July 31, 2008 13:42

Reading Festival to get its own bridge across the Thames

Crossing will be only 'eighth Thames bridge since invention of the car'

Reading Festival organisers are set to construct a temporary bridge for this year's festival, to allow festival-goers easy access to campsites on the other side of the Thames.

The bridge will replace the slower ferry service, which previously took campers across the river in recent years.

Speaking to NME.COM, Reading Festival organiser Melvin Benn explained the decision, saying: "I've got this campsite on the other side of the Thames in Reading, I've been using it for two or three years now and ferrying people across the river from that campsite, which is OK but doesn't work quite so well - it took a while.

"This year I've decided to go for it and actually build a bridge across the Thames which is great, it means the access is so straightforward. It gives festival-goers the opportunity to camp with so much more space and you don't have to bother with waiting for a boat to get across."

Benn also revealed that the temporary structure will be something of a milestone, saying: "It'll be only the eighth new bridge built over the River Thames since the invention of the car!"

Check out this week's issue of NME for more news on this year's Reading And Leeds Festivals.

NME.COM is bringing you live coverage straight from both sites of the Reading And Leeds Festivals 2008. For the latest news, blogs, pictures and video interviews head to the Reading And Leeds Festivals index now.