Gary Neville tells fans to support Team GB football

Date published: 19 July 2012


Gary Neville tells fans to support Team GB football and book their travel now or risk missing out:

  • 285,564 park and ride tickets still unsold 
  • Just 26,595 park and ride tickets sold to date 
  • ODA warns that spectators may miss events if they don’t book now

Gary Neville and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today warned that spectators travelling to Olympics venues across the UK, must book park and ride or direct coach tickets now or risk missing their events as they may not get there on time.

Team GB’s football team has its opening match against Senegal next Thursday 26 July at Old Trafford and fans planning to attend that match are already running the risk of problems getting to their seats on time, if they don’t pre plan their travel. There are 3 park and ride areas across the city, at the Trafford Centre, Salford Reds Stadium and Sport City, with 39,468 tickets available for the facilities, but to date just 1581 tickets have been sold. Tickets at Manchester are now £5, however, costs vary at venues across the UK.

With rail, park-and-ride and direct coach service bookings being so low across the UK, the ODA are extremely concerned that spectators may find themselves stuck in transit instead of soaking up the atmosphere at their chosen events.

The park-and-ride and direct coach services have been available to book for a year but it seems spectators with tickets are planning on booking at last minute if at all and the ODA is concerned people may not get to their event on time unless people book in advance.

Spectators who think they can drive and park nearer a venue needs to realise that parking restrictions will be in force around all venues. Tickets for Park & Ride services include a space for a car or minibus and onward transfer.

Park & Ride / Walk services are available across all Olympic Sites including:

Olympic Park
ExCeL
Weymouth and Portland
Lee Valley White Water Centre
Hadleigh Farm
Eton Dorney
Greenwich Park (for day 3 cross-country)
Football venues at City of Coventry (Park and Walk only), Hampden Park, Old Trafford, Millennium Stadium and St. James' Park

Hugh Sumner, Director of Transport, ODA said: “The Games is very nearly upon us and spectators really must now book their travel and arrange their park and ride, coach or rail tickets. If you leave it to the last minute you risk being stuck in queues for longer than the events that you have paid to see. If you buy a direct coach ticket you are guaranteed a seat on a bus that will take you straight to your chosen site.”

Gary Neville said: “I really hope the fans will get behind the men’s and women’s Team GB football. There are still tickets available for the group matches at Old Trafford, Millennium Stadium and Wembley. However it won’t be like it is on normal match days, you must pre book your travel to the grounds or any other Olympic sites during the Games or you might miss all the action.”

Spectators who want to book direct coaches from towns and cities across England and Wales can also enjoy day return services direct to the Olympic Park, ExCeL, Weymouth and Portland and Greenwich Park for the cross-country phase of the Equestrian Eventing.

Spectators are advised that taking a direct coach can take the stress out of travelling, especially if their journeys would otherwise require them to make changes across London, where the transport system is likely to be even busier than usual.

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