Local Residents

New For 2023

Download 2023 will see several changes to the site layout. These changes are being instigated after a review of the Download 2022 and changes to the overall site plan.

•           Addition of South Car Park and South Entrance for Day Ticket Holders

•           The Arena is open for an extra day on Thursday 8th June

•           More standard campsites and the introduction of our ‘Mini Moshers’ campsite

Key Timings

Campsites: 12pm on Wednesday 7th June – 12pm on Monday 12th June 2023

Car Parks: 7am on Wednesday 7th June – 4pm on Monday 12th June 2023

Noise Propagation Test:

Wednesday 7th June: 3.30pm – 6.30pm

Thursday 8th and Friday 9th June: 10am – 12pm

Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th June: 10am – 11am

Live Music

Thursday 8th and Friday 9th June: 1pm – 11pm

Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th June: 11am – 11pm

If you believe the noise levels are too high at your property please get in touch with our Residents Team via email download.residents@festivalrepublic.com.

Car Parks & Getting TO Site

Campers will start arriving on Wednesday 7th June early morning, arriving into the site in either North , East or West Car Parks.

North and East Car Park Entrance – Park Lane

West Car Park Entrance – Melbourne Road

We strongly discourage walking to site on foot, as there are no safe walking routes.

If you are travelling from Castle Donington or Melbourne to the event, please note that we have introduced a shuttle bus for local residents and festival goers, please find below the timetable:

FootPath Closures

The L87 footpath which runs from Bosworth Road, Castle Donington to the Derbyshire County Boundary will be closed from 26th May – 16th June.  This is for public safety during the construction, duration and deconstruction of Download Festival.

This will also be closed from the Derbyshire side (F20) from Melbourne Road to the border.

Traffic And Key Routes

Traffic will be heavy during the peak arrival and departure days, please plan your journeys ahead if you are travelling during any of the Festival days. We aim to cause as little disruption as possible, so please use the email to contact us with any concerns or suggestions and we will be happy to help.

• A speed reduction to 40mph and some 30mph will be in place for the duration of the event. The reduction will be in place along Melbourne Lane then up the A453 to the junction of Hill Top. This is due to some pedestrians that may choose to walk along the public highway despite having a safe walking route within the site that is advised for use. Any stewards on gates will advise of the safe walking routes rather than walking on either Melbourne Lane or the A453 day or night. There will also be a shuttle bus in operation running from Castle Donington Village to the Festival then to Melbourne, on a loop through the 5 days.
• No Right Turn from Hill Top onto A453 southbound. This will be in place for the duration of the event.

Our main routes to site are:

North and Eastbound Routes

Green Route​

Traffic arriving via the M1 Southbound will exit the motorway at Junction 24a onto the A50 Westbound until Junction 1 then entering the North and East Car Parks via the bypass. ​

Red Route ​

Traffic arriving via the M1 northbound will exit the motorway at Junction 24 onto the A50 Northbound, entering the North and East Car Parks via the bypass. ​

Purple Route ​

Any vehicles travelling on the A50 will be directed to continue until Junction 1, where the route follows the bypass into the North Car Parks via Park Lane.

Orange Route 

Traffic arriving via the M42 / A42 northbound will be directed off at Junction 14 onto the A453 Moor Lane. Traffic will then continue northbound on the A453 Moor Lane.  At the junction of the A453 Moor Lane and the unnamed road (“Breedon on the Hill” turn off), traffic will be directed right onto the A453 Walton Hill northbound. ​

Traffic will proceed along the A453 turning left onto the bypass road, finally turning left into the East Car Parks.

Westbound Routes

Orange Route 1

Traffic arriving via the M42 / A42 northbound will be directed off at Junction 14 onto the A453 Moor Lane. Traffic will then continue northbound on the A453 Moor Lane.  At the junction of the A453 Moor Lane and the unnamed road (Breedon on the Hill turn off), traffic will be directed right onto the A453 Walton Hill northbound. ​

Traffic will proceed along the A453 until the junction with Melbourne Lane. Traffic will be directed left at this junction then continue until they reach the West Car Park​

Orange Route 2

If traffic started to queue from the slip road on Junction 14 of the A42, traffic can be signed off at Junction 13 to the Flagstaff roundabout.

Traffic will then turn left onto the A511 to the junction with the B587 towards Breedon on the Hill. They would then proceed North on the B587 towards Melbourne and enter the West Car Park from the west side.

