Long traffic delays for racegoers leaving The Bend Motorsport Park after inaugural Supercars event
A HUGE wait to leave The Bend Motorsport Park on Saturday night after police conducted random breathtesting just outside has angered racegoers.
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IT was meant to be the perfect end to the perfect first day of Supercars action at The Bend Motorsport Park, but will go down as one of a few “teething problems” organisers want fixed for next year.
Fans vented on social media as many waited more than two hours at two circuit exits on Saturday night when a police random breath testing station created a 5km-long traffic bottleneck at Tailem Bend.
Race organisers tried to convince police to allow traffic to flow as tempers frayed and some drivers cut through paddocks, until police relented at 7.30pm.
“@thebend_msp what’s with the traffic not even moving for half an hour? Literally not moved! Great facility besides that,’’ @Parky222 tweeted.
A spokesman for The Bend insisted the problem would be avoided on Sunday night because racing continued after the drawcard V8s, creating delayed departure times, but delays were still reported — even though some racegoers left before the V8 race finished to avoid the rush.
“We have been working with SAPOL all day on making exits as smooth as possible,’’ the spokesman said.
After Saturday’s two-hour traffic delays, long queues began forming by 4pm.
Organisers said they would appeal to the government to upgrade entrances and exits on to the Mallee and Dukes highways.
The Advertiser understands the solution next year may be to run the Saturday Supercars race earlier, as the race was run Sunday, avoiding a mass exit of the track at one time.
Police refused to answer questions about the traffic chaos, saying only that figures would be released after their operation concluded.
