Taylor Swift: Cardiff Eras show traffic warning – BBC News

Cassie Evans, a 14-year-old who has had cancer, is also going to see her musical hero and hopes to get a hat that Swift gives to a member of the audience during her performance of the song 22.

“I’m desperately hoping to get the 22 hat,” said Cassie, who is going to the Cardiff concert with her mum.

“I’m recovering from a four-year battle with relapsed leukaemia followed by a bone marrow transplant and have missed out on so much.

“I hope Taylor thinks I’m special enough to receive it after all I’ve been through.

“Listening to her music helped get me through the many long days and nights of my treatment and recovery at Cardiff’s Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital where I used to chat to the nurses about our favourite songs.

“It would mean the world to me to be chosen to meet her and receive the 22 hat.”

Travel warnings were issued ahead of the gig after postcode data suggested the gig would attract music lovers from a wider catchment than most Principality Stadium events.

But drivers have been warned traffic could increase by about 15% on the already congested M4 around Cardiff and Newport.

“For those attending and travelling a long way, make sure you have your journey well planned,” said South Wales Police Supt Arabella Rees ahead of the event.

Both Transport for Wales and GWR will provide extra capacity on trains in and out of Cardiff but warned rail services across south Wales would be very busy.

Some local trains heading into Cardiff were disrupted earlier on Tuesday.

GWR, which operates mainline train services between Cardiff, London, Bristol and Swansea, said it would put on 10 more trains after Swift’s show – adding a total of more than 15,000 extra seats – to help fans get home.

One fan who is preparing for delays and travelling to Cardiff by train is Swiftie Bella Thorn.

“We are planning for major queues and waiting time at the train station as we are coming from Bristol,” said the 16-year-old who is going with her two sisters and a friend.

A full city centre road closure was in place in Cardiff from 12:00 ahead of gates opening at 15:00 for VIP guests and 16:00 for general admission – until midnight.

Police have told anyone heading to see Swift in Cardiff that extra officers – including armed police, officers on horseback and facial recognition technology – would be deployed so people can expect a “safe and welcoming environment”.

“There will be an increased number of local officers who will be highly visible on foot patrol before, during and after the event,” added Supt Rees.

“They will be supported by our specialist colleagues… to ensure that people coming to the city have a safe and welcoming environment.”

After playing Cardiff, the 34-year-old will head to London for three nights at Wembley Stadium on the weekend.

Holly, 33, from London, used her interview on Radio Wales to break the news to her eight-year-old niece, Nelli-Jay, that she’s going to the concert at Wembley on Friday.

“It’ll be absolutely amazing,” said Holly.

“She’s been watching the Eras movie since it came out. She’s the biggest Swiftie.”

Holly flew to Chicago to see Taylor, but sadly did not manage to get tickets. So far, she’s been to the gigs in Edinburgh, will be at the Cardiff one tonight, then London on Friday.