IF this rain keeps up Rod Stewart fans might have been expecting to be Sailing to the rocker's gig at the University of Bolton Stadium tonight.

But now transport bosses are urging fans to walk a whopping FIVE miles to the gig due to limited train services.

Transport for Greater Manchester have provided travel advice for the event and have sent a series of tweets asking concert-goers to consider walking from the train station or a car park in Bolton town centre to the venue.

A tweet from the TfGM account said: "Attending the Rod Stewart concert in Bolton tomorrow?

"Based on experience, departure times from the stadium car park are expected to be significant. Could you park away from the ground & make the final part of your journey on foot?"

The message included a map of the five-mile walking route from the centre of Bolton to the Arena, in Horwich, which takes an hour and 40 minutes.

Transport chiefs said there are limited trains from the nearest train station Horwich Parkway, with the last service leaving at 12.09am.

But organisers of tonight’s concert are reassuring fans there is adequate public transport to take them to and from the event.

There will be nine trains scheduled to leave Horwich Parkway between the end of the concert and 12.09am, they say. The station is a five-minute walk from the venue.

The operating trains Bolton/Manchester bound are scheduled to leave at 22:35, 22:52, 23:18, 23:25 and 00:09, while the Preston bound trains will depart at 22:33, 23:05, 23:25 and 23:58.

There is also parking at the venue but given the volume of people attending the concert there will be delays exiting the car park after the concert.

A spokesman for concert promoters Cuffe and Taylor said: “We have worked with local transport bosses for months to ensure there are plenty of options available for people attending this evening’s concert.

“There are nine trains departing from Horwich Parkway Station after the concert ends and there is also parking available.

“We would always urge people to use public transport where possible and we are assured by Transport for Greater Manchester that there are sufficient trains running this evening.”

General admission gates open at 5pm. Entertainment starts approximately at 6.45pm with the concert finishing no later than 10:30pm.

Last year music fans attending Little Mix and The Killers shows at nearby Macron Stadium complained they were stuck in the car park for two hours due to long queues.

Those driving to the concert are advised to use Cranfield Road as a pick up and drop off location.

Doors open at the University of Bolton at 5pm with Rod Stewart expected to take to the stage at 8.30pm.

The concert is due to finish at 10.30pm.

The Bolton News:

A TfGM spokesperson said: “We work closely with event organisers to develop travel plans that factor in local public transport facilities and likely commuter behaviour.

“Last year a shuttle bus service ran from Bolton town centre to the University of Bolton Stadium for both the Killers and Little Mix, however, the number of people that used the service was low as most chose to drive. Those that did drive were faced with up to three hour waits to exit the carpark and so we’d again urge those that those who are attending the Rod Stewart concert to consider how they travel, whether that’s by public transport or by foot.

“Our event travel advice is intended to provide people with choices so that they can make their own decision as to how they travel to the venue. This includes the enhanced train service, which is an improvement from last year’s events, and the walking map, which is simply intended to help those that may choose to walk all or part of the way.”