Travel updates for Sam Fender and P!nk gigs in the North East

If you plan on travelling round Tyne and Wear this weekend - we're reminded that thousands of people will be heading into Newcastle and Sunderland over the next 3 days, as a weekend of big concerts arrives.

Sam Fender plays at St James' Park on the 9th and 10th of June, and P!nk plays at the Stadium of Light on the 10th and 11th of June.

Roads will be extra busy on all three days going through Newcastle and Sunderland, with several roads closed around the venues depending on the day and time.

Customer Services Director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “The fact that North East England is staging four sell-out stadium concerts in a single weekend will really showcase our region as a home for international cultural and sporting events.

“Public transport and the roads are going to be really busy before and after every concert, but particularly on Saturday 10 June when Sam Fender and Pink are playing at the same time.

“People need to plan ahead if they are going to any of the concerts – or if they think they might be making journeys around those times. Bus and Metro changes each night depending whether the event is in Newcastle, Sunderland or both but all the information you need about bus and Metro can be found at www.nexus.org.uk/concerts .

“On the Saturday night fans leaving the Sam Fender concert will be able to use a combination of Metro and bus services extended beyond midnight to get people home to destinations in and around Newcastle. The concert ticket sales data tells us a large part of the audience is local and we’ve tried to match that as far as we can. The same night in Sunderland we’ll be providing late Metro trains aimed at getting thousands of visitors to our region back to hotels in Newcastle, as well as getting local people home across the network.

“In both cities some Metro stations will be closed just before the concerts end so that we can manage the huge numbers we expect safely and comfortably at the remaining stations, to make sure trains keep running smoothly without getting delayed at overcrowded platforms. Where stations are closed customers will be directed to the nearest alternative station, where we will have customer service teams managing crowd control, or on to fast and frequent shuttle buses leaving Newcastle city centre.

“The bus companies are providing more than 50 buses and drivers which means that as well as serving interchanges and town centres on Metro they will be going on to places including Cramlington and Low Fell which Metro does not reach. Customers will be able to travel on both Metro and shuttle buses with the same return or day tickets to make things as simple as possible at the end of what promises to be a great Saturday night.”

Meanwhile Councillor John Price, Sunderland City Council's Cabinet Member for Vibrant City, said: "Following the success of Beyoncé's Stadium of Light concert last month we're delighted to be welcoming global pop icon P!NK to the city for two nights. We're also looking forward to welcoming concert goers from across the UK as well as the city and wider region for the concert.

"Our city centre has a huge amount to offer, with shops, cafes, bars and restaurants, not to mention the fantastic pre-concert entertainment being lined up in the city centre by the City Council and Sunderland BID, so people may well want to arrive early, enjoy some time in the city and then walk across to the stadium.

"Travelling by public transport can avoid the stress of driving, but if you are using the car, please plan your route and remember that unless you have pre-booked (blue badge/special permit) you can't park or pick up at the stadium as the surrounding roads will be closed from the morning of the concert.

"We want everyone to enjoy themselves so our advice to concert-goers is to plan your journey in advance and give yourself plenty of time to get there. Non concert goers should also be aware that public transport and routes heading into and out of Sunderland on Saturday and Sunday are likely to be extremely busy."

So what should you do if you're heading to either gig?

Sam Fender:

ROAD CLOSURES

For the Sam Fender concerts on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 June, the following closures will be in place:

Strawberry Lane – from its junction with Strawberry Place in a southerly direction for a distance of 20 metres.

Back St James Street – for its entire length.

Leazes Terrace – from its western junction with Terrace Place in a northerly then easterly direction for a distance of 205 metres.

Terrace Place (St James Terrace) – between its western junction with Leazes Terrace and eastern junction with Leazes Terrace.

Strawberry Place – between its junctions with Barrack Road and Leazes Park Road.

St James’ Street – for its entire length.

4pm to midnight each day:

Strawberry Place (between Barrack Road and St James’ Street), Back St James Street, Strawberry Lane, Terrace Place (between St James’ Street and its western junction with Leazes Terrace) and Leazes Terrace.

