The Albion and Southern Trains

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Here is that action group FB page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1208771822490198/

They have raised 15k already to seek legal advice from Devonshires Solicitors LLP and specialist counsel on the options for issuing a Judicial Review of the government’s handling of the Southern Rail franchise https://www.crowdjustice.co.uk/case/southernrail/

They need another 10k so a tenner from 1000 odd Albion supporters will see them there.

Or a single donation of 10k from the Albion.

 

[Gazwag]

It's expensive, and coach/bus companies will only work on a good profit margin. If I had to get the coach from Newhaven, it would cost me £12 extra a game.
Then you've got to be able to employ drivers who are willing to work late on a weekday night (at overtime rates, probably)

But if the club stopped paying for the trains and subsidised the coaches then it might only cost £5 or less a game. It annoys me that for the last two games I have been force to pay this cost from Polegate when the train cost me nothing but if I cannot guarantee getting out of Falmer by train then its a cost I have to suffer.

With the xmillion funds available I'm sure vehicles and drivers would be available.

 

[Titanic]

http://www.seagulls.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/paul-barber-brighton-hove-albion-3307883.aspx

Paul Barber has responded to the late cancellation of several rail services due to run after last night's match at the Amex...

 

[Ernest]

http://www.seagulls.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/paul-barber-brighton-hove-albion-3307883.aspx

Paul Barber has responded to the late cancellation of several rail services due to run after last night's match at the Amex...

Except he gets it wrong when he says a dispute was the reason for last night, the only reason for last nights chaos was Southern's inability to employ enough staff to run a timetabled service

 

[Hastings gull]

I had a conversation with Martin Perry after the Fans Forum.

Bearing in mind it's a deal between two private companies (SASTA and the Albion), I'd doubt it. The club knows what's required to make the system work, but are powerless to a large extent to do anything directly about it, and they are just as frustrated as we are. It's double-lose for the club as (a) the club has to pay tens of thousands in alternative arrangements and (b) it can mean some fans finding the whole escapade a palaver, and not come along - meaning the club misses out on further footfall.

Meanwhile, all the time SASTA are this intransigent, everyone who uses the trains is suffering. The Albion are merely another piece of further collateral damage in the government's war on the unions.
You can lobby your MP; you can lobby the Transport Minister (Chris Grayling); you can lobby the Trains Minister (Paul Maynard); you can write to the CEO of GTR (Charles Horton). However, tens of thousands have done so already, with absolutely no desire on SASTA or the DfT's part to resolve the issue satisfactorily.

The dispute with the unions, incidentally, is a slightly separate issue.

Therein lies the problem with finding a genuine solution - those who are determined to put ideology above everything else.

 

[Bozza]

Except he gets it wrong when he says a dispute was the reason for last night, the only reason for last nights chaos was Southern's inability to employ enough staff to run a timetabled service

Yet for five years with, I believe, a largely equal sized workforce, the trains have been a reliable way for thousands of fans to get to and from games with confidence.

 

[Hastings gull]

Except he gets it wrong when he says a dispute was the reason for last night, the only reason for last nights chaos was Southern's inability to employ enough staff to run a timetabled service

But a timetabled service ran last year, so have they all been sacked? This does not make any sense. Or did they phone in "sick" knowing the chaos it would cause, thus putting pressure on Southern who would get the blame?

 

[portlock seagull]

I for one missed the game because of. It was touch and go because I drive 75miles around then most congested roads in Europe just to get to the Amex. Evening games are always tight but when they announce 33% of trains had been cancelled just a few hours before (thank god I found out) it made the decision for me. Mill Road - the ONLY real choice for those coming from North or West as I do - is full by 6.15ish normally. The knock on effect caused by Southern is considerable and means I can drive for 2hrs and be unable to park anywhere. I can't take time off work just to arrive even earlier, especially at such short notice. On Saturday I had to plead with stewards (they were superb, I left keys and double parked when scores of others were turned away) to find me somewhere because I had a disabled friend with me and there was no match day parking anywhere, not even disabled parking, when I called the club earlier in week. Told me to use P&R.

