Bristol City's Ashton Gate neighbours get gig escort

A steward will meet residents at either end of the road closure

Some of Ashton Gate's closest neighbours will get a personal escort during summer concerts at the stadium.

Five concerts are planned for Bristol City's home and permission was granted for maximum crowds of 34,000.

Residents living in a planned "no entry zone" will get an "unofficial parking permit", the club said.

A steward will meet them at either end of the road closure and escort them by foot as they drive to and from their homes.

Dave Storr, head of safety and security at Ashton Gate, said he met residents around Ashton Road and Ashton Terrace before the club applied for extra crowd capacity in December.

He explained the scheme to Bristol City Council's licensing committee before it permitted the extra capacity.

Mr Storr assured the committee the club intended to meet residents at least once more before the first of the big concerts, Rod Stewart on 22 May.

Meetings would also be held after the Take That, Muse and Spice Girls gigs.

The club has a traffic management plan which, it says, will continue to be developed and refined over the coming months.

The plan includes road closures, intercity buses for people living outside Bristol, shuttle buses to and from park and rides and railway stations, official off-site parking at places such as Cribbs Causeway, and unofficial parking at privately operated car parks across the city.

Ashton Gate also sought and gained permission to hold boxing and wrestling events in the Lansdown Suite.