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Car parking and stewarding.
- Thread starter pal4life
- Start date
*Gullsworth*
My Hair is like his hair
I went by pre-booked bus yesterday and knocked nearly an hour from my train or park & ride trip!
- Jul 10, 2003
- 25,937
Is there anyone on here who has a BF parking ticket that can explain to me why the don't switch to the University Car Parks ?
TBH before we reverted back to the Uni, we did think long and hard about it, but literally the only argument was proximity. I take my Father along and he did like the fact he was closer to the ground.
However, the Palace play-off game clinched it. The stewarding that night was a shambles, we took well over an hour to get out.
Pleased o be back at the Un.
You could try the fact that the majority get it included in their package, so why should they move?
Also, in terms of the Uni other supporters have purchased spaces, so at that site its not just 1901ers.
British Bulldog
The great escape
- Feb 6, 2006
- 10,897
Well that's me finished with BF now, I've been getting hacked off with the lack of organisation in there this season as it is but this is the final straw for me. Not sure what I'm going to do for evening games now unless the park and ride buses let wheelchairs on?
Creaky
Well-known member
Yes they do.
Creaky
Well-known member
There seems to be a lot of misconceptions about the P&R and the length of time it takes from joining the queue and getting to your car.
I have never used the Mithras House facility but do use either the Race Course or the Mill Road P&R for every game.
There has never been a delay getting into the parking area and being directed to a space. There has always been a bus available to get onto and the delay whilst the bus fills up before leaving has always been minimal. The biggest delay getting to the ground has been the queues coming off the A27 at the slip road to the stadium or for the Race Course P&R coming down the hill from Woodingdean. Of course exactly the same delays occur for those wanting to park in Bennet's Field.
After the match I always stay long enough to applaud the players off the field and consequently very rarely catch one of the first batch of buses going to the P&R sites. Even so I rarely have to wait more than 20 minutes in the queue although sometimes this can be as long as 30 minutes. When the weather is fine this is no problem for me but I have to say it can be totally miserable in the cold and rain.
Return journeys to the car parks are not normally delayed apart from leaving the actual stadium where the buses have to compete with the cars despite being given priority. Journey times are normally no more than ten minutes. I have never suffered any delay leaving the P&R sites once I am back in my car.
In summary therefore time between joining the queue for the P&R and on my way in the car varies between 30 and 40 minutes though on rare occasions it has been quicker and/or longer than that and the additional time taken to get to the stadium compared to parking close by is possibly 10 minutes.
From what I've read those parking in the Uni, Bridge Road or BF car park also suffer abnormal occasional delays so it is really only fair to compare the normal delays. On that basis I'd be interested to know how long it actually takes from leaving the stadium concourse and being on the open road in the car. Even if it's as low as 15 minutes the difference between the P&R and the pay to park facilities won't be more than fifteen or twenty minutes.
To some those few minutes may be important but are acceptable to me and certainly not worth the additional cost of parking locally at the stadium.
I have never used the Mithras House facility but do use either the Race Course or the Mill Road P&R for every game.
There has never been a delay getting into the parking area and being directed to a space. There has always been a bus available to get onto and the delay whilst the bus fills up before leaving has always been minimal. The biggest delay getting to the ground has been the queues coming off the A27 at the slip road to the stadium or for the Race Course P&R coming down the hill from Woodingdean. Of course exactly the same delays occur for those wanting to park in Bennet's Field.
After the match I always stay long enough to applaud the players off the field and consequently very rarely catch one of the first batch of buses going to the P&R sites. Even so I rarely have to wait more than 20 minutes in the queue although sometimes this can be as long as 30 minutes. When the weather is fine this is no problem for me but I have to say it can be totally miserable in the cold and rain.
Return journeys to the car parks are not normally delayed apart from leaving the actual stadium where the buses have to compete with the cars despite being given priority. Journey times are normally no more than ten minutes. I have never suffered any delay leaving the P&R sites once I am back in my car.
In summary therefore time between joining the queue for the P&R and on my way in the car varies between 30 and 40 minutes though on rare occasions it has been quicker and/or longer than that and the additional time taken to get to the stadium compared to parking close by is possibly 10 minutes.
From what I've read those parking in the Uni, Bridge Road or BF car park also suffer abnormal occasional delays so it is really only fair to compare the normal delays. On that basis I'd be interested to know how long it actually takes from leaving the stadium concourse and being on the open road in the car. Even if it's as low as 15 minutes the difference between the P&R and the pay to park facilities won't be more than fifteen or twenty minutes.
To some those few minutes may be important but are acceptable to me and certainly not worth the additional cost of parking locally at the stadium.
I think the Uni offers a bus service to the ground for disabled users of the car park. I think Lord B will be able to confirm.
British Bulldog
The great escape
- Feb 6, 2006
- 10,897
Cheers that looks like the way forward then.
British Bulldog
The great escape
- Feb 6, 2006
- 10,897
I understand there is a bus service to the uni car park for disabled fans but having read the club statement it looks like 1901 members are allowed to swap to the uni but no mention of other fans, So it looks to me like if I want to swap I'll have to pay to use the uni after having already paid for a place at BF.
