Talks staged over traffic 'chaos'

There were 10-mile tailbacks at last year's show Royal Welsh diary 2008 In pictures from Monday's show

Royal Welsh Show officials have held an emergency meeting after roads around Wales' main agricultural event became snarled up with traffic.

Talks were held between bus operators and traffic management staff to try to solve the problem, which plagued the event last year.

The show said a bus carrying visitors broke down in Builth Wells and brought morning traffic to a standstill.

Problems intensified when drivers drove into the town to find parking spaces.

The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, which runs the event, had earlier urged visitors to use recommended routes and car parks in an attempt to avoid last year's "chaotic" traffic problems.

But show director Harry Fetherston-Haugh said some people had ignored the society's plea.

Trebor Edwards is a stockman, singer and this year's Royal Welsh Show president.

He added there had been complaints about the free park and ride bus service too.

There are 56 buses operating between the car parks and the showground, and officials said they may have hire more to cope with demand.

Society chief executive David Walters said Mr Fetherston-Haugh was talking to shuttle bus operators and the traffic management team.

"A bus broke down on the bridge in Builth Wells which caused choas and what made it worse was that an ambulance was trying to get through the traffic," Mr Walters explained.

"There is no forward parking for the general public so there is no point in driving to the showground."

Mr Fetherston-Haugh said the free park and ride service would get "visitors home a whole lot quicker at night".

'Stronger position'

Meanwhile, the first day of the event has been hailed a huge success.

The attendance was 51,360, 3,000 up on 2007 and 2,000 above the 10-year average for the first day.

A sleeping pig on the opening day of the Royal Welsh Show Enlarge Image

An extra 54 acres of parking is being laid on this year after atrocious weather conditions in 2007 contributed towards 10-mile tailbacks at the event.

Mr Fetherston-Haugh said 800m of new drainage had been installed in the showground, three years after officials spent £500,000 on the drainage system.

In addition, he said 1,700m of new roads had been built and 2,300m of tracking for the car parks were being used.

"If the weather changes we are in a far stronger position this year," said Mr Fetherston-Haugh.

Show officials have also urged drivers to co-operate with traffic marshals.

Princess Anne opened the showpiece this year, the first time in four years it has received a royal visitor.

More than 200,000 people regularly attend the show at Llanelwedd, Powys.