and site crew to use, but not so good for the sh1t wagons after the festi has started I'd imagine. Thing is, despite telling epople they could not go down there, and discoraging them from doing so, many just took the p1ss and went down there anyway.

[r0cky]

Would be easier if they did route around the fence - perfectly good lane there for security and site crew to use, but not so good for the sh1t wagons after the festi has started I'd imagine. Thing is, despite telling epople they could not go down there, and discoraging them from doing so, many just took the p1ss and went down there anyway.

[Runner]

Pedestrianised throughout is what I understand.

I'll be on site at the weekend so I'll check again then.

[paulo999]

What I read said that the route around the fence was being widened to permit two-way traffic.

[Storm_NL]

They will have to have one or the other. I know I am shooting myself in the foot as a regular in

Big Ground , but if any vehicles are gonna use the lane it has to be shut for pedestrians and we

will have to walk the long way round !

[eFestivals]

It separates the Accoustic Field , with Big Ground Camping.

We camp in Big Ground and if we came out of say the Leftfield we would walk up that lane instead

of going through the camp sites !

not quite correct.

It separates the Kidz Crew camping (and Goose Hall, if you know what that is) from Big Ground camping.

[paulo999]

Same here. The thing that makes me curious is that to me implies widening Cockmill Lane, which sounds odd.

I'll investigate

Edited June 9, 2009 by paulo999

[Pinhead]

Yes, and no more requirement for stewards to control it - honestly had to be the most boring shift you could have got placed on that year!