Green Cross Code Man
Wunt be druv
There seems to be a lot of misconceptions about the P&R and the length of time it takes from joining the queue and getting to your car.
I have never used the Mithras House facility but do use either the Race Course or the Mill Road P&R for every game.
There has never been a delay getting into the parking area and being directed to a space. There has always been a bus available to get onto and the delay whilst the bus fills up before leaving has always been minimal. The biggest delay getting to the ground has been the queues coming off the A27 at the slip road to the stadium or for the Race Course P&R coming down the hill from Woodingdean. Of course exactly the same delays occur for those wanting to park in Bennet's Field.
After the match I always stay long enough to applaud the players off the field and consequently very rarely catch one of the first batch of buses going to the P&R sites. Even so I rarely have to wait more than 20 minutes in the queue although sometimes this can be as long as 30 minutes. When the weather is fine this is no problem for me but I have to say it can be totally miserable in the cold and rain.
Return journeys to the car parks are not normally delayed apart from leaving the actual stadium where the buses have to compete with the cars despite being given priority. Journey times are normally no more than ten minutes. I have never suffered any delay leaving the P&R sites once I am back in my car.
In summary therefore time between joining the queue for the P&R and on my way in the car varies between 30 and 40 minutes though on rare occasions it has been quicker and/or longer than that and the additional time taken to get to the stadium compared to parking close by is possibly 10 minutes.
From what I've read those parking in the Uni, Bridge Road or BF car park also suffer abnormal occasional delays so it is really only fair to compare the normal delays. On that basis I'd be interested to know how long it actually takes from leaving the stadium concourse and being on the open road in the car. Even if it's as low as 15 minutes the difference between the P&R and the pay to park facilities won't be more than fifteen or twenty minutes.
To some those few minutes may be important but are acceptable to me and certainly not worth the additional cost of parking locally at the stadium.
I think that sounds like a good service. However, as already pointed out in this thread, the park and ride sites serve the west and north well but not the east. I imagine at least half an hour extra on top of your calculation after and before the game for those returning east. For evening games that would be a deal breaker for my kids and would also potentially be a problem for Saturday matches due to work commitments.
However desirable it would be for all the supporters to arrive on public transport or park and ride, it won't always suit everyone. I, for one, don't understand the apparent hostility from some quarters regarding this situation.
Creaky
Well-known member
Coming from the East it would possibly add an extra 10 minutes - the time taken to travel from the stadium up to the Race Course P&R.
I use the Race Course when travelling from Uckfield and Mill Road when coming down the A23.
Green Cross Code Man
Wunt be druv
But you're forgetting that from the east you already travel past the stadium, then ten minutes to get to park and ride and then assuming you get straight on a bus another ten (?) to get back to where you were already twenty minutes ago. I would imagine it would in practise take longer, forgive me if I'm being dim.
If you are coming from the East,you would be better parking in Lewes and catching the train. Its a good 10 to 15 mins walk to the car parks from inside the ground. The trains are a lot better this season. I have parked in Bridge car park and that can take half an hour to get out. The only way that the car parking benefits anyone is if you leave early and get away before the rush.
happypig
Staring at the rude boys
I bought car parking because where we sit it takes a while to get out and the train queues have built up by the time we get there; I'd rather be sitting in a warm, dry car than stood in the pissing rain waiting for a train. The fact that it's quicker is an added bonus.
It is also pretty cheap, costs £12.80 for two returns from Eastbourne (son has a railcard) to Lewes so £294.40 for the season (excluding cup games which are free for uni ST holders) versus £270 for the parking permit. The cost of diesel is offset by the fact that if I'm driving I don't buy a pint.
It is also pretty cheap, costs £12.80 for two returns from Eastbourne (son has a railcard) to Lewes so £294.40 for the season (excluding cup games which are free for uni ST holders) versus £270 for the parking permit. The cost of diesel is offset by the fact that if I'm driving I don't buy a pint.
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dougdeep
New member
Good luck with that suggestion Steve. He wouldn't believe me when I said the same. I've parked my car at 2:30pm in Lewes on a Saturday and still been in my seat at kick-off.
Green Cross Code Man
Wunt be druv
Doug suggested that too. How early do you have to get to Lewes in order to park? Incidentally, the car park does benefit me as for instance I watched the entire match yesterday, briskly walked back to the car at the uni and was home in Eastbourne before half five. That's nice but it really is a blessing on a school night with the little uns.
Might be worth a call to check. Doesn't feel right that you should be disadvantaged with this....... There always appears to be plenty of space in car park 3 when we drive by.
Green Cross Code Man
Wunt be druv
Good luck with that suggestion Steve. He wouldn't believe me when I said the same. I've parked my car at 2:30pm in Lewes on a Saturday and still been in my seat at kick-off.
Excuse me, I did not for a minute suggest that i do not believe you. I started that this option was not on due to late working commitments and for evening games with my kids. Just because you managed to do the journey at the last minute does not necessarily mean everyone else will or can achieve that. I imagine that if many of the people on here start to take your advice, that parking in Lewes would no longer be quite as easy.