Sunderland’s Keel Crossing has opened for the first time, with leaders from the city and Sheepfolds businesses crossing together symbolising the coming together of both sides of the river.

Councillor Michael Mordey and Patrick Melia from Sunderland City Council walked across the striking new crossing with David Bruce of Sunderland AFC and SAFC icon Jimmy Montgomery, TV architect George Clarke who is a director of the Foundation of Light; and Rebecca Leach from World Rugby, celebrating Keel Crossing’s temporary opening as part of a test event to support the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

They were joined by Sunderland musician Marty Longstaff from the Lake Poets who played live music, as well as representatives from Esh and Volker Stevin, who have led construction of the crossing and surrounding public realm.

A red and white smoke plume was fired into the air to officially signal the opening of the crossing, which will be in use from 10:30am until the end of the day.

The crossing will enable fans to easily make their way to and from the Stadium of Light for this evening’s event, which will see England take on the USA marking the start of the international tournament. Around 40,000 fans are expected to attend the game.

Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “What a moment, to see the Keel Crossing in use for the first time on such a special day for the city, as we play host to an internationally significant sporting event in Sunderland.

“This crossing is so significant – it demonstrates our absolute commitment to knitting the Sheepfolds neighbourhood and the stadium into the heart of our city centre and ensuring that we create a world-class experience for people living, working and playing in Riverside Sunderland.”

When the crossing closes, work will resume on the final phase of cosmetic works to the structure and surrounding public realm before Keel Crossing is officially opened for day-to-day use.

TV architect George Clarke was in the city to make the crossing from the north of the river to the transformed former Vaux site.

He said: “Wow. As someone from the city, it was an incredible honour to be among the first to walk over the Keel Crossing and to see the transforming cityscape from a totally new vantage point.

“This is such an iconic new landmark, and I can’t wait to see the final improvements complete and to be able to see this used week after week by Sunderland AFC’s incredible fan base.”

David Bruce, chief business officer at Sunderland AFC, said the opening of the crossing for the WRWC gave a glimpse of what is to come on match days.

He said: “The crossing will be a gamechanger for fans making their way to and from the stadium, as we’re about to see for the Rugby World Cup.

“With matches, concerts and events all taking place at the Stadium of Light, this is an important piece of infrastructure for the city and the club.”

The Keel Crossing sits at the heart of Riverside Sunderland, one of the UK’s most ambitious urban regeneration projects, and is 10 metres wide and spans 250 meters, at a height of 30 metres above the river. It stands in the shadow of the Wearmouth Bridge, which was built in 1927 to support the growing volume of traffic moving through the city.

Rebecca Leach, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Head of Tournament, Venue and City Operations, said: “It’s wonderful to see that all the stops have been pulled out to open this bridge for the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

“This is a tremendous stadium and city from which to host such a prestigious match, showcasing Sunderland on a global stage.”

The bridge will connect Sheepfolds and the northern communities with the city centre, opening up new connections that will enable people to move more freely and access the new housing, high-quality employment space, and the fantastic new leisure facilities being delivered across Riverside Sunderland.

Will Davies, project manager at VolkerStevin, said: “We’re really proud to be supporting Sunderland City Council in the delivery of this key piece of infrastructure, connecting the north and south sides of the River Wear.

“The team has been committed to facilitating today’s temporary opening and we’re excited to see it being used for such a prestigious event.

“We’ll be back on-site next week, to ensure the final work is completed ahead of its opening for day to day use later in 2025.”

For more information on Riverside Sunderland, visit: https://riversidesunderland.com/