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| Ed Sheeran fans face M4 motorway traffic chaos with delays | Ed Sheeran fans face M4 motorway traffic chaos with delays |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ed Sheeran fans travelling into Cardiff face long delays after the M4 motorway was shut because of a three-car crash. | Ed Sheeran fans travelling into Cardiff face long delays after the M4 motorway was shut because of a three-car crash. |
| The M4 between Newport and Cardiff was closed eastbound after the collision at about 16:30 BST. | The M4 between Newport and Cardiff was closed eastbound after the collision at about 16:30 BST. |
| It was also shut westbound between Tredegar Park and Cardiff Gate to allow the air ambulance to land. That westbound stretch has now reopened. | It was also shut westbound between Tredegar Park and Cardiff Gate to allow the air ambulance to land. That westbound stretch has now reopened. |
| Sheeran is playing the first of four successive nights at the Principality Stadium with 60,000 people expected. | Sheeran is playing the first of four successive nights at the Principality Stadium with 60,000 people expected. |
| Before the motorway was closed westbound, fans had already faced double the travel time from the Second Severn Crossing into the Welsh capital because of congestion. | Before the motorway was closed westbound, fans had already faced double the travel time from the Second Severn Crossing into the Welsh capital because of congestion. |
| The road was closed for about 30 minutes to allow the air ambulance to land and there is now congestion from Cardiff back to the Second Severn Crossing toll booths, a distance of about 30 miles (48 km). | The road was closed for about 30 minutes to allow the air ambulance to land and there is now congestion from Cardiff back to the Second Severn Crossing toll booths, a distance of about 30 miles (48 km). |
| Gwent Police described the eastbound crash as "a serious road traffic collision", with the road now closed for an investigation. | |
| Officers have appealed for dashcam footage taken in the lead-up to the crash. | |
| The A48M out of Cardiff has been shut at St Mellons as eastbound traffic is being diverted down the A48 through Castleton to avoid the M4. | The A48M out of Cardiff has been shut at St Mellons as eastbound traffic is being diverted down the A48 through Castleton to avoid the M4. |
| Fans have been warned to allow plenty of time to get to the stadium to watch the Thinking Out Loud singer's performance, with enhanced security checks and ticket scrutiny. | Fans have been warned to allow plenty of time to get to the stadium to watch the Thinking Out Loud singer's performance, with enhanced security checks and ticket scrutiny. |
| The Grammy award winning singer's team have revoked tickets from known touts and cancelled tickets listed on re-sale site Viagogo during his tour. | The Grammy award winning singer's team have revoked tickets from known touts and cancelled tickets listed on re-sale site Viagogo during his tour. |
| Music lovers who had bought from the site - often at vastly inflated prices - will be given help in claiming refunds at the box office and will be offered the chance of buying genuine tickets. | Music lovers who had bought from the site - often at vastly inflated prices - will be given help in claiming refunds at the box office and will be offered the chance of buying genuine tickets. |
| Sheeran imposed strict conditions on fans attending his 18-date UK stadium tour, which ends with four sell-out nights in Cardiff, including: | Sheeran imposed strict conditions on fans attending his 18-date UK stadium tour, which ends with four sell-out nights in Cardiff, including: |
| Stuart Galbraith, chief executive of Kilimanjaro Live, one of the promoters of Sheeran's tour, said up to 10,000 tickets had so far been cancelled across the 18 dates. | Stuart Galbraith, chief executive of Kilimanjaro Live, one of the promoters of Sheeran's tour, said up to 10,000 tickets had so far been cancelled across the 18 dates. |
| He negotiated with ticket resellers Get Me In, Seatwave and StubHub to make sure they would not list tickets for the tour but Viagogo did not follow suit. | He negotiated with ticket resellers Get Me In, Seatwave and StubHub to make sure they would not list tickets for the tour but Viagogo did not follow suit. |
| Lauren Hannah, from Cardiff, who is going to Thursday's gig said: "My partner bought me for Christmas [from Viagogo] and he paid £250 a ticket. | Lauren Hannah, from Cardiff, who is going to Thursday's gig said: "My partner bought me for Christmas [from Viagogo] and he paid £250 a ticket. |
| "It was sold out. The tickets came a few weeks ago and the face value was £45 each. I was gobsmacked to be honest." | "It was sold out. The tickets came a few weeks ago and the face value was £45 each. I was gobsmacked to be honest." |
| Sheeran has partnered with Twickets - a site which allows fans to swap tickets at face value or less, in order to protect fans from the "unethical practices" of touts. | Sheeran has partnered with Twickets - a site which allows fans to swap tickets at face value or less, in order to protect fans from the "unethical practices" of touts. |
| Plan ahead | Plan ahead |
| Up to 60,000 fans are expected each night and they have been advised to plan ahead for their journey to Cardiff as last trains to destinations such as London, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Aberdare could leave before the concert is due to finish at 22:30. | |
