Safe-T comes first at festival

Jul 11 2008

A MASSIVE police presence swept into Kinross-shire yesterday to ensure the safety of local residents and revellers during T in the Park.

Inspector Kenny Brown, head of road policing for Perth and Kinross, said: “Ideally, I’d like to see people leaving their car at home and using the special public transport but I realise not everyone will.”

The earlier site opening, an ‘eye in the sky’ blimp to provide aerial views of traffic, steel tracking at car park entrances and twice the number of car parks should all help ease congestion.

The police inspector added: “A convoy system will also be in place at certain villages near the festival site, with escorted passages, to avoid traffic queues in residential areas.”

And he warned: “There will be strictly enforced ‘no waiting and parking’ areas and any offending vehicles will be removed by the on-site recovery team, with motorists facing a hefty fee to reclaim their vehicle.”

Perth and Kinross’s top policeman, Chief Superintendent Matt Hamilton, urged those heading to Balado to leave valuables at home and look after belongings once there, explaining festivals across the country have suffered a surge in thefts from tents.

And he stressed the police will not tolerate drugs, with ‘amnesty bins’ placed at the entrance to the campsites without risk of exclusion or prosecution.

The senior officer warned users: “Once inside the venue, drugs will not be tolerated and anyone caught dealing or carrying drugs will be arrested.

“We will have plain clothes police officers and specialist drugs dogs operating at T in the Park,” he cautioned.

But on a positive note just 66 arrests were made at the festival last year and revellers have in the past enjoyed a good rapport with the local police.