Isle of Wight Armed Forces Day returns next weekend, with visitors being encouraged to walk or use public transport to get to the hugely popular event.
Thousands of visitors will descend on Ryde on Sunday, 30th June to enjoy a spectacular show ranging from the Red Arrows in the air, to the Fort Cumberland Guard on the beach.
People are strongly recommended to make the most of the public transport options on offer, plan ahead and leave plenty of time for their journeys.
Bus services
Sunday bus services to Ryde run every 15 minutes from Newport, Sandown and Shanklin and veterans and serving personnel can travel for FREE on the day.
Parking
Ryde has eight long stay car parks with 783 pay and display spaces. Full details including locations are available on the Armed Forces Day website.
There will also be a limited number of dedicated spaces for disabled veterans. These passes will be offered via the event website from Monday, on a first come first served basis.
Beat the heat
Visitors are being advised to keep an eye on the weather and take sensible precautions if — like last year — hot weather is forecast. Government advice on how to ‘Beat the Heat’ is available on the event website.
Health and safety
To stay safe and get the best view, visitors must stay behind the beach safety cordon at all times. There is also a maritime exclusion zone for those on the water. These are necessary to accommodate the air displays.
Ian Dore, event organiser, said,
“Health and safety is paramount and before I signed off any of the air displays, I had to be 100 per cent confident it could be done safely.
“Thankfully working with input from outside agencies, Isle of Wight Council and our dedicated flight display director, they can be. It’s a Herculean task with many moving parts and so many people have assisted in this.
“Incidents are very rare, but they do happen and public safety is very important. Please make sensible travel plans, bring some food and water. Be mindful of the heat and stay behind the beach cordon.
“There you’ll be on the receiving end of the very best views, ready to welcome The Red Arrows at 11.30am.”
For a full programme of attractions and the running order, visit the Isle of Wight Armed Forces Day website.
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed