[Albion] Was there a better site than Falmer

[Herr Tubthumper]

Inadequate station, queued for nearly an hour

Oh dear. Out of interest, which one did you use? I understand there's 3 which serve the stadium. When I do eventually go 'll make a note to use a different one: I have an eye on the Metallica gig there next summer!

 

[nordicgod]

Should have built two turn back platforms right under the stadium for brighton and Eastbourne trains to head in o and out of to rejoin the east coast way line . Simples

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

 

[beorhthelm]

This this this. Open your eyes a bit and we’d all have to admit that in any other country Falmer station would have been massively beefed up to cope from a facility first built in the Victorian period for a small rural Downland village.

In this great country however Falmer station boasts nothing extra than a bridge built out of Meccano which is definitely starting to sag in the rain.

I’ve kinda had it up to here watching the elderly leaning on their walking sticks for over an hour because the first set of P&R buses are gone by the time you’ve walked down from the WSU. And yes some of this also falls to the club: not to admit that is just stupid.

have the club offered to make improvement to the station, or are we expecting that to come from elsewhere? anyway real issue there is the frequency of trains, limited by signaling, available carriages, and engineering works. what club could do is pay for upgrading the line, put on football specials and hold back all works in the county on match days.

or they could have built coach and car parking suitable for capacity.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It's a sad endictment of the state of the transport links that people are now actually starting to question the wisdom of building the stadium at Falmer. How on earth did it ever come to this?

 

[AK74]

Wasn’t @perseus plugging ‘Pendy’ iirc? The site not a million miles from where the Training Ground is now or did I imagine it?

I remember Pende.

I also have a hazy recollection of the club having to spend extra time and money [it couldn't really afford] to consider this 'alternate site' as a stipulation of the planning process.

All because one person thought it was a good idea.

 

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

It's a real shame noone asked these questions at the time.

 

[HeaviestTed]

Could do a Wimbledon and go to the city of roundabout love.

 

[HeaviestTed]

Well, it’s a bit ruddy late to ask this now..
We have what we have , which is an excellent stadium. It is a pity that it could not be closer to town but this is Brighton- there ‘s not a lot of room available.
The answers are to improve the rail service not second guess the stadium.
Let’s face it the whole rail service for everyone is pants at the moment...

I know I’ve been to the Amex and the transport wasn’t a shit show - it all seems to work a bit better when the sun is shining tbh, not sure why.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It's a real shame noone asked these questions at the time.

I believe noone did ask these questions - but nobody could understand his scouse accent

 

[AK74]

I believe nooney did ask these questions - but nobody could understand his scouse accent

Posted on Craigslist?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It's a sad endictment of the state of the transport links that people are now actually starting to question the wisdom of building the stadium at Falmer. How on earth did it ever come to this?

This is a good point.

 

[Simster]

It's a lovely stadium and there was no where else it could have been built that was any better.

The fact is, all the while we're getting 31,000+, you can expect to plan ahead if you want to get there before kick off, or if you need/want to get away in decent time. This was probably always going to be a limitation. There is very little parking anywhere near the stadium and the trains are shite and always have been. I am genuinely not sure there anything the club can do about either.

I wonder if the club should look into offering some sort of "premium" P&R facility. Not sure whether that means offering a more expensive but more frequent alternative or just charging all P&R users for laying on more buses straight after the end of the game, but I think it needs looking at. Half of the East stand being empty at 84 minutes shows that current arrangements need an overhaul.

 

[Giraffe]

Brighton needs a tram system. So many Northern cities have it, why not Brighton? That would certainly help.

Failing that one of those things that Disney use at the car parks. Either please.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Brighton needs a tram system. So many Northern cities have it, why not Brighton? That would certainly help.

Failing that one of those things that Disney use at the car parks. Either please.

A perfect first line to build would be town centre to Falmer, running straight along Lewes Road. It could serve the Amex on matchdays and the Universities 365 days a year, replacing the buses and reducing the reliance on SASTA. Croydon managed to build the entire Tramlink network in about three years, so it could be done if the political will was there

 

[el punal]

Absolutely. Ive long said Falmer is too reliant on trains and we all know the problems there. But with all due respects isnt this a pointless thread. We aint going anywhere and have to make the most of what we have. We can improve things starting with Falmer station upgrade needs double size at least and more trains and more carriages.

I was talking to a bloke (who is in “transport”, and not down the pub!). Basically, there is nothing more the club can do apart from influence those providing the transport service. The crux of it is the whole rail system needs huge upgrading - more staff, more updated rolling stock, more investment etc. The crude terminology would be you can’t polish a turd. He also stated that the number of buses being in service cannot be increased due to to severe lack of drivers. So, unfortunately, us suffering fans just have to suck it up.

Admirable intentions by the club when we started at the Amex back in 2011. Then, of course, the capacity was 22,000+. I would imagine that no one expected us to consistently fill the stadium for every game or that we would be in a situation of having regular attendances of close to 32,000 and playing in Europe.

The club have moved onwards and upwards, it’s a shame that the transport providers have failed to match it.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

A perfect first line to build would be town centre to Falmer, running straight along Lewes Road. It could serve the Amex on matchdays and the Universities 365 days a year, replacing the buses and reducing the reliance on SASTA. Croydon managed to build the entire Tramlink network in about three years, so it could be done if the political will was there

That is an excellent idea

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Somewhere, although I can't find it, there is a drawing of what the Archer/Bellotti fantasy ground at Water Hall might have looked like. I think it appeared in the Argus as scoop around the same the time that the news broke of the Goldstone being sold.

It wasn't very good compared to what eventually was built at Falmer, but it looked a palace compared to the squalor of the Goldstone.

Does anyone else remember the proposed ground share with Palace near Gatwick?

What is the current demand for tickets - is the Amex too big or too small if the full demand was satisfied?

 

[Simster]

A perfect first line to build would be town centre to Falmer, running straight along Lewes Road. It could serve the Amex on matchdays and the Universities 365 days a year, replacing the buses and reducing the reliance on SASTA. Croydon managed to build the entire Tramlink network in about three years, so it could be done if the political will was there

Very much this.

 

[GJN1]

In an ideal world...
Following FT, there is a pair of 12 coach trains waiting to fill up to go to Brighton & Lewes. Once full they leave. There is then a second wave of 12 coaches to take another load. After which it'll return to the standard service.
From Lewes and Brighton there and then specific trains to ferry people onwards.

As I said, in an ideal world.

Why don't we have a train that is as long as the distance between Brighton Station and Falmer? That way, everybody would be able to get on without any trouble and those at the front would be there in no time at all?