Traffic Management

Highways changes will be in place in Appleby town centre and other surrounding areas during the Horse Fair which aim to make the event safer.

Appleby Horse Fair is the largest Horse Fair in Europe, attracting up to 10,000 Gypsy and Travellers and over 20,000 visitors from the settled community.  The Fair is one of very few annual unorganised events in Cumbria that has no recognised organiser

The overall response to Traffic Management issues for Appleby Horse Fair is managed by the MASCG Traffic Management sub-group.  The Traffic Management Plan is designed to minimise the impact of the excessive overload to the highway network during the various phases of the operation and to maintain safety for those visiting the Fair and those using the impacted highway network.

The plan seeks to manage the movement of vehicles migrating towards the Fair and to prevent inappropriate parking and encampment, within the extents of highway, during the Fair period.

The plan functions around the concept of directing visiting vehicles from each of the three approach routes to designated permitted car parks and then to exit via the same routes, avoiding Appleby town centre.

The plan outlines what legal powers and physical infrastructure are deployed, or are at the disposal of MASCG Agencies, to manage the use of the highway.   Westmorland and Furness Council, as the Highway Authority for all non-trunk roads, provides the infrastructure and utilises its powers to minimise risk to highway users during the Fair.   Any measures taken are intended to protect the highway user and the highway asset, maintain the free movement of traffic, or to facilitate other Agencies to carry out their responsibilities.