7:53am Monday 6th July 2009
By Gavin Aitchison
SPECIAL traffic arrangements will be in place for motorists and race goers next weekend as crowds descend on York for the John Smith’s Cup Meeting.
Tens of thousands of people are expected at Knavesmire on Friday and Saturday for the 50th staging of the meet.
Transport officials at City of York Council will implement their race-day traffic plan on both days.
Parking restrictions, temporary traffic lights and recommended routes will be in place.
Key points of the plan will be:
* Signs on major routes encouraging traffic to approach the racecourse along the A1237/A64
* Further signs within the city will reinforce this
* No-waiting cones to ban parking on Knavesmire Road, Campleshon Road, Albemarle Road (Campleshon Road end), Knavesmire Avenue, Bishopthorpe Road (Campleshon Road end) and Church Lane in Bishopthorpe (one side only)
* Sim Balk Lane traffic lights will be off and the right turn into and out of Sim Balk Lane banned from 4.30pm to 7pm to allow traffic to flow without signals.
For racegoers leaving by car on Saturday, manual temporary lights will be placed at the Knavesmire Road/Tadcaster Road junction.
It is expected the lights will be used from 4.30pm to 7pm, depending on traffic flows.
The John Smith’s Cup dates back to 1960, and is the longest-running sponsorship in British Flat racing.
To mark the 50th race, special attractions will include a flypast of Tucanos from RAF Linton-on-Ouse and a display from the Royal Marines Band.
This year’s race carries a winner’s prize of £150,000.
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