Answers to NSC's Amex travel questions

[Southover Street Seagull]

This is the response I got from Brighton and Hove Buses today about the 20p busID scheme. I shall send another email and ask if the same applies to Senior Citizens as well as an adult with a travel voucher. I have removed names for privacy reasons.

From: James
Posted At: 21 July 2011 21.47
Posted To: Info
Conversation: busID
Subject: busID

Dear Sir/Madam,



Will my niece and nephew, who both have busID be able to travel with me on Brighton and Hove Buses during match days to Falmer for 20p if I have my subsidised travel voucher? In other words if I don't pay the normal fair and produce my travel voucher will they still get to travel for 20p?



Yours sincerely,



James
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Message flagged Friday, 22 July 2011, 10:30Message Body

Hi James – yes, they can still travel for 20p as long as you have produced a valid travel voucher.


Yours Sincerely

Commercial Officer


Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company Ltd.
Winner of UK City Bus Operator of the Year 2009/2010
43 Conway Street
Hove, Sussex
BN3 3LT


Web: http://WWW.BUSES.CO.UK
Tel: 01273 886734
Fax: 01273 822073
P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

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[Lord Bracknell]

Are all passengers using park & ride services required to have travel vouchers, or can some users (e.g. young children, senior citizens, etc) travel without a voucher?
Senior citizens (with bus passes) are free on buses and on the park & ride, but anyone else needs a voucher.
The club need to talk to B&H buses as I have had an e-mail this morning stating that senior passes cannot be used on the special football buses.

The special football buses aren't the same thing as the Park & Ride buses, though. I've e-mailed the Bus Company for confirmation that P&R buses will accept senior citizens concessionary bus passes.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The special football buses aren't the same thing as the Park & Ride buses, though. I've e-mailed the Bus Company for confirmation that P&R buses will accept senior citizens concessionary bus passes.

And I've received a response ...

Dear Ed

Thanks for your further email. There are still some discussions ongoing with the club ref the below and we'll try and ensure that everything is clarified with the club and put on our website next week.

Best wishes



This was in response to my message ...

More from me, I'm afraid.

The football club have now said that Senior Citizens Concessionary Bus Passes can be used for free travel on the football Park & Ride services.

As a bus operator myself, I am, obviously, rather surprised to hear this. Can you confirm what the position is please?

Cheers.

Ed

 

[Garage_Doors]

This particular answer is relevant to a significant number of Albion fans, who will now be spared the obligation to buy Travel Vouchers:-

Are Senior Citizens' Concessionary Bus Passes valid on the park & ride buses?
Yes.

My father who is a Senior Citizen and also works for the club has already purchased Travel Vouchers as this information was not known at the time.
Will he get a refund ?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

My father who is a Senior Citizen and also works for the club has already purchased Travel Vouchers as this information was not known at the time.
Will he get a refund ?

If I was him, I'd wait until we get confirmation / clarification next week that he can, in fact, use his bus pass on the P&R buses.

 

[Garage_Doors]

If I was him, I'd wait until we get confirmation / clarification next week that he can, in fact, use his bus pass on the P&R buses.

Good point,thank you.

 

[arewethereyet?]

I have just bought my 28 travel vouchers, there is nothing for the Spurs game, so what do I use for that ?

Any body got a bloody clue ?

 

[The Oldman]

I have just bought my 28 travel vouchers, there is nothing for the Spurs game, so what do I use for that ?

Any body got a bloody clue ?

I was told the first cup match ticket assuming there is one.

 

[fosters headband]

Below is my wifes e-mail and response from B&H buses about vouchers and senior passes on the route R buses from Rottingdean
And they state no senior passes on this route.



Hello Gill

Concessionary passes are not valid on those buses I am afraid.

Lynn



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:
Sent: 22 July 2011 10.52
To: Lynn
Subject: Re: Amex Route R


Hi Lynn

Thanks for that.
So my Son and Grandson will buy vouchers but one question I forgot to ask was, can my husband use his bus pass on this service

----------------------------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message -----
From: Lynn
To: Gill
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 4:21 PM
Subject: RE: Amex Route R



Thank you for your email the R route requires the vouchers

Lynn

 

[arewethereyet?]

I was told the first cup match ticket assuming there is one.

They are individually marked for each league game and then 5 cup matches, so the first cup game is Gillingham, but we could in fact if things go well have more than 5 home cup matches in theory.

 

[Al Bion]

Thanks for the info mate. Hopefully it says how to get to the car park too.

There was some brief information provided with the SSC parking ticket but I went on a recce first as I