T In The Park bosses are confident the event has got “back on track” despite another challenging year.
Held over the weekend in the grounds of Strathallan Castle, the Scottish festival saw performances from acts including Stone Roses, Calvin Harris, Red Hot Chili Peppers, LCD Soundsystem, The Last Shadow Puppets, James Bay, Jess Glynne, Disclosure, Bastille and The 1975.
However, the festival was marred by the currently unexplained deaths of two 17-year-olds in separate incidents at the campsite on Thursday. Police are also investigating a report that an 18-year-old woman was raped.
“We had a tragic start to the event and our thoughts are still with the families and friends,” said festival director Geoff Ellis, CEO of DF Concerts. “Over the rest of the weekend, the music has been incredible with generations of musicians coming to Strathallan to perform.”
DF restructured the festival’s operations team and made a host of other significant changes after the highest number of serious assaults in T In The Park’s history was reported at last year’s event, its first year at the Strathallan site. Organisers have hailed changes to the site and traffic management as a success.
“We valued every piece of feedback fans gave us in 2015 and this year we’re delighted that they’ve enjoyed the improved arena layout,” said Ellis, who added: “I must extend a thanks to all of our multi-agency partners – Perth & Kinross Council, Transport Scotland, Police Scotland, NHS Tayside and the Scottish Ambulance Service - for their valued contribution to getting T in the Park back on track. Special thanks also to the local community for their support – we look forward to being good neighbours for years to come.”
Transport manager Ian Martin said: “The new traffic management plan has worked extremely well. Despite some adverse weather conditions, our contingency planning ensured that buses were cleared from the site within 1.5 hours of the arena closing every night with all other traffic cleared within around 3.5 hours. The operation continues to go extremely well today. We thank fans for their co-operation and we must reiterate that bus is best for next year too.”
Though overall crime rose to 429 compared to 414 last year, Police Scotland praised the general behaviour of fans, reporting the number of thefts and violent crime had fallen, with fewer arrests. The number of drug seizures rose due to increased scrutiny by stewards and police officers, while organisers set up amnesty bins for in the campsites to anonymously dump recreational drugs. Overall, there were 54 arrests compared to 57 last year.
Supt Conrad Trickett, Police Scotland day commander for the event, said: "Obviously the deaths of two young people on Thursday evening was an awful tragedy and our hearts go out to their families. However, in general, this was a good-natured event with festivalgoers well behaved and enjoying themselves.
"We are pleased to see the reduction in serious assaults and thefts while a robust approach by the event organisers and ourselves in tackling anyone trying to bring drugs into the festival has brought a welcome increase in the number of seizures."