| As well as no services to London Paddington after the Sheeran gig because of a planned Severn Tunnel closure, there will be just one service to Cardiff from London an hour before the concert. | As well as no services to London Paddington after the Sheeran gig because of a planned Severn Tunnel closure, there will be just one service to Cardiff from London an hour before the concert. |
| Services from London will not call at Bristol and Cardiff trains coming from England's south coast will terminate at Bristol Parkway where a rail replacement bus service will take passengers to Newport for onward trains to Cardiff. | Services from London will not call at Bristol and Cardiff trains coming from England's south coast will terminate at Bristol Parkway where a rail replacement bus service will take passengers to Newport for onward trains to Cardiff. |
| After the concert, trains to Newport and west Wales will run as normal while rail replacement buses will run directly from Cardiff Central to Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads. | After the concert, trains to Newport and west Wales will run as normal while rail replacement buses will run directly from Cardiff Central to Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads. |
| And Arriva Trains Wales has also warned passengers attending Sunday's event there will be no trains to towns like Barry, Caerphilly, Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale, Treherbert and Carmarthen after the concert. | And Arriva Trains Wales has also warned passengers attending Sunday's event there will be no trains to towns like Barry, Caerphilly, Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale, Treherbert and Carmarthen after the concert. |
| No extra capacity | No extra capacity |
| While there will be extra services to Swansea and Newport after the gig, Arriva says it has no extra capacity or resources to add more trains on the Valley lines on Sunday night. | While there will be extra services to Swansea and Newport after the gig, Arriva says it has no extra capacity or resources to add more trains on the Valley lines on Sunday night. |
| "Running additional services late on Sunday would mean having to cancel Monday morning commuter services," said Bethan Jelfs of Arriva. | "Running additional services late on Sunday would mean having to cancel Monday morning commuter services," said Bethan Jelfs of Arriva. |
| Transport expert Prof Stuart Cole said while he "sympathises" with Arriva, adding extra capacity on Sunday "is not easy but it is possible" and there was a year to plan for it. | Transport expert Prof Stuart Cole said while he "sympathises" with Arriva, adding extra capacity on Sunday "is not easy but it is possible" and there was a year to plan for it. |
| He added: "If Cardiff wants to be a big event city which can regularly attract acts like Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Beyonce etc, they need to be able to get people in and out of the city efficiently on public transport. | He added: "If Cardiff wants to be a big event city which can regularly attract acts like Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Beyonce etc, they need to be able to get people in and out of the city efficiently on public transport. |
| "The problem on Sunday will be rolling stock and drivers will be out of place for the following morning rush hour, but with a little extra planning Arriva could have come up with a solution." | "The problem on Sunday will be rolling stock and drivers will be out of place for the following morning rush hour, but with a little extra planning Arriva could have come up with a solution." |
| It is not the first time there has been travel problems for an event in Cardiff. | It is not the first time there has been travel problems for an event in Cardiff. |
| Rugby World Cup organisers held an inquiry into chaos after a game between Ireland and Canada in 2015 as Great Western Railway underestimated passenger numbers. | Rugby World Cup organisers held an inquiry into chaos after a game between Ireland and Canada in 2015 as Great Western Railway underestimated passenger numbers. |
| Boxing fans attending Anthony Joshua's most recent fight at the Principality Stadium were also affected as the last trains out of Cardiff left before the fight finished. | Boxing fans attending Anthony Joshua's most recent fight at the Principality Stadium were also affected as the last trains out of Cardiff left before the fight finished. |
| In the city | In the city |
| Some road closures began at 07:00, while the Principality Stadium gates opened at 17:00 and roads in the centre closed at 17:30. | |
| Security to the concert is tight - only small bags are allowed in the stadium while laptops, selfie sticks and umbrellas are banned. | Security to the concert is tight - only small bags are allowed in the stadium while laptops, selfie sticks and umbrellas are banned. |
| Cardiff buses are being diverted out of city centre bus stops while Arriva has warned passengers train services in the Cardiff area will be busy all day and "extra capacity will be added where possible". | Cardiff buses are being diverted out of city centre bus stops while Arriva has warned passengers train services in the Cardiff area will be busy all day and "extra capacity will be added where possible". |
| Cardiff Night Marshals will be on for all four nights of the concerts, rather than just the usual Friday and Saturday service. | Cardiff Night Marshals will be on for all four nights of the concerts, rather than just the usual Friday and Saturday service. |