Visitors planning to enjoy this year’s Clipper Round the World Yacht Race celebrations in Oban are being encouraged to leave the car at home where possible.

Argyll and Bute Council has announced a series of temporary traffic management measures to help the town cope with the expected influx of visitors during the international sailing event.

The Clipper Race fleet could begin arriving as early as Thursday, with Oban hosting the stopover from 9 to 19 July in partnership with BID4Oban.

The event returns after a successful visit two years ago and is expected to bring crews, officials, families and visitors from around the world to the west coast town.

A packed programme of activities has been planned throughout the stopover, including the official welcome for the Clipper fleet, food and craft markets, the Oban Rotary Club Raft Race, live music, an artist in residence creating paintings on the North Pier, an RNLI pop up shop and Oban Charities Day.

To support the event, the North Pier Car Park will close to vehicles from 9am on Wednesday 8 July until one minute before midnight on Sunday 19 July.

Businesses on the North Pier will remain open throughout, with pedestrian access maintained.

Stafford Street will also close to traffic for food and craft markets on Saturday 11 July, Sunday 12 July and Saturday 18 July between 8am and 6pm.

All other council operated car parks in Oban will remain open during the event.

Motorists are being advised to plan ahead, allow extra time for journeys and consider travelling by public transport where possible to help ease congestion in the town centre.

Further information for parking permit holders and a full programme of events is available through Argyll and Bute Council and BID4Oban.

If you own a parking permit and want to know more about its use during this time, please visit the council website

For more details on events, go to: www.oban.org.uk/clipper-race-26/