Five rally stages around Cressage, Clee Hill, the Lawley, Dorrington and Linley shut from 07:15 on Sunday 20 September, reopening 16:45 to 19:00.

Lanes across south Shropshire will be closed to everyone, not just to cars, for most of Sunday 20 September while the Hills Ford Stages Rally runs on public roads.

Shropshire Council published the timings on 10 September, alongside the organisers’ public briefing note and a road closure overview. Five stages are involved, each run twice during the day.

The council’s own notice is blunt about what a closure means here. The Temporary Traffic Restriction Order is made under section 16A of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. It shuts the road to all traffic: pedestrians, horses and riders, pedal cycles, e-scooters, e-bikes and every class of vehicle.

The five stages and their times

Times below are the organisers’ anticipated timings, not guarantees. Roads reopen when stage officials release them, once marshals have cleared safety equipment from the route.

Stage Length Closed from Lunchtime access window Expected to reopen
Cressage 7.80 miles 07:15 11:00 to 12:20 16:45
Clee Hill 8.54 miles 08:00 11:40 to 13:00 17:30
The Lawley 4.83 miles 08:40 12:05 to 13:30 17:55
Dorrington 4.72 miles 09:05 12:25 to 13:55 18:15
Linley 5.52 miles 09:50 13:15 to 14:40 19:00

That is 31.41 miles of closed lane, driven twice. The access windows are for people holding a pass issued by the organisers, not for general traffic.

Bar timeline showing the five Hills Ford Stages rally stages, when each closes and when it is expected to reopen on Sunday 20 September 2026
When each stage closes and reopens. Graphic by Shropshire Today.

Where the stages are

The stage maps in the council’s overview document show which parts of the county are affected:

  • Cressage runs between Cound and Cressage, taking in lanes around Golding, Acton Pigott, Coundmoor and Harnage
  • Clee Hill is on the Brown Clee side of the hills, around Stanton Long, Abdon, Bouldon and Tugford
  • The Lawley covers lanes between Chatwall, Cardington, Gretton and Plaish, east of Church Stretton
  • Dorrington runs west of the A49, through Stapleton, Smethcott and Wilderley towards Netley
  • Linley is in the Stiperstones country, near The Bog, Norbury and Linley Big Wood

Roads shown in green on those maps stay open all day, but you cannot join or leave a closed stage from them. The organisers say residents and businesses directly on the route have already been contacted with arrangements specific to their address.

What it means for you

If you live in or drive through south Shropshire on Sunday, the practical points are these:

  • The first closures bite at 07:15 around Cressage, and the last road is not expected to reopen until 19:00 at Linley
  • The A49 itself is not a rally stage, but the Dorrington and Lawley stages sit on lanes either side of it, so expect diverted traffic
  • Walking, riding and cycling are banned on a closed stage, not just driving. Check for Road Closed signage before setting off on a route that crosses one
  • Allow extra time and follow the signed diversions rather than a sat-nav, which will not know about the order
  • Live stage status is published on the organisers’ live stage information page through the day

If you are planning any other journey that weekend, our Shropshire roadworks and travel page tracks the county’s other closures.

Saturday is a Shrewsbury day

The rally starts in the town. The organisers’ supplementary regulations set out the Saturday timetable:

  • Service park and rally control are at Halls Auction Centre, Bowman Way, Battlefield, Shrewsbury SY4 3DR
  • The first car leaves the service area at 13:01
  • The ceremonial start runs along Claremont Street in Shrewsbury town centre, with the first car away at 13:19

The spectator page says around 150 rally cars pass through the town centre start before heading to Weston Park for the afternoon.

Weston Park is worth a word of warning on geography. Its postal address is Shifnal, but the estate itself is over the county boundary in South Staffordshire, in the parish of Blymhill and Weston-under-Lizard. Gates there open at 12:00 for four competitive stages, including a water splash. The organisers’ Weston Park page lists tickets at £10 in advance and £15 on the gate, with under-16s free and the event programme £5 extra.

Sunday’s competitive action starts at 08:01, when the first car leaves the service park, and the leading crew is due to finish at 16:44.

How the rally got here

Shropshire Council’s Cabinet granted the Motor Race Order and the temporary traffic orders the event needs. The organisers, Cheltenham Motor Club, welcomed the decision in a statement on 11 June, thanking the Cabinet for “a balanced, democratic approach” and saying they would keep working with people who had objected.

Closed-road motorsport has only been legal in England since 2017, under legislation that put four-wheeled competition on public roads in the hands of Motorsport UK. The Hills Ford Stages carries Motorsport UK permit number 120628. The whole event covers over 70 stage miles and 180 miles of public road sections, run across 14 stages: four at Weston Park on Saturday, ten in Shropshire on Sunday.

The regulations cap the field at 150 crews, with a minimum of 110 and an entry fee of £985. Entries close on 15 September. The organisers say around 300 marshals and security staff will be on the stages, according to their residents’ FAQ.

Sources