Making a Queen Bey-Line for Beyonce?

Concert-goes travelling to see Beyoncé in Sunderland later this month are being advised to plan their journeys in advance.

More than 48,000 music fans are set to flock to the city to enjoy Beyoncé at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday 23 May, many of them first time visitors.

To welcome everyone and make journeys to and from the city and the stadium as stress free as possible, key partners, including Sunderland City Council, Sunderland AFC, transport operators and Nexus have well-rehearsed event travel and transport plans in place.

This includes a traffic management system on the day to avoid over-congestion on public transport and on the roads.   

Councillor John Price, Sunderland City Council's Cabinet Member for Vibrant City, said: "We're delighted Beyoncé has chosen Sunderland as one of only four UK dates on her Renaissance Tour and we're 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. 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. 

"Travelling by public transport can avoid the stress of driving, but if you are using the car, please plan your route and remember that you can't park or pick up at the stadium as the surrounding roads will be closed for the concert."

TRAVELLING BY METRO AND BUS

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

On their way to the concert, people are being advised to get off at one of the city centre stations - Sunderland or Park Lane if they're planning to head into the city centre first, or at St Peters or Stadium of Light if they're planning to go straight to the stadium.

Trains heading towards Stadium of Light are expected to be busy from mid-afternoon on the day of the concert. People are being advised to plan in advance how they will get to and from the concert and allow extra time for their journey.

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.

All other Sunderland city centre stations will be closed from 10pm, with trains running through stations without stopping.

Concert goers can save time by buying their Beyoncé Metro travel tickets in advance from any Metro ticket machine for £6.20 for an all day, all zone travel on 23 May.

Metro trains to Sunderland will be exceptionally busy after 4pm on Tuesday 23 May with people going to the Beyonce concert at Stadium of Light, so people are being advised to avoid travel in this area if they can.  Whatever their destination, people boarding at Newcastle City Centre stations may be asked to queue outside between 4pm and 8pm so that Metro operator Nexus can manage the large crowds expected safely.

For the latest from Metro operators Nexus, visit: www.nexus.org.uk/metro/beyonce 

Anyone planning to travel to or from the concerts by bus should check with local operators Stagecoach and Go-North East for details: 

Stagecoach - www.stagecoachbus.com/plan-a-journey

North East - www.gonortheast.co.uk/plan-your-journey 

Traveline bus and Metro info - www.traveline.info 

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 www.sunderland.gov.uk/parking

Pre-bookable parking will also be available at the new Riverside Sunderland Multi Storey Car Park in Trimdon Street, SR4 6BE for a flat £7 fee for 24 hours. Book via: www.sunderlandparking.co.uk 
This car park will not be available for pay on the day parking.

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.

CITY CENTRE PRE-CONCERT ENTERTAINMENT

Sunderland city centre is set to burst into life with a pre-Beyoncé concert extravaganza between 4pm and 7pm. This will feature a fun array of walkabout acts, showcasing colourful performances, live music, and hilarious comedy.

Sunderland BID and the City Council are encouraging Beyoncé fans, families and fun seekers alike to come into the city centre to enjoy the pre-concert experience which includes:

- Granny Turismo - the word's first and only shopping trolley Dance Display Team,
- Musical Ruth - the piano driving singing nun 

To keep up to date with the latest details on getting to and from the concert and to find great places to eat, drink and shop in Sunderland city centre, visit: www.mysunderland.co.uk