Purple Route 1​

Traffic arriving via the A50 eastbound will be directed off at Junction 4 and south on the B5008 through Willington to Repton. In Repton traffic will turn left to Milton.​

In Milton traffic will head through Ticknall then to Kings Newton via the B587. Traffic can then access the West car parks from Melbourne Lane.

Red Route 2

West Campsite Traffic will be signed to use J23. Here they will pick up the pre-signed route along the A512 to Peggs Green.​

A – Traffic can continue along the A512 to Flagstaff roundabout J13 of the A42 and then join the A42 northbound to access the event on the Orange 1 route ​

B – Traffic could then proceed to the left of Griffydam until it meets the B5324. Here it would carry on to the B587 then onto Main Street and then join Melbourne Road to access the event.

Southbound Route (A453, Day Ticket Holders)

Southbound Route – Day Ticketholders

Purple Route 1​

Traffic arriving via the A50 eastbound and coming South From will be directed off at Junction 4 and south on the B5008 through Willington to Repton. In Repton traffic will turn left to Milton.​

In Milton traffic will head through Ticknall then to Kings Newton via the B587. Traffic can then access the West car parks from Melbourne Lane.​

Purple Route 2​

Any vehicles coming south from Derby will be directed to continue along the A50 until Junction 1, where the route follows the bypass into the North Car Parks via Park Lane.

Orange Route 

Traffic arriving via the M42 / A42 northbound will be directed off at Junction 14 onto the A453 Moor Lane. Traffic will then continue northbound on the A453 Moor Lane.  At the junction of the A453 Moor Lane and the unnamed road (Breedon on the Hill turn off), traffic will be directed right onto the A453 Walton Hill northbound.​

Traffic will proceed along the A453 until turning right into the South Car Parks.​

Red Route 2

Day traffic will be signed to use J23. Here they will pick up the pre-signed route along the A512 to Peggs Green.​

A – Traffic can continue along the A512 to Flagstaff roundabout J13 of the A42 and then join the A42 northbound to access the event on the Orange 1 route ​

B – Traffic could then proceed to the left of Griffydam until it meets the B5324. Here it would carry on to the B587 then onto Main Street and then join Melbourne Road to access the event. ​

Green Route​

Traffic arriving by the M1 Southbound will be directed to exit the M1 at Junction 24 joining the A453 Southbound and continuing past the Airport before turning left into the South Car Parks.

PEAK ROUTES

There is no doubt that the A453 will be busy during the peak times. We would advise avoiding it along its whole length from the A42 (Junction 14) to the M1 (Junction 24a) wherever possible, especially during the morning and evening rush hour on Wednesday and Thursday, and from 9pm Sunday to 12 Noon Monday. We would advise allowing additional time if you need to use it at other times.

The traffic light junction directly outside the main entrance to Donington Park will also be an area of slow traffic movement throughout the festival. There is no right turn during the festival at these lights when travelling from Hilltop / Castle Donington towards Melbourne. There are also a number of temporary traffic regulation orders prohibiting waiting and loading at any time in the vicinity of the site to aid traffic to move and pass freely without being obstructed by other vehicles waiting or parking at various key locations on the public highway.

ARRIVAL TIMES

Festival entry for campers is spread over three days (Wednesday 7th, Thursday 8th and Friday 9th June). Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be the busiest days this year.

In addition to the main arrival times, on Friday 9th, Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th June, the roads will be busy for a few hours in the morning (8am – 1pm), and a couple of hours in the evening (10pm – 12.30am) when day ticket holders are arriving and leaving site.

Exiting

All campers have to vacate the campsite by the afternoon of Monday 12th June. This means that the highest volume of traffic coming away from the festival can be expected between the night of Sunday 11th and the afternoon of Monday 12th June.

VEHICLE DIVERSION ROUTES

Travelling between Castle Donington or Diseworth and Breedon on the Hill, Melbourne, Wilson & Ashby: Traffic avoiding the festival traffic are advised to use the Derby Southern Bypass (A50), leaving at Junction 3 onto Swarkstone Road (A514) and vice versa.

We apologise for any disruption cause but your delays will be reduced the more you avoid these areas during the operational times.  We appreciate that this is not always possible and advise in these instances to allow plenty of extra travel time.