[Football] Matchday travel subsidy?

sussex_guy2k2 · Aug 12, 2019

AlastairWatts said:
I too am an exile, living in Buckinghamshire, but I can't follow your argument. I get the train, tube and train to or via Hayards Heath, where the travel concession area starts. So I get a discount on the travel although I don't live in the concession area but do have an East stand season ticket. It's a nice perk, and makes a small difference to the cost. The point surely is that if people who live in the concession area don't take advantage of the concession then that's their choice - if they choose some other means of travel then they have to pay for it themselves. A little like buying a first clas or standard ticket on the railway - it's one or the other....

It's nothing like that. We're talking primarily about people who live outside the concession area. For you, you still have to pay to get to Haywards Heath. You could pay for a coach of some kind (if they have them that far out) or you could do what you do. But either way, you're not in the concession area. For me to do the same as you, I'd have to get a train to HH, where a return costs around £12.60 (which is higher than the coach fair per game). This means that, even with the concession my cost of getting to that area would be higher. I could drive too, but that means there's no option to drink and I still have to pay for petrol and parking.

Basically your analogy is a tad misguided

dazzer6666 · Aug 12, 2019

sussex_guy2k2 said:
It does, but surely this should be an opt-in or opt-out situation. People opt-in for the subsidy in advance and get one colour of ST, or they opt-out in advance and get another. Really, in terms of logistics this is really, really simple to sort.

What it really opens the club up to is losing money (albeit a small amount proportionately) and that's what they're not keen to do.

How would that work in practice? Loads would opt out, get a cheaper ST and then still use the train anyway.......tickets aren't usually checked and the congestion checking them would cause would be horrendous

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drew · Aug 12, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
How would that work in practice? Loads would opt out, get a cheaper ST and then still use the train anyway.......tickets aren't usually checked and the congestion checking them would cause would be horrendous

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Exactly. The club tried that before when I think there was a season where you had to pay and most didn't and still jumped on the P&R buses. As you say, there are no checks of tickets at Falmer and that would cause havoc with the numbers trying to get through.

HAILSHAM SEAGULL · Aug 12, 2019

sussex_guy2k2 said:
We pay in advance for season tickets on these external buses. There are lists out there, they just have to ask these companies. It's really not difficult. It just comes down to them not wanting to give such ticket holders a lower price when they're not using that subsidy. In simple terms, you get those lists, you issue those people with a different coloured ST and give them a reduced price. They then can't use the free subsidised transport.

Brilliant idea, that means massive congestion at the ticket barriers at all the stations and a meassive jam at Falmer where about 300/400 fans per train have to queue to get through a 3 foot wide gate while their tickets are checked, so much congestion that the train cant leave because the platform is rammed and some fans are still in the carriage.
At the bus stops while the driver checks that everyone has the correct colour season ticket, there are also queuing problems and fans spilling into the roads.
Not a viable alternative.

Oops, just seen last two posts

BNthree · Aug 12, 2019

Seems like an appropiate thread to post this newstory from this morning:

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/17830370.matchday-parking-near-amex-review/ though it is more about options for residents local to the Amex on matchdays.

Wardy's twin · Aug 12, 2019

Garage_Doors said:
ST have a bus that stop in several places in Woodingdean.

Really where do they stop. I get the bus from the Downs Hotel pub which costs £5 .

sussex_guy2k2 · Aug 12, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
How would that work in practice? Loads would opt out, get a cheaper ST and then still use the train anyway.......tickets aren't usually checked and the congestion checking them would cause would be horrendous

Sent from my H8314 using Tapatalk

So the hole in the argument is that the train service aren't running their service properly and therefore I should pay more?

As I said in a previous post, they get lists from the companies who are using external coaches and they issue those members with different coloured STs. It's actually incredibly easy really. It's like having an email marketing list on a CRM - just separate those people into a different category via cooperation with the external companies.

sussex_guy2k2 · Aug 12, 2019

HAILSHAM SEAGULL said:
Brilliant idea, that means massive congestion at the ticket barriers at all the stations and a meassive jam at Falmer where about 300/400 fans per train have to queue to get through a 3 foot wide gate while their tickets are checked, so much congestion that the train cant leave because the platform is rammed and some fans are still in the carriage.
At the bus stops while the driver checks that everyone has the correct colour season ticket, there are also queuing problems and fans spilling into the roads.
Not a viable alternative.

Oops, just seen last two posts

As I said in a previous post, you segment your customers and work in reverse. It's really not difficult to do online. In practice, by going through the external organisations and using their lists, you only contact their customers directly about having that option. I get on the same coach every week with exactly the same people; those people almost never use the train services (I have once in the last two years, and the three people I go with haven't used them once between them) so you're going to get a pretty good figure on who is and who isn't using the trains.

Obviously once you bring those who walk into it, it does become more difficult for the reasons you outline, but poor management of their services should not be a reason for overcharging customers not using a service.

dazzer6666 · Aug 12, 2019

Wardy's twin said:
Really where do they stop. I get the bus from the Downs Hotel pub which costs £5 .

I walk from about there, takes about 30 mins....(35 back up [emoji23][emoji23])

dazzer6666 · Aug 12, 2019

sussex_guy2k2 said:
As I said in a previous post, you segment your customers and work in reverse. It's really not difficult to do online. In practice, by going through the external organisations and using their lists, you only contact their customers directly about having that option. I get on the same coach every week with exactly the same people; those people almost never use the train services (I have once in the last two years, and the three people I go with haven't used them once between them) so you're going to get a pretty good figure on who is and who isn't using the trains.

Obviously once you bring those who walk into it, it does become more difficult for the reasons you outline, but poor management of their services should not be a reason for overcharging customers not using a service.

Not sure it’s poor management of the service, more simply practical management.....simply can’t see how that would work.

I suspect the vast majority take at least some advantage of the ‘included’ transport (train or P&R), those that don’t (me included - I drive, park and walk) just accept the ticket price includes a small element to cover transport costs - it’s my choice not to use it. Anyone using a private coach company (for their own convenience) shouldn’t have a further subsidy paid by the club IMO. I don’t expect the club to subsidise my petrol costs when I choose not to use the included transport options.

Offering a non-levied STH option wouldn’t be practical - can’t reasonably be checked on match days, plenty of occasional users etc.

HAILSHAM SEAGULL · Aug 12, 2019

sussex_guy2k2 said:
As I said in a previous post, you segment your customers and work in reverse. It's really not difficult to do online. In practice, by going through the external organisations and using their lists, you only contact their customers directly about having that option. I get on the same coach every week with exactly the same people; those people almost never use the train services (I have once in the last two years, and the three people I go with haven't used them once between them) so you're going to get a pretty good figure on who is and who isn't using the trains.

Obviously once you bring those who walk into it, it does become more difficult for the reasons you outline, but poor management of their services should not be a reason for overcharging customers not using a service.

I have used Seagull Travel every season bar the 1st one at the Amex, and there are often different people on board.
All the time the club sell one off tickets and friends and family tickets, this will happen, and as you say those that cycle, walk, get dropped off makes your suggestions impossible to implement IMHO
I dont think we are overcharged, as I said mine works out, £12-68 per match, thats £6-34 each way, if that is overcharging then there is no hope, Thats less than 2 pints and a Piglets pie.

The Oldman · Aug 12, 2019

As said in a previous post in this day and age we should do everything to discourage car journeys and therefore to give every incentive to use trains, buses , and coaches. I would go back to charging for parking on the P & R sites.

I am quite happy to pay for using Seagull Travel as it is a great service and by allowing ST vehicles free parking at the Amex, which is so convenient for ST passengers , the club is subsidising that service. Don't expect them to do more.

Garage_Doors · Aug 12, 2019

Wardy's twin said:
Really where do they stop. I get the bus from the Downs Hotel pub which costs £5 .

Top of Bexhill by the old bakery, than top of Balsdean, then Cowley drive shops and then outside peoples houses on the way down, he is a very accommodating driver.

Its been run since the Amex opened.

Beach Hut · Aug 12, 2019

Going on some posts here the next requirement will be separate Amex turnstiles dependent on how you travelled there.

Wardy's twin · Aug 12, 2019

Garage_Doors said:
Top of Bexhill by the old bakery, than top of Balsdean, then Cowley drive shops and then outside peoples houses on the way down, he is a very accommodating driver.
Its been run since the Amex opened.

I thought they stopped doing that years ago. So what times do they go. Is this part of the general p&r travel.

Wardy's twin · Aug 12, 2019

dazzer6666 said:
I walk from about there, takes about 30 mins....(35 back up [emoji23][emoji23])

I did a mixture of lifts , walking to and from the ground and getting the last P&R back. Recently I have been getting bus from Downs as it gets me back quicker. It also moves my drinking to before the game rather than after. I just think the P&R could pickup or drop off at Downs. Do you park up at the top of the hill??

Arkwright · Aug 12, 2019

While on travel how far North does free travel go? I get the train from Caterham but only pay return to Haywards Heath, I'm sure someone said it's been extended to Three Bridges?

dazzer6666 · Aug 12, 2019

Wardy's twin said:
I did a mixture of lifts , walking to and from the ground and getting the last P&R back. Recently I have been getting bus from Downs as it gets me back quicker. It also moves my drinking to before the game rather than after. I just think the P&R could pickup or drop off at Downs. Do you park up at the top of the hill??

Usually yes....I quite like the stroll (not always great after winter evening games though to be fair) and means I can be pretty sure about what time I get back whereas P&R and trains can be a bit variable. Sometimes park in Lewes and get the train in from there too.

I guess there’s not really anywhere for the buses to pull in, and they’re usually full up before they leave the racecourse anyway so stopping wouldn’t be an option ?

dazzer6666 · Aug 12, 2019

Arkwright said:
While on travel how far North does free travel go? I get the train from Caterham but only pay return to Haywards Heath, I'm sure someone said it's been extended to Three Bridges?

Still HH according to the website

drew · Aug 12, 2019

The Oldman said:
As said in a previous post in this day and age we should do everything to discourage car journeys and therefore to give every incentive to use trains, buses , and coaches. I would go back to charging for parking on the P & R sites.

I am quite happy to pay for using Seagull Travel as it is a great service and by allowing ST vehicles free parking at the Amex, which is so convenient for ST passengers , the club is subsidising that service. Don't expect them to do more.

We use the P&R for about 2/3rds of home games and we are paying for it through part of the price of the ticket. Use the train for the other 3rd.

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