I am increasingly concerned at the public misunderstanding that has a resulted from communication from the NASS festival in the last 24 hours.

Following a meeting today with Sam Watkins Director of Operations & Production at midday, I wanted to update the local community as follows:

- The agreed travel plan remains in place, people can arrive to the festival by car or by means of public transport.

- There will continue to be a controlled traffic zone around the festival boundaries, and there will be spotters on the roads to Castle Cary train station, Evercreech, Pylle, Prestleigh villages to prevent pedestrians on major A roads.

- In 2019 the festival had 100% of ticket holders arrived on Thursday , this year, regardless of means of arrival , a staggered entry of 60% on Thursday and 40% on Friday. You will not be admitted if you arrive on the wrong day of your ticket.

- A two gate policy will be an operation (compared to one the last time) which is expected to ease traffic flow, NASS also committed to placing prominently no idling signs to comply with Mendips No Idling initiative. If the travel plan works correctly there will be no idling by any vehicles in any case.

- Approximately 14% of NASS arrivals are by train.

- Following my intervention and meeting NASS have now confirmed that a shuttle bus service WILL be operating,

- However 7 to 10 buses have been planned in use and only five currently available. NASS are seeking to redress this and to have another provider make good the shortfall.

- Until this is resolved, NASS is encouraging those who can arrive by car to do so, on the day of the ticket booking, if they had intended to arrive by train they will be given free parking in place of the train ticket, this should alleviate the potential problem.

- A NO RE-ENTRY(if you exit) policy continues to be in force.

- Mendip District Council, as the licensing authority, and the SAG group as a festival overseers are aware of the issue and continue to work with Vision9/NASS to ensure the festival does not repeat the mistakes of 2019.

- Any local with concern should phone the festival hotline 01749 710539 or email [email protected].

I hope my intervention and information has been useful.

Speaking personally I am very disappointed that I've had to initiate and resolve this. This should've been proactively managed with NASS and the community. Nobody, I repeat nobody, wants or will tolerate a repeat of the 2019 debacle.

I have also sent this communication to the parish council clerk in Everchreech, and Doulting and county councillors Claire and Alex.