Visitors to this weekend’s Great Western Brick Show are being urged to leave extra time for their journeys, after last year’s event saw the surrounding area come to a standstill.

The event, again being held at the Steam Museum, saw thousands descend on the Fire Fly Avenue location last year, with reports of traffic queuing for up to two hours.

This weekend Swindon Borough Council has put an embargo on any roadworks in the area, in a bid to keep traffic flowing.

A council spokesman said: “The Great Western Brick Show is one of the biggest events of the year at Steam, attracting thousands of people to the town.

“So there will inevitably be congestion on the surrounding roads, particularly when the nearby Outlet Centre continues to receive record numbers of visitors. We will be doing what we can to try and minimise congestion this weekend.

“We have introduced a roadworks embargo and we will be working closely with the Outlet Centre to manage traffic in the area.

“However, we would encourage visitors to leave extra time for their journeys and to consider alternative methods of transport, as Steam is within easy walking distance of the bus and train stations.”

The show will take place across Saturday and Sunday, with thousands expected to attend.

Last year saw about 5,000 visitors attend on the Saturday alone, with hundreds queuing for entry before the doors opened at 10am.

This year’s event, hosted in partnership with the Brickish Association, promises to offer the same level of spectacle, with a giant Lego mosaic which visitors build over the weekend, a Lego shop and market place and Lego robot wars tournaments among the attractions.

Among the creations built out of tiny plastic bricks will be famous landmarks. A 3.5-metre model of the National Museum of Scotland, built live in front of visitors at the Edinburgh institution’s 150th anniversary celebrations last year, will also be appearing.