All this goes unnoticed by club and SOuthern but for those of us with much longer 'supply lines' than Sussex based supporters it's now becoming routine to miss games because nowhere to park, no trains and enormously stressful getting too and from games especially evening ones. My match day spend is usually a tenner or more. And it also jeapordises my season ticket renewal if I can't get to games.

SOUTHERN - sort yourselves out!

 

[Gazwag]

But a timetabled service ran last year, so have they all been sacked? This does not make any sense. Or did they phone in "sick" knowing the chaos it would cause, thus putting pressure on Southern who would get the blame?

Champions league on tele

Barber doesn't actually blame the dispute anyway but ernest and his union spin wouldn't agree with that

 

[Ernest]

Yet for five years with, I believe, a largely equal sized workforce, the trains have been a reliable way for thousands of fans to get to and from games with confidence.

It was agreed by SASTA back in May that there were insufficient members of staff to run the timetable and they intended to recruit the numbers needed, that they haven't has got us where we were last night

 

[Deadly Danson]

But a timetabled service ran last year, so have they all been sacked? This does not make any sense. Or did they phone in "sick" knowing the chaos it would cause, thus putting pressure on Southern who would get the blame?

No they didn't.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Champions league on tele

Barber doesn't actually blame the dispute anyway but ernest and his union spin wouldn't agree with that

He clearly does. He makes a long mention of the dispute and it's effects. And if you seriously think conductors called in sick because of Champions League on the tv then I think you are deluded.

 

[Ernest]

He clearly does. He makes a long mention of the dispute and it's effects. And if you seriously think conductors called in sick because of Champions League on the tv then I think you are deluded.

Don't respond to idiots, not worth it.

 

[Gazwag]

He clearly does. He makes a long mention of the dispute and it's effects. And if you seriously think conductors called in sick because of Champions League on the tv then I think you are deluded.

My first bit was in jest but Barber does not directly blame last night on the dispute, he quite rightly goes onto say the dispute is hurting individuals and businesses, which it is through no fault of their own

 

[Bozza]

He clearly does. He makes a long mention of the dispute and it's effects. And if you seriously think conductors called in sick because of Champions League on the tv then I think you are deluded.

Why did they call in sick?

 

[Return of the Rev]

TBH if you can't walk to the stadium you are probably not supporting your local side

 

[coagulantwolf]

Why did they call in sick?

Who says they called in sick?

As a commuter as well I'm absolutely fed up of the dispute too and had to change living arrangements to accomodate, but your constant backing of Southern and slating of the union is getting dull. And no, you may not explicitly back Southern, but it's implied heavily in your detest of the union/employees.

 

[1066familyman]

Except he gets it wrong when he says a dispute was the reason for last night, the only reason for last nights chaos was Southern's inability to employ enough staff to run a timetabled service

Exactly!

And, it was clear from national railway enquiries during the day that there was barely any services (3 I think it was) coming back to Hastings after the game anyway. That's why I chose again not to go as I knew it would be foolish to even rely on those 3 services running (not the clubs fault) and didn't want to be left stranded.

 

[Steve in Japan]

I'd like my missus to drop me off every home game. And then pick me up about an hour after final whistle, giving me a chance for a few beers. Seems fair enough to me but she has refused point blank. Bloody selfish.

 

[1066familyman]

Yet for five years with, I believe, a largely equal sized workforce, the trains have been a reliable way for thousands of fans to get to and from games with confidence.

Have you ever tried going to Hastings after a midweek game? The service has always been woeful with long waits at either Eastbourne or Lewes because the services don't link up.

Granted, we could be sure to get home, eventually, but it really has never been a good service at any point.

Also bear in mind that for many seasons we had to pay all the way to/from Lewes too, before they changed it to Eastbourne. You lot in the West don't see the half of it.