Major road closures and transport changes planned around Principality Stadium
MOTORISTS travelling through Cardiff this summer are being urged to plan ahead as thousands of music fans descend on the Welsh capital for two major concerts at Principality Stadium.
Take That will perform on Tuesday, June 16, while heavy metal legends Metallica take to the stage on Sunday, June 28.
Cardiff Council has confirmed that a full city centre road closure will be in place around the stadium from 3pm until midnight on both concert days to ensure public safety.
Officials are warning that the M4 and surrounding routes are expected to be exceptionally busy, with visitors advised to arrive early and consider using designated park-and-ride facilities.
Among the roads affected by the closures are Westgate Street, St Mary Street, Castle Street, Wood Street, Central Square, High Street and Duke Street, along with a number of surrounding routes in the city centre.
Additional restrictions will also be in place around Cardiff Central railway station before and after the concerts to manage large crowds of rail passengers.
Transport providers have announced extra train services to help concertgoers travel home after the events.
Great Western Railway will operate additional services towards Swansea, Newport, Bristol and Swindon, while Transport for Wales says it will provide extra capacity wherever possible on routes serving Cardiff.
Passengers are being advised to purchase tickets before travelling and allow extra time for queuing, with crowd management systems planned at both Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street stations.
Cardiff Council is strongly encouraging visitors to use park-and-ride services to avoid congestion in the city centre.
For the Take That concert, parking will be available at Cardiff City Stadium in Leckwith, with shuttle buses operating to and from the city centre throughout the day.
For the Metallica concert, the park-and-ride facility will operate from the Vindico Arena car park in Cardiff Bay.
The charge for both park-and-ride services will be £15 per vehicle.
Alternative event-day parking will also be available at the Civic Centre and Sophia Gardens, where charges will apply.
Bus services will be diverted during the road closures, while taxi arrangements in the city centre will also be affected. The St Mary Street taxi rank will close from 3pm until midnight on both concert days.
Cyclists and pedestrians will still be able to access much of the city centre, with cycle routes remaining open throughout the events.
Concertgoers are also being reminded to check Principality Stadium’s bag policy and prohibited items list before travelling.
With tens of thousands expected to attend both concerts, transport officials are urging anyone travelling to Cardiff on June 16 or June 28 to allow extra time for their journey and prepare for significant disruption in and around the city centre.
