THE massive operation to get 45,000 golf fans into the Celtic Manor for the Ryder Cup swings into action this morning.

The Ryder Cup European Tour said it expects 45,000 golf fans to flock to Newport on each day of the tournament which starts today, but spectators cannot enter the Celtic Manor site in their own vehicle or on foot.

Standard ticket holders arriving by car must instead use two huge park and ride facilities at Tredegar House and Llanwern steelworks, where organisers will lay on hundreds of coaches for more than 12 hours a day.

The car parks are open from 6am, and the first bus will leave at 6.15am.

The tournament will tee off at 7.45am on Friday and Saturday, with buses running from the sites from 6.15am.

Buses will stop running at 9pm, or two hours after the end of play, and the car parks will close at 10pm.

But despite hundreds extra coach journeys being made on Newport's roads each day from the park and ride sites alone, organisers remain confident this will have little effect on ordinary traffic in and around the city.

A spokesman for the Ryder Cup European Tour said: "In view of the extensive park and ride plan in operation and very limited parking on [the Celtic Manor] site, the traffic flow in Newport should not be disrupted."

Superintendent Nigel Russell, from Gwent Police, added: "We are quite confident there will be no impact on traffic in and around Newport on the weekend of the event."

For those arriving in Newport by train, there will also be a shuttle service running from Newport station every 15 minutes from 6.30am to 9.30pm, charged at £10 for a return ticket.