Urdd Gobaith Cymru
   Swyddfa’r Urdd
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Ar y We:www.urdd.org

May 18 2005

TRAVEL ADVICE FOR 2005 URDD EISTEDDFOD

`Have a fantastic time in Cardiff but please plan your journey carefully, avoid peak hour travel, arrive early and use public transport or car share where possible’ is the travel advice from Cardiff Council ahead of the 2005 Urdd Eisteddfod.

This fantastic arts and music showcase takes place at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay from May 30 - June 4. Urdd Gobaith Cymru (Urdd is the Welsh word for ‘league’) is the biggest youth organisation in Wales and one of the biggest in Europe. It has over 50,000 members aged between 8 and 25; over 25% of all 10-year olds in Wales and 30% of all Welsh-speakers aged 8-18 are members.

During this year’s Eisteddfod, a full programme of competitions and events will take place from 11am to 5pm daily and during some evenings. The website is www.urdd.org. 

For the thousands of young people and their families who are expected to arrive in Cardiff to experience the Eisteddfod; they need to plan their journey to the Welsh capital very carefully as the Bank Holiday Monday May 30 coincides with the FA Coca Cola Football play-offs at the Millennium Stadium. There will be full city centre road closures from lunchtime and also road closures near the WMC and in Cardiff Bay all day. 

The combined numbers expected for the Eisteddfod and the football is expected to rival fans that came to Cardiff for the Wales V Ireland Six Nations Grand Slam in March.

One of the best options to travel to Cardiff is by bus or train. Travel information is also available at Traveline Cymru on 0870 608 2 608 or the website www.traveline-cymru.org.uk. Cardiff Bus offers a comprehensive travel network across the city with links from Cardiff Central bus station to other parts of Wales and UK-wide destinations. As Cardiff Central is also home to the city’s main rail station, trains cover the local transport system, Wales and other UK-wide networks.

Every person travelling to the Eisteddfod by train can use their ticket from Cardiff Central – by return - on the blue Bay Express number 6 bus which runs every 10 minutes from the back of the station to the Bay for free.

Furthermore, direct train services are available to Cardiff Bay from Cardiff Queen Street rail station. More information on train services can be obtained from Arriva’s website at www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk

For visitors travelling to the WMC by car, the best option is lift-share as there is only limited car parking available near the WMC. These limited spaces will be sign-posted from the Peripheral Distribution Road (PDR) / A4232 ring road after the Butetown tunnel.

A Park and Ride service will operate from Leckwith (Tuesday May 31 through to Friday June 3) from 9.30am until 6pm with signposting provided from the A4232. The set down/pick up is located in the Flourish immediately next to the Eisteddfod entrance.

More travel information is available through the local press and media and also through the Welsh Assembly Government Traffic Wales website at www.traffic-wales.com.

(Ends)

Cardiff Council Press Officer Saska Shepherd

Tel: 02920 872966 Email: sshepherd@cardiff.gov.uk

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