Nottinghamshire County Council says there are no current plans for road closures ahead of Nottingham Forest’s first Europa League home game at the City Ground.
It comes after a Rushcliffe borough councillor told members of the council at a meeting on Thursday, September 18, that both Trent Bridge and Lady Bay Bridge would be shut in the hours before and after the game, and that buses into and out of West Bridgford would not run.
Forest, who drew 2-2 in their first away game with Sevilla in Spain on Thursday, September 25, face FC Midtjylland from Denmark on Thursday, October 2, marking their first European home game for 30 years.
Thousands of away fans are expected to descend on the city and surrounding areas ahead of the match.
But in the council meeting, while discussing Rushcliffe’s draft Sport & Tourism Charter and ways that the borough can entice visitors to return to the area after a sports event, Labour Councillor Penny Gowland said she was concerned after what she’d “learnt this week”.
She said: “They’re going to close both the bridges so the whole of the south of the city will be cut off – the whole of Rushcliffe – from the other side of the Trent – unless you come via Gunthorpe bridge – for several hours effectively.
“There’ll be no buses going in and out of the city. They’ll be stopped at West Bridgford and the city centre.”
Before most Nottingham Forest games, there are no road closures, with minor restrictions after, involving a half-hour closure on Lady Bay Bridge.
Traffic is also restricted along Pavilion Road, but Trent Bridge is not affected.
But the European games are new territory for Forest.
A spokesperson from Nottinghamshire County Council said: “The county council has not been asked to introduce any additional road closures on roads within its administrative area prior to the European games.
“The processes for dealing with away fans are discussed through the Safety Advisory Group with the county council but they are the responsibility of Nottinghamshire Police.
“If necessary, the police do have the power to close roads at their discretion to enable the safe movement of fans to and from the game.”
