Tyne-Wear Derby Travel Advice For Fans

19 March 2016, 06:07 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Northumbria Police are urging Newcastle and Sunderland to make it a Tyne-Wear derby to be proud of this weekend.

Tens of thousands of football fans will fill St James' Park on Sunday for the 1.30pm kick-off.

Just under 3,000 of those will be away supporters travelling from across the region and there will be a number of ways for them to get to the game.

But police say changes to the official supporters coaches mean they are the quickest and cheapest way for people to get to St James' Park.

They have once again been subsidised by Sunderland AFC meaning fans will not have to pay a penny to be dropped off right outside their turnstile.

More than 25 coaches will start boarding at the Stadium of Light at 10.30am but for the first time fans could have the opportunity to be picked up from Sunderland city centre.

Fans travelling from the stadium will be prioritised but any coaches left empty following the 11.15am departure will then travel to Station Street to transport any away fans with a ticket to the game.

The coaches are the quickest mode of transport and at the last Tyne and Wear derby they made it back to the Stadium of Light before the first direct trains had even left the station.