6:02pm Tuesday 16th March 2010
By Chris Hopper
FANS will be taken into Turf Moor up to two-and-a-half hours before kick-off for the East Lancashire derby match later this month.
Police, along with Clarets and Rovers bosses, have made a raft of changes to normal match-day arrangements to cope with the Turf Moor game on March 28.
All Blackburn Rovers fans will be transported to the ground in coaches and taken directly to the turnstiles from 9.30am, with kick-off not until noon.
Then turnstiles for Burnley fans will open at 10.30am, with officials urging supporters to arrive early for the game.
Bosses said the changes had been made for the 'safety and security of everyone attending the game'.
Officials will also make changes in roads around Turf Moor.
Part of Harry Potts Way and Belvedere Road will be used for Blackburn coaches, meaning Burnley fans will have to take detours around the ground.
Supporters in the James Hargreaves and Jimmy McIlroy stands will use Belvedere Road or Harry Potts Way, and fans in the Bob Lord stand will have to exit left from Turf Moor.
Club officials said car parking would be accessed as normal before the game, except for Higgins Street, which will be a no-parking zone for pedestrian safety.
Supporters using the Harry Potts Way car park will not be able to return to their cars until all coaches have left.
All pubs in the area will be open as normal.
A police spokesman said: “These have been agreed following a series of meetings between senior officials from the two clubs, Lancashire Constabulary and representatives from the Clarets Trust, acting in the interest of Burnley supporters.
"We would ask that all supporters understand these arrangements have been made for the safety and security of everyone attending the game at Turf Moor, which is our primary concern.”
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