THOUSANDS of passengers could face chaos on the region’s transport systems after it emerged a Premier League football match will clash with the Great North Run.
Less than three weeks before 90,000 people descend on the region to watch or take part in the world’s biggest half-marathon, Sunderland AFC have announced they have rescheduled their game against Stoke to the same day.
The move has angered organisers of the 13.1-mile run due to take place on Sunday September 18, who have branded the decision “astonishing”.
Fears have been raised about how the region’s already-stretched transport systems will cope with the thousands of extra football fans.
Nexus has confirmed that extra services for the GNR will go ahead as planned but they are unable to put on extra trains in Sunderland and a normal Sunday service will be in place.
The Black Cats were forced to move the fixture, originally set for the day before, after Stoke made it through to the UEFA Europa League group and will play a game on the Thursday before.
Because of the rules of the Premier League, the match had to be rescheduled. Because of Stoke’s confirmed Carling Cup third round tie against Tottenham on the following Tuesday, the match had to kick-off at 1pm on the Sunday.
Nova International, organisers of the GNR, learned of the decision on Wednesday night. David Hart, communications director at Nova, said: “We’re extremely disappointed. We have, unfortunately, not been consulted. After 18 months of planning the Great North Run, to find out 18 days before that there’s going to be a match on Sunday lunchtime is a bit of a shock.
“We’re upset and disappointed for the participants who were hoping to go to the match and for the spectators and runners who will be hugely inconvenienced because of the pressure of traffic, which will now be even more acute than normal.
“Around 90,000 people, runners and spectators, are transported for the run every year and now, after 18 months planning the biggest sporting weekend of the year in the region, we will have to look at a number of our plans again. “Eyes across the nation and in Europe will be on the North East that day, as the run is going to be live on Eurosport this year. It does seem a shame that a lot of people’s plans will be compromised.”
A spokesman for Nexus said: “We have looked at the implications of the match being staged at the same time. There is unfortunately no capacity for Metro to provide anything other than the normal Sunday service on the Sunderland line.”
Louise Wanless, Sunderland AFC’s head of media and communications, said the club’s Safety Advisory Group had consulted with the emergency services, transport groups and other relevant parties.
She said: “We understand the difficulties supporters face when games have to be rescheduled and naturally the aim is always to minimise the impact on the club’s loyal following.
“All parties were aware of the proximity of events such as the Great North Run during the rescheduling of this fixture and we fully sympathise with those who have been adversely affected.
“While it’s not possible to meet the requirements of every supporter, both clubs have worked with the Premier League and Safety Advisory Group to confirm a practical new date and time for this game as quickly as possible.”
A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police said: “Northumbria Police consulted Sunderland AFC, Great North Run Organisers, Nexus and other partners to assess if it was appropriate for the match to go ahead and it was agreed that it could.”
