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Isle of Wight Festival: Floods cause travel chaos Isle of Wight Festival: Floods cause travel chaos
(about 1 hour later)
Flooding has left hundreds of people stranded on ferries and caused long traffic delays for people heading to the Isle of Wight Festival.Flooding has left hundreds of people stranded on ferries and caused long traffic delays for people heading to the Isle of Wight Festival.
About 65,000 festivalgoers are expected at Seaclose Park in Newport during the event which starts on Friday.About 65,000 festivalgoers are expected at Seaclose Park in Newport during the event which starts on Friday.
The main car park is waterlogged - forcing organisers to bring in metal tracks so that vehicles could be directed to an overflow car park. Three Wightlink ferries with a total of 600 people on board have been waiting in the Solent for several hours.
Wightlink has been unable discharge passengers at Fishbourne. The ferry firm said it was unable to unload cars in Fishbourne because of traffic being stacked up to the sea.
About 600 people have been stranded on board three ferries in the Solent for several hours and thousands more are stuck in Portsmouth harbour waiting to board. Traffic on many of the the island's roads have been at a standstill throughout the day and evening.
Traffic on many of the the island's roads were at a standstill throughout the afternoon and evening. Problems began in the morning when the main car park had become waterlogged from heavy rain overnight.
Organisers were forced to bring in metal tracks so that vehicles could be directed to an overflow car park.
Thousands of people are also stuck in Portsmouth harbour waiting to board Wightlink ferries to the island.
The organisers apologised and said they were "working to speed things up" at the parking site.The organisers apologised and said they were "working to speed things up" at the parking site.
Unable to unload Food on board
A Wightlink spokeswoman said: "We have about a couple of hundred people on each boat. They are fine, and there are crew and food on board.A Wightlink spokeswoman said: "We have about a couple of hundred people on each boat. They are fine, and there are crew and food on board.
"We can't do anything else with them until we can get into port to unload."We can't do anything else with them until we can get into port to unload.
"At the moment we are in the lap of the Gods with the Isle of Wight Festival."At the moment we are in the lap of the Gods with the Isle of Wight Festival.
"As soon as the berth is free they will be able to unload, but we just don't know when that will be."As soon as the berth is free they will be able to unload, but we just don't know when that will be.
"It has nothing to do with us, and it's not a problem caused by us.""It has nothing to do with us, and it's not a problem caused by us."
Southern Vectis also said its bus services were also affected. John Newsome, who had been stuck in the queue for several hours, said: "I'm quite happy with the festival.
"Really up until this year, the traffic situation has not been too bad - fair enough, it's been a bit disruptive but not too bad.
"But this today, it's disgusting. I've never come across anything like this in the past here - or even on the mainland.
"It makes everyone's blood boil and this will make people even more irate and cause accidents."
Southern Vectis said its bus services were also affected.
Hampshire Police were assisting to clear the backlog of traffic affecting a number of roads leading from ferry ports to the festival site.Hampshire Police were assisting to clear the backlog of traffic affecting a number of roads leading from ferry ports to the festival site.
They said: "Tracks are in place across muddy ground for motorists to reach an extra car park at the IoW Festival.They said: "Tracks are in place across muddy ground for motorists to reach an extra car park at the IoW Festival.
"Police motorcyclists are on patrol between Fishbourne, Whippingham, Wootton Bridge and Newport to help manage the flow of traffic on to the site as swiftly and safely as possible."Police motorcyclists are on patrol between Fishbourne, Whippingham, Wootton Bridge and Newport to help manage the flow of traffic on to the site as swiftly and safely as possible.
"We are working closely with the organisers, ferry companies and other emergency services.""We are working closely with the organisers, ferry companies and other emergency services."
The festival runs from Friday until Sunday and headliners include Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen.The festival runs from Friday until Sunday and headliners include Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen.
The date of the event was moved from its normal slot in early June, to avoid clashing with the Diamond Jubilee and half-term holidays.The date of the event was moved from its normal slot in early June, to avoid clashing with the Diamond Jubilee and half-term holidays.
For the festival about 65,000 people travel to the Isle of Wight, which has a population of just 140,000.