Cruel summer: Hundreds of parking fines issued when Taylor Swift came to Cardiff

Ted Peskett Local Democracy Reporter

Hundreds of drivers received parking fines on the day Taylor Swift played to a sell-out crowd in Cardiff.

However, the number of drivers ticketed on the day of the concert, held at Principality Stadium, was still fewer than the number of drivers fined on the day of other major concerts in the city, including the Pink gig.

Data issued by Cardiff Council shows that 339 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were handed out on Tuesday, June 18.

The data also shows that the most ticketed street on that day was City Road (14), followed by Plantagenet Street (10) and Ryder Street (9).

Other streets in and around the city centre were not far behind.

Pop offenders

Eight PCNs were issued on Fitzhamon Embankment, Despenser Street, Plasturton Avenue and Clare Place.

On the day Pink played at the Principality Stadium on Tuesday June 11, 444 PCNs were issued across Cardiff.

The city council issued 384 when Coldplay brought their Music of the Spheres tour to the same venue on June 6, 2023.

At that time, Cardiff Council said that on a normal weekday they tend to issue about 200 PCNs for parking violations.

However, this does depend on how many officers are out conducting patrols.

A number of pictures were posted on social media shortly after the Pink concert showing cars parked on pavements and grass verges on and near Taff Embankment.

Cardiff Council said it received 109 reports about people parking incorrectly across June 11 and 12 with 57 complaints made on June 11 and 52 the following day.

For the Taylor Swift concert, 67,000 tickets were sold and it was reported that more than 50,000 attended the Pink concert.

Advice

The council advised attendees to use designated event parking for both events and are issuing the same message ahead of the Foo Fighters performance at Principality Stadium on Tuesday, June 25.

Event park and ride will be available at Cardiff City Stadium on Leckwith Road and can be accessed from junction 33 off the M4.

The drop off point will be at Fitzhamon Embankment which is a short walk from the stadium.

According to a council notice put out about the event, the car park opens at 8.45 with the first bus leaving at 9am and the last bus will leave Fitzhamon Embankment at midnight.

Using the park and ride facility will cost £15 and it will be cash only.

The park and ride site will close at 12.30am the following morning.

There will also be event day parking at the Civic Centre and Sophia Gardens.

For more information, visit the councils website.