THE return of the CLA Game Fair as a regular event at Blenheim Palace will be welcome news for the county’s economy but only if the horrific transport problems of 2008 are avoided.

Estimates put the revenue for local businesses at £13.2m, particularly attractive in these tough times.

But it cannot be at any price.

The gridlock it caused — particularly on the Friday — has almost faded out of memory.

It it is difficult to believe just how much disruption it brought to the entire west of the county and in Oxford.

CLA director David Hough has pledged that work is in hand to devise a transport plan which will alleviate many of the problems.

That is reassuring but, if asked before the 2008 event, the organisers would have said the set-up then would not bring a huge area of the county to a standstill.

It is down to the local authorities and police to rigorously test the new plans so that the effects are minimised.

It would be naive to think there will be no delays during the event but hours of delays cannot be tolerated.

Without the problems the CLA Game Fair, held once every three years, will be a welcome addition to the calendar of county events.