With the two biggest festival events of the year rapidly approaching, it is inevitable that there will be a certain amount of traffic disruption caused by both visitor numbers and road closures.
At the time of writing the following road closures are planned:
Bonfire night, November 12:
The procession starts from Mason Road, Tilling Green and the route is then: Ferry Road to the Crown Inn, turn left into Cinque Ports Street, Tower Street, through Landgate Arch, Hilders Cliff (East Cliff) in to High Street, The Mint, turn right into Wish Ward, Cinque Ports Street, Tower Street, left down Landgate, right into Bedford Place and on to the Bonfire site.
Parking restrictions on the route will apply from 4:30pm and the roads will be cleared and closed by 6:30pm. The parade itself begins at 7:50pm and the bonfire will be lit at 8:45pm. The A259 Folkestone – Hastings trunk route will be closed at times between 8pm and and 9:30pm to allow the procession and crowds to pass and will be subject to long delays at all other times. Please be aware that is unlikely that you will allowed out of your car park before about 10:30pm.
We believe all car parks will be operating normally and there are disabled car parking concessions in the Station car park. The town will be very full and car parks will fill up quickly so you are advised to arrive early.
Christmas in Rye, December 10
Unlike the Bonfire, this is a whole-day event and the High Street will be completely closed to traffic from 10:30am with possible restrictions prior to that. The procession will form up in the Station car park and leave there at 4:30pm. The route will be Cinque Ports Street, Tower Street, High Street, The Mint, Wish Ward, Cinque Ports Street and back to the High Street where it will end outside the George Hotel. During this time there will be rolling closures to allow the parade to pass but at all other times the roads, with the exception of the High Street, will remain open. If you are driving through (and why would you want to do that when you could stop and join in the fun?) be prepared for some delay.
Photo: courtesy Christmas in Rye