Accessibility
Due to the nature of the event and the site it is anticipated that visitors will be continually moving along the Quayside allowing all spectators unobstructed views of the Tall Ships. On the Wednesday evening for the Eve of Parade of Sail celebrations beginning at 10.15pm when the crowd is expected to become more static, viewing areas will be established on both sides of the river. These viewing areas will be on the upper level of Baltic Square in Gateshead and also on the upper level of the Quayside walkway to the east of the Pitcher and Piano.
Information
Information will be available from a number of locations throughout the event site including the official Tall Ships Event Guide.
Parking
The old Warner Brothers car park on New Bridge Street has been allocated as the Tall Ships Blue Badge Car Park with over 400 pre bookable spaces available each day of the tall ships event free of charge. Blue badge holders can ring 0191 277 8004 to book a space within this car park. There will also be some additional blue badge parking available each day within the same car park on a first come first served basis.
3 shuttle buses will serve the event each day with shuttle buses running from New Bridge Street car park to Sandgate, within 50m of the Quayside, every 10 minutes from 9am to midnight on Monday and Tuesday and 9am on Wednesday to 1am on Thursday. The service will begin again at 8am on Thursday and run until approximately 2pm. Each bus can accomodate 1 wheelchair.
The bus provision will be supplemented with two accessible small Mercedes Vito vehicles with tail lift or ramp and with fully trained drivers. These vehicles will transport one person with wheelchair to any designated location either side of the river. If a wheelchair user later requires return transport to the Warner Brother car park then they should approach any Fraser Eagle coordinator (high visibility jackets with name and logo clearly marked) and they will communicate their request to the Vito driver.
Fraser Eagle co-ordinators will be based at Spillers Quay (Newcastle), Quayside (Newcastle), East Quayside (Newcastle), Sandhill (Newcastle), the Coach Park adjacent to the Sage Gateshead (Gateshead) and Mill Road (Gateshead).
Vehicles arriving at Warner Brother car park carrying multiple wheelchairs will be directed to an appropriate location adjacent to the Quayside to drop-off their passengers whereon they will be required to return and park in the Warner Brothers car park. The driver can then return to designated pick-up location when required. Any person wishing to take advantage of this facility should ensure that they have mobile telephone contact with the driver, as the vehicle will not be permitted to wait for an extended period.
Other Parking
There are also 35 pre bookable wheelchair spaces within the Baltic car park and 35 within the Quayside multi storey car park. These spaces can be booked via the Tourist information centre on 0191 277 8004.
On Wednesday 27th July both the Baltic and Quayside pre-bookable spaces have been fully allocated.
Due to the topography and physical nature of the Lobley Hill, Town Moor, Heworth, Allendale Road and Gosforth Park park and ride car parks the sites are not suitable for blue badge holders and as a result blue badge holders are advised to use the designated blue badge car park at New Bridge Street.
Further information regarding arrangements for larger vehicles can be obtained by contacting the Tall Ships Traffic management office on 0191 277 7108.
Shopmobility
Newcastle Shopmobility will be operating a full shopmobility service from the newly completed Quayside multi storey car park on City Road adjacent to the event site for the duration of the Tall Ships event. Bookings can be made by contacting Newcastle shopmobility on 0191 261 6176 between 9.30am - 5.00pm Monday to Saturday.
Gateshead Shopmobility will be offering free hire of scooters and powered and manual chairs during the Tall Ships. Reservations can be made on 0191 4779888 10.00am - 4.00pm Monday - Saturday. There are also scooters available for hire through The Sage Gateshead and Baltic.
Hires will be from 10.00am - 9.00pm. Hire periods will be for 3 hours or longer depending on demand.
Scooters etc can be delivered to people at their cars or arrangements can be made to meet people at bus stops with our equipment.
Please note: wheelchair battery-charging facilities are available at the sites at all times. This is not restricted to equipment hired from Shopmobility.
