Trains and buses in Liverpool city region will run later during the Eurovision weekend, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram says. Tony McDonough reports
Extra late-night trains and buses will run in Liverpool city region during the Eurovision weekend.
It is estimated an extra 100,000 visitors will descend on the city for the Eurovision Song Contest which takes place at the M&S Bank Arena on Saturday, May 13. A Eurovision Village will open at the Pier Head from Friday, May 5.
Strikes by train drivers union Aslef and rail workers union, the RMT, are taking place on the Friday and Saturday of the Eurovision weekend. However, Merseyrail services will be unaffected by the walkouts.
It is not yet fully clear how the strikes will impact on mainline rail services in and out of Liverpool Lime Street during the two-day period. Last week business leaders in Liverpool urged the Government and unions to settle the dispute.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said on Tuesday that he had worked with the city region’s public transport operators to ensure extra services are in place to help fans get home or to their accommodation.
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Merseyrail services will run into the early hours after the main Saturday event, which finishes at 12.30am. Services will also run until after midnight on the night of the Big Eurovision Welcome on Sunday, May 7.
Liverpool city region buses will also continue on key routes until the early hours following the events on May 7 and 13.
Mr Rotheram said: “The chance to host a global spectacle like the Eurovision Song Contest is an opportunity that doesn’t come around very often – especially for a city in the UK.
“We’re expecting tens of thousands of visitors to descend on the Liverpool city region for a week-long celebration of music, dance, fun and frivolity. A world class spectacle deserves world class transport.
“I’m enormously proud of the investments we’ve made to deliver a publicly-owned, public transport network run in the interests of the public, including our £500m trains and fleet of new hydrogen buses.
“By organising these additional late-night services in our region, we’re ensuring that Eurovision fans and locals will get the service they deserve and won’t have to cut the party short.”
Mersey Ferries will offer late night services on May 7 and 13 and there will be a park and ride scheme on the same days. Shuttle buses will help people travel between fan zones throughout the two weeks.