Tall Ship Races transport plans to take shape

An online shop is on the way to handle important issues connected to Tall Ships Sunderland 2018.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Dec 2017, 13:21 BST
Updated 21st Dec 2017, 13:25 BST
People are being urged to sign up for the transport schemes for next year and make their Tall Ships experience much more enjoyable.People are being urged to sign up for the transport schemes for next year and make their Tall Ships experience much more enjoyable.
People are being urged to sign up for the transport schemes for next year and make their Tall Ships experience much more enjoyable.

Early in 2018, a shop will go online on Sunderland’s tall ships website. It will handle all sorts of issues connected to the transport and parking arrangements surrounding the spectacular 2018 event.

Michelle Daurat is the project director for The Tall Ships Races Sunderland 2018 and explained more.

Tall Ships Project Director Michelle Daurat.Tall Ships Project Director Michelle Daurat.
Tall Ships Project Director Michelle Daurat.
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“We are developing an online shop which will be on the website,” she said.

“We will be doing sales and pre-booking for coach parking, Blue Badge holder parking and park and ride.”

She said the process was likely to go live “in the first couple of months of the year, between January and March”.

The shop, and the transport arrangements surrounding Tall Ships Sunderland 2018, are likely to be very important to help achieve a smooth event next year.

Tall Ships Project Director Michelle Daurat.Tall Ships Project Director Michelle Daurat.
Tall Ships Project Director Michelle Daurat.
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Michelle added: “Ideally, we want people to come by Metro, bus, train.”

Park and ride sites will not be in the middle of the city centre but they will be close by, said Michelle.

“We will be encouraging people to pre-book for car parks,” she added.

Transport and travel is one aspect of hosting the major event, which will be stepped up in 2018.

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So will the programme of training up the volunteers who have signed up to play an important role next summer.

Michelle added: “The volunteer programme is going to start to get more focused in the New Year.

“We had lots of applications which is great that people want to get involved. We could do with a few more applicants, perhaps people who make a New Year resolution and want to give something to the community.

“We would love more applications.”

One of the tasks early in the New Year will be to start training sessions for the volunteers and to match them with the roles they will be taking on next summer.

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More than 350 volunteers – or Event Makers as they will be known – are needed for the Sunderland leg of next July’s races. Anyone who is interested is urged to get their applications in before the deadline of Monday, January 8, 2018.

The Wearside festival, which runs from Wednesday, July 11, to Saturday, July 14, 2018, will be the biggest free event in the UK next year.

For more information and to apply to become an Event Maker, go to www.tallshipssunderland.com/get-involved/volunteers

Related topics:SunderlandMetro