Passengers warned to plan ahead as Rugby World Cup, UB40 and Kings of Leon descend on region on same day
Metro customers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys this Friday (August 22) due to a series of major events including the Women’s Rugby World Cup at the Stadium of Light.
England are set to take on the USA in Sunderland at 7.30pm with crowds expected to gather across the day to enjoy the Fans Zone and free entertainment.
It’s also set to be a busy day in Newcastle with the Come Togther Festival on the city’s Town Moor – headlined by the Kings of Leon - expected to attract a crowd of 10,000 people.
On the same day, Newcastle is also hosting the Park Series Reggae Festival, held in Leazes Park and featuring UB40.
The comedian Peter Kay will also be on stage at the Utilita Arena on Friday evening.
With the combined events set to attract tens of thousands of people it will mean that Metro trains will be busier and crowd control measures will be in place to manage queues, including temporary station closures at West Jesmond and Ilford Road from 3pm.
Nexus, the public body which runs Metro, said that customers need to plan ahead and allow for more time to get where they need to be on Friday as the system is likely to be much busier.
Kevin Storey, Operations Manager at Nexus, said: “We’re well prepared for what promises to be a busy day for Metro this Friday, 22 August, due to some major events happening in both Sunderland and in Newcastle.
“Customers should plan ahead and allow plenty of extra time to make their journeys if travelling there on the Metro. Stations and trains are going to be much busier, particularly on Friday afternoon and Friday evening.
“In the case of the Come Together Festival on Newcastle’s Town Moor, we need to manage the flow of people by putting in station closures at West Jesmond and Ilford Road. Customers need to be aware of this and plan their journey around it. If you’re heading to this event, then alight at either Jesmond or Haymarket.
“We’ll have Metro Customer Service teams available at key stations to support customers and manage queues. We want customers to have a fun time and to stay safe, so please listen to instructions from our teams.
“For the Women’s Rugby World Cup game in Sunderland we will have teams at the Stadium of Light and St Peter’s Metro stations to support customers and direct people to the venue.
West Jesmond and Ilford Road Metro stations will be subject to temporary closures from 3pm on Friday. When these stations are closed trains will run through the station without stopping.
Further information and updates will be available on the Nexus website and their social media channels.