MOTORISTS are being warned of motorway disruption this weekend, due to the Sonisphere Festival taking place at Knebworth House.

Junction 7 of the A1(M), next to the stately home’s entrance, will be partially closed from noon tomorrow (Friday) until noon on Monday.

Both the southbound exit slip road and northbound entry slip road will be shut to traffic, with diversions in place.

Festival traffic coming from the south will access the site via junction 7.

For those travelling from the north, they will be directed off at junction 8, westbound along the A602 to Hitchin to join the B656 – from where car parking will be signposted.

For those travelling by train, a shuttle bus service will be operating from Stevenage railway station.

Supt Simon Hawkins, who has been in charge of planning for the festival, said: “We have been working closely with the organisers, Highways Agency and other partners to ensure festival goers can get to and from the site safely.

“A partial road closure of the A1(M) is needed to assist us with this, particularly ensuring pedestrians are safe.

“We appreciate it will cause some inconvenience for people wanting to use the A1(M) as they may have to make a slight detour but we would ask members of the public to be patient.”

He added: “The event is only for one weekend and we have been planning for months to ensure as little disruption as possible is caused.”