AFTER more than six months of planning by a small team of volunteers it all came together on Easter Monday for the 12th Coleford Carnival of Transport, with a record entry of over 600 vehicle exhibitors registered and a host of other things to see and do – and it was all for 'free'!

Luckily the Met Office guys got it wrong. It was predicted that Monday was to be the worst day of the holiday weekend and actually turned out to be the best. With the glorious weather came a few problems with record crowds threatening to overrun the 'park and ride' service. Our friends at Stagecoach West managed to squeeze in an extra run in what was already a tight schedule.

We have come a long way from where we were only four years ago, running two single deck buses with a break for lunch to where we are now with two double decker buses running continuously between four sites throughout the day. Forty extra disabled parking spaces this year were still not enough either and we apologise to those we had to turn away. There are plenty of things for the committee to think about for next year.

The main threat to the running of this year's event was the major roadwork's in and around Coleford. However from day one the town and district councils threw their full weight behind the event telling the various 'works' officials and contractors that whatever happened they would not be allowed to disrupt the Carnival of Transport.

True to their promise on Friday, April 3, a full 10 days before the event, the holes were filled in and all the signs and barriers were gone. This gave the local traders a short respite before it all kicked off again after the Easter weekend. There are so many people and organisations to thank for making it all possible that we have had to list them elsewhere. However there are one group worthy of special mention.

One of the delights for this committee is working with a team of people who restore one's faith in the youth of today – the team from the 614 Squadron, Lydney Air Cadets under their leader Flt Lt Laurie Clark. They sell programmes, marshal various areas in town and outside at the Park and Ride sites all day. They are smart, polite, helpful, do not question what their leaders ask of them and you can see the respect they have for all their officers, some of whom are not a great deal older than themselves. Thank you lads and lasses! – a date for your diary, April 5, 2010!

On the day we only came across one dissenting voice, a local resident who, when he couldn't find himself a parking space close to his home, suggested quite strongly "You should not be running this sort of event in the town, it should be in a field somewhere outside!"

Friend, may we suggest you ask the many thousands of people from all parts of the area and the country who brought a 'buzz' to a small market town on one day of the year what they think of your suggestion. May we also suggest you seek out the views of some of your neighbours many of whom either work in or own businesses in the town which had queues of people out through their doors, on how they feel if we moved the event out of town?

We don't do events in fields – that would be far too easy!

Note the name! If it's not in Coleford, it's not going to happen!

We look forward to seeing you all there again next Easter Monday. – 'COLEFORD' Carnival of Transport Committee.