Book your airshow parking now!
South Ayrshire Council has announced a range of parking options and important information for drivers ahead of next month's International Airshow - Festival of Flight.
The 2024 airshow is fast approaching, so now is the time to plan ahead and book your parking space for the biggest event in South Ayrshire this year!
We've joined forces with Tracsis Events who will manage all aspects of our airshow carparks for September's festival. Tracsis specialise in live events and operate nationally at many of the UK's most high-profile events including Glastonbury and Silverstone Racing and they also covered the London 2012 Olympics.
We know the demand for parking was high for the 2023 festival, so this year we've added an additional car park for Saturday 7 September.
We've also increased the number of free toilets at the carparks, so no one gets caught short. Plus, there will be more lighting towers to make it easier to navigate your way back to your car when the event is over.
This year, parking will be available at:
- Ayr Racecourse - park and ride or walk.Shuttle buses will be provided, but people who prefer to walk can do so.Cost:Friday 6th - £5 / Saturday 7th - £15.
- Seafield - park and walk.This is the closest carpark to the festival.Cost:Friday 6th - £10 / Saturday 7th - £20.
- Rozelle Estate (open Saturday 7 September only) - park and ride or walk.Shuttle buses will be provided, but people who prefer to walk can do so (please note it's just over one mile to walk from Rozelle Estate to the festival site).Cost: Saturday 7th - £15.
- Blackburn Drive (Blue badge holders only). Cost:Friday 6th and Saturday 7th - free.
For those of you who choose one of our park and ride options, our shuttle buses, provided by Stagecoach, will drop you off even closer to the action this year - at Ayr Esplanade.
Spaces are limited, so we strongly advise you to book in advance (excluding Blackburn Drive) to guarantee your space.
Book your airshow parking now at https://customer-parking-services.tracsistcs.com/?access_token=ayrshow
Bookings close at 12:00 midnight on Thursday 5 September (for parking on Friday 6 September) and 12:00 midnight on Friday 6 September (for parking on Saturday 7 September).
So, you must book by 12:00 midnight the day before you want to park to secure your space.
While some parking spaces may still be available on the day, we can't guarantee this. If available, these spaces will be charged at a higher rate of £5 extra on top of the book in advance price and will be payable at the carpark.
To make carpark access easier, entry will be streamlined with ANPR cameras (automatic number plate recognition), so your number plate will be automatically checked when you arrive at the carpark. This means that you'll be asked to provide the registration plate number of the vehicle you intend to bring on the day when you pre-book your parking.
Blue badge holders will be able to park for free at Blackburn Drive car park. You don't need to pre-book these spaces, but they are limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. More information about accessibility at the airshow is available at destinationsouthayrshire.co.uk/ayrshow/ayr-show-accessibility-information.
Tracsis will have exit plans in place for each car park to ensure you can leave as quickly as possible. However, as with all events of this scale, it is inevitable that there will be some delays, so please factor this into your journey time to and from the festival.
Another priority for us is to make sure that the road network remains safe and emergency vehicle access is maintained at all times. Permanent restricted areas will be marked with double yellow lines and signage. Temporary restricted areas, which are covered by the Temporary Traffic Road Order (TTRO), will be marked with cones and signage.
It's extremely important that you do not park in any restricted area. Vehicles left in restricted areas may be towed, and the owner will be required to pay a £200 fine to retrieve it.
Residential areas that are covered by the TTRO will be closed to the public who are visiting for the festival. We will have check points in place to ensure that residents can gain access to their homes and will provide letters with further information to all residents who are affected by the TTRO.
Information about parking and traffic restrictions on the weekend of the airshow is available at destinationsouthayrshire.co.uk/ayrshow/parking-faqs
South Ayrshire Council's Portfolio Holder for Tourism, Culture and Rural Affairs, Councillor Alec Clark said: "We want everyone to be able to come to the airshow and enjoy their day from start to finish. Parking with ease is part of this, so with that in mind, I'd ask people to make sure that they have a parking space reserved before they travel. I also want to reassure residents who reside in areas affected by the Temporary Traffic Road Order, that we have taken the necessary steps to ensure visitors don't use their spaces to park up for the event."
South Ayrshire Council's Portfolio Holder for Sport and Leisure, Councillor Brian Connolly, said: "We are urging people to plan ahead and book their parking now. We've got a great range of options available, plus an additional car park at Rozelle Estate on Saturday 7 September. I'd also like to draw people's attention to the rules around parking in restricted areas - please make sure you take heed of these to avoid penalties. Ultimately, we want everyone who comes to the airshow to have a fantastic time and pre-booking your parking will get your festival weekend off to a great start."
Leader of South Ayrshire Council, Councillor Martin Dowey, said: "We want as many people as possible to come to Ayr to enjoy the airshow in September. We've listened to feedback from the 2023 event and made improvements, including additional parking and increased toilet and lighting provision onsite at the carparks. I would encourage everyone who intends to travel to the airshow by car to pre-book your parking well in advance to avoid disappointment."
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