Council prepares for congestion as Oasis return to Knebworth
Officials are working with organisers to minimise disruption
Hertfordshire County Council says work is getting underway to manage the expected pressure on local roads when Oasis return to Knebworth next year.
The band are set to perform four nights at Knebworth in September 2027, bringing thousands of fans to the area for their first performances at the site since 1996.
Around a quarter of a million people attended Oasis's two Knebworth concerts in 1996, and the scale of next year's shows is expected to put significant pressure on the local road network.
Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Hertfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Highways, said traffic management would be a key part of preparations for the concerts.
He said council officers would now work with organisers to establish the best routes for visitors, where road closures may be needed and how traffic can be kept moving as effectively as possible.
“Obviously, at this stage, it’s too early to say what roads will be closed and what routes will be used,” he said.
A major focus will be making sure drivers can find the event and its car parks without adding unnecessary congestion to surrounding roads.
Councillor Giles-Medhurst said adequate signage would need to be in place well before drivers reached key junctions, while event organisers would also have responsibility for giving ticket holders clear information about how to travel to Knebworth.
“We have to accept inevitably acts of that size, acts of that sort of quality, bring with itself its own issues in terms of number of people that want to come and therefore inevitably there will be some congestion,” Councillor Giles-Medhurst said.
Planning will also need to take account of existing activity on Hertfordshire's roads, including utility works and planned roadworks.
The council's network planning and traffic engineering teams will coordinate with other organisations to ensure planned works do not cause additional disruption around the concerts where possible.
Councillor Giles-Medhurst said the council had experienced officers whose job it was to plan for major events and manage the road network.
“They will be working a high level of professionalism to ensure that as far as possible, there's not as much congestion as people might fear,” he said.