By Mark Mackay

POLICE WERE forced to issue a warning to festival-goers yesterday after rain threatened to disrupt T in the Park for the second year running.

The first campers made their way to the festival site at Balado as organisers attempted to reduce the event’s impact upon Perth and Kinross roads.

However, driving rain rekindled memories of last year’s traffic chaos and left the early-birds more than a little drookit.

Fair weather was being prayed for but, right on cue, the heavens opened yesterday morning. With further downpours forecast today and for much of the weekend, festival-goers may be fearing the worst.

Last year’s ‘Black Friday’ left motorists furious and frustrated and campers bedraggled before the entertainment on offer lifted spirits.

An array of measures have been put in place in a bid to ensure there will be no repeat of those chaotic scenes. The police and organisers DF concerts say they are confident their new traffic management plan will prove a success.

New procedures for car parks, including a system of metal tracks to ease access to the car parks, will likely be tested to the full by the weather.

Anyone who attended last year’s festival will likely be watching unfavourable weather forecasts—sun is not expected until Sunday afternoon—with more than a little trepidation.

Given the heavy rain, Chief Superintendent Matt Hamilton, in charge of policing in Perth and Kinross, advised the 6000 campers expected to travelling to T in the Park yesterday to allow plenty of time for their journey.

That advice should also hold true today.

“For further traffic and travel information for T in the Park please log on to www.trafficscotland.org/ tinthepark, and stay tuned to local radio stations who will be broadcasting regular up-dates on the traffic and travel situation,” he said.

The early stages of the 2007 event took a farcical turn as tens of thousands of revellers became engulfed in traffic chaos.

Avoiding a repeat of that has been at the forefront of the thoughts of organisers.

Inspector Kenny Brown, head of road policing for Perth and Kinross, has been working with the event organisers on the parking and traffic plan.

He said, “Ideally, I’d like to see more people leaving their car at home and using the special public transport to get to T in the Park but I realise that not everyone will.

“This year we will have a blimp to provide us with aerial views of traffic movements.

“Those attending will see new and improved entrances to the festival car parks, along with steel tracking allowing improved access into the car parks.

“Last year, three car parks were open at any one time. This has been doubled to six, with further additional parking areas having been identified should the need arise.

“Today’s early opening has been set up to spread the flow of traffic prior to the festival commencing on Friday lunchtime.

“A convoy system will also be in place at certain villages near the festival site, with escorted passages to avoid traffic queues in residential areas,” he said.

“There will be strictly enforced ‘no waiting and parking’ areas, and any offending vehicles will be removed by the on-site recovery team, with motorists facing a hefty fee to reclaim their vehicle.”

The police have promised a zero tolerance drug policy at this year’s event.

Drugs amnesty bins will be placed at the entrance to the camp sites and those attending the festival can dispose of illegal substances in these bins before they enter the campsite without risk of exclusion or prosecution.

However, once inside the venue, drugs will not be tolerated, and anyone caught dealing or carrying drugs will be arrested.

Plain clothes police officers and specialist drugs dogs will be operating throughout the festival.

Last year officers made only 66 arrests over the course of the weekend, down slightly on the 70 arrests made in 2006.

Of the 66, only 30 people were kept in custody for court, reflecting the nature of the offences that came to the attention of police officers at the festival.

Chief Superintendent Hamilton added, “The overall mood of revellers in 2007 was fantastic with the overwhelming majority of people enjoying what was a terrific event.”