9.45pm to Midnight each day:

Strawberry Place (between St James’ Street and Leazes Park Road), St James’ Street and Terrace Place (between St James’ Street and its eastern junction with Leazes Terrace).

TRAVELLING BY METRO AND BUS

The usual network of timetabled buses and rail services from Sunderland and Newcastle will be running.

Extra Metro trains will be running before the concert to help get everyone to St. James’ Park. Metro trains will be exceptionally busy after 4.00pm so please make sure you leave extra travelling time.

Metro trains will be running later to help get concert goers home. Crowd control measures will be in place for Metro customers, including queues.

If you're travelling towards Wallsend/the coast by Metro, there will be a frequent service from Monument. Join the queue at Monument (Grey Street entrance), straight after the concert to be sure of getting your train home.

Metro station closures

To assist with crowd control some stations will be closed early and other stations will be for customers leaving the station only (no entry).

St James – closed from 8.00pm

Monument platform 4 (to St James) – exit only from 8.00pm

Haymarket exit only all day (no entry into the station)

Trains will run through closed stations and platforms without stopping.

ADVICE FOR ANYONE HEADING TO THE SAM FENDER CONCERTS FROM SUNDERLAND

Sam Fender concert-goers heading to Newcastle from Sunderland are being advised that extra Metro trains will be running before the concert to help get everyone to St James' Park.

Trains heading into Newcastle are expected to be exceptionally busy after 4.00pm on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 June so concert goers are being advised to leave extra travelling time. None concert goers should also be aware that public transport and the road network into Newcastle will be busy.

Anyone heading back to Sunderland from the Sam Fender concert on Sat 10 June will need to head to Market Street in Newcastle city centre to get Bus SF3 which will stop at Gateshead Interchange where they can board a Metro train there for their onward journey to Sunderland.

P!nk:

TRAVELLING BY METRO AND BUS

People are being advised to plan in advance how they will get to and from the concert and allow extra time for their journey.

Extra and later Metro trains will be running to get people to and from the concert.

On their way to the concert, anyone planning to go straight to the stadium should get off at at Stadium of Light or St Peters. Anyone planning to go into the city centre first should get off at either Sunderland or Park Lane.

Trains heading towards Sunderland are expected to be exceptionally busy from 4pm onwards on both concert days. Metro operator Nexus is advising anyone boarding at Newcastle city centre stations that they may be asked to queue outside between 4.00pm and 8.00pm, to allow them manage the large crowds expected safely. And it is urging anyone not heading to the concert avoid travelling at these times if possible.

Metro will run an extended service after the concert with trains departing from Stadium of Light and St Peters stations only. People should join queues at either station immediately after the concert to be sure of getting their train home. Both queues move at the same speed.

Metro trains will be running later to help get concert goers home, including a later train to South Shields from Pelaw.

Sunderland city centre stations, Park Lane Metro Station and Sunderland Station, will be closed to Metro passengers from 10pm to assist with crowd control.

Metro trains will run through both stations without stopping during the closures.

TRAVELLING BY CAR

The best routes into the city for motorists will be well signposted with temporary traffic signs, with drivers advised to switch off sat navs and follow signs.

Traffic restrictions will be in place with roads around the stadium closed to all traffic on the day. Road maps for the concerts and live updates are available on the traffic monitoring site: www.one.network

For the drop off area at Dame Dorothy Street, a short walk away from the Stadium of Light, vehicles travelling into Sunderland should take the A1018, A183 or A690 exits from the A19.

The event's main Park and Walk site is located at Sunderland Enterprise Park, vehicles are advised to access via the A1231 Wessington Way due to the closure of Keir Hardie Way.

PARKING

There is no public parking available at the Stadium of Light or in nearby residential streets. People planning to travel to the concert by car are being advised to use city centre car parks.

All disabled parking at the Stadium of Light has been pre-allocated. The closest drop off point is Dame Dorothy Street.

DROP OFF AND PICK UP

The designated drop-off and pick-up point for car passengers is Dame Dorothy Street's west-bound carriageway. This will be signposted on the day for drivers entering the city centre.