[Albion] The traffic today...

[BNthree]

I walked from Shoreham Beach to Portslade yesterday. Then caught a Number 1 bus to Churchill Square. Quick refreshment break and then walked the 4 miles to Glen Murrays Mound No idea why Google thinks people take 23/24 minutes to walk a mile.

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I've said this before and will say it again (because I'm not driving up from Dorset anymore)....following a recent survey, the Amex is the only Premier League club with a ground 8 miles from the city centre. It relies on public transport (no trains yesterday), parking (no comment) .....

Google maps in the first quote says it’s 4 .1 miles?

 

[Easy 10]

Its 4 miles from Portslade to the pier (1 hours walk), then 4 miles from the pier up Lewes Road to the Amex.
A 2 hour walk then, done it many times when the weathers nice. Only done it once there and back again though. The return took MUCH longer, as there seemed to be so many pubs I hadn't noticed on the way there.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I've said this before and will say it again (because I'm not driving up from Dorset anymore)....following a recent survey, the Amex is the only Premier League club with a ground 8 miles from the city centre. It relies on public transport (no trains yesterday), parking (no comment) .....

That's quite wrong I'm afraid. The Amex is 4 miles from the centre of Brighton.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I wonder if a system of trains could shuttle between Lewes and Brighton for an hour or so before and after each game. I know there would be loads of issues, staffing, stock, fitting into timetables, etc etc, but things can be done if people want them to be done. Unfortunately nothing like this would happen unless someone pays for it. How would users feel if there was a charge for using the trains if there was significant improvement?

All tickets sold come with a surcharge that pays for train and bus travel in the travel zone. I never use it, I would prefer to have a cheaper ticket personally although I am happy if the charge benefits others. At the moment there seems to be a situation where we are paying anyway and the service is awful.

 

[heathgate]

Am totally with you,sir, as I have done exactly the same after 60 years of support. Yes, could be said I chose to move to Dorset, but the road network east west is absolutely shite !

Yes, its painful... the straw was the move of the Liverpool game.. I had all sorts of plans sorted for a sunny final home game, pre and post match drinks, smiles, meet ups.... that decision was a bitter blow to my general Albion mojo... odd games here and there for me now.

 

[dazzer6666]

Liverpool actual attendance will be a secret

 

[amexer]

PB has said transport is out of there control. Despite this perhaps been the only major issue fans have with attending games I would just like PB to sometimes give a comment about this issue and at least say they are on continual conntact with all transport authorities. to make improvements.. Of course they cant do anything about road works but until they start commenting Trains, buses, P&R, parking, Seagull travel etc I will continue to believe there only concern is filling the ground and of course now the Terrace.
Apart from those coming by train or coach Amex must be a nightmare for away supporters. Time and time again see away supporter see us waiting for Seagull Travel. Turned away and told of there limited options and us knowing they will be facing a problem.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

And literally no one from the clubs seems to care.

 

[Alba Badger]

I left when Newcaste pen went in (i know bad fan!) But I had to get my cousin to Gatwick for his flight after the game. Leaving on 89 mins got me out of University car park and to Gatwick for 5.40pm. I never normally leave early, but I can really see why some do, it was quite easy, even with the roadworks to get away.

Last few games have been a shit to get home from. Set off to the stadium at 11.30am for The West Ham game, parked in Uni car park. Easy enough getting there bar some traffic but homeward was horrible.

I did have to drop off at 3 locations, Yapton, Barnham and Bognor (yep, all the excitkng places me!) The boys and I got in the house in Felpham for 8pm. That's a ridiculously long day for a home 3pm kick off.

That's why, liverpool tickets went on the exchange.

 

[rippleman]

All tickets sold come with a surcharge that pays for train and bus travel in the travel zone. I never use it, I would prefer to have a cheaper ticket personally although I am happy if the charge benefits others. At the moment there seems to be a situation where we are paying anyway and the service is awful.

Binning the travel tax supplement on STs is the only possible way something might change. Certainly from a train travelling perspective it might focus Southern's mind if they have to employ more staff to sell and check tickets (or run the risk of reduced income because some just bunk it). If we pay for our own train tickets and are delayed by 15 minutes we can claim reimbursement through the "delay / repay" scheme. I doubt the clock are claiming refunds based on the delays fans experience.

If the club is not willing to engage in dialogue with the train and bus companies, and agree and publish a "service level agreement" setting out the agreed level of service on matchdays, with penalties if the agreed services are not delivered, then how can we expect any improvement?

My understanding was that the original planning permission was predicated on "..... the ability of the club to provide good public transport links for spectators and to minimise the use of cars."

Brighton stadium secures approval

www.planningresource.co.uk

The club has just washed its hands of providing good public transport links. Where there is a will there's a way, but if there is no will, we're buggered and either like it or lump it.

 

[heathgate]

And literally no one from the clubs seems to care.

It's a threat to their business model surely!?!..

 

[Brovion]

Binning the travel tax supplement on STs is the only possible way something might change. Certainly from a train travelling perspective it might focus Southern's mind if they have to employ more staff to sell and check tickets (or run the risk of reduced income because some just bunk it). If we pay for our own train tickets and are delayed by 15 minutes we can claim reimbursement through the "delay / repay" scheme. I doubt the clock are claiming refunds based on the delays fans experience.

...

This has been suggested before, and the fear is that Southern or whoever will simply wash their hands of the whole thing and close Falmer station on match days, a bit like they've done with Lewes on Bonfire Night.

Might be an interesting discussion to have though. (My own gripe about the trains is the way they're allowed to leave half-empty*. That at least should be within the club's ability to make an improvement as it's down to stewarding).

*Yes that's a bit of an exaggeration before someone says "They're always at least three-quarters full!"

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

This has been suggested before, and the fear is that Southern or whoever will simply wash their hands of the whole thing and close Falmer station on match days, a bit like they've done with Lewes on Bonfire Night.

Might be an interesting discussion to have though. (My own gripe about the trains is the way they're allowed to leave half-empty*. That at least should be within the club's ability to make an improvement as it's down to stewarding).

*Yes that's a bit of an exaggeration before someone says "They're always at least three-quarters full!"

I thought the stewards on the platforms come from the train company and are not Albion staff.

 

[Brovion]

I thought the stewards on the platforms come from the train company and are not Albion staff.

Do they? So yes, they won't give a toss then.

 

[Mellotron]

I hope anyone who set out to make the game but gave up because of the transport lets the club know that is what happened when their "You've been a naughty boy" email comes through this week

I REALLY think they should rethink this whilst the travel situation is SO bad.

It's awful optics wise.

 

[£1.99]

I am so pleased I am able to and enjoy cycling to the games. Not sure I could handle all that stress lots of you face just to get to the games on time.

 

[jackalbion]

I am so pleased I am able to and enjoy cycling to the games. Not sure I could handle all that stress lots of you face just to get to the games on time.

And yet at this stadium I have used public transport to probably every game (291 attended), and I have missed kick off, ONCE.

 

[Jasetheaceisback]

I understand today was just about a perfect storm, and that there is nothing the club can do about the nonsensical A27 roadworks - but they really need to read this thread and similar feedback, and start to consider some kinds of contingency to alleviate the problems.

People missing kick offs. People abandoning the journey and turning round. People literally cancelling season tickets, because their travel situation is not tenable. What will it take for them to understand the seriousness of the situation

This is the problem really. One of perception. Once it embeds itself in the psyche of everybody that it is now that bit more difficult (however marginal that difference is) getting to and from the stadium regardless of how you travel, this eventually feeds into lower attendances and people leaving early as a matter of course. When you even have the manager mentioning it in press conferences, then I would assume it is safe to say that it is starting to have an impact internally.

By the way nobody appears to be mentioning the carnage at 11.00 at the Mill Hill Park and Ride, where security staff for the music festival at Waterhall were not allowing the Park and Ride to Open. Queues on to the London Road and the BP basically a rammed car park. BP staff eventually started to panic and tempers were starting to flare. Opened at 11.25 in the end but this was a near calamity!

 

[Hotchilidog]

Trains were great on Sunday. Whisper it but I think the Terrace is having a positive affect particularly after the game.

 

[dazzer6666]

This is the problem really. One of perception. Once it embeds itself in the psyche of everybody that it is now that bit more difficult (however marginal that difference is) getting to and from the stadium regardless of how you travel, this eventually feeds into lower attendances and people leaving early as a matter of course. When you even have the manager mentioning it in press conferences, then I would assume it is safe to say that it is starting to have an impact internally.

Yep. It’s not materially better or worse than any other ground of a similar size for most games (current A27 shitshow excepted), but the continual moaning about it is like the proverbial snowball going down a hill. Perception becomes ‘reality’. If you want to watch an event with 30k+ people in a confined space, accept it’s going to take a bit of time to get there and get home Doesn’t mean improvements shouldn’t be sought, but they’re only going to be marginal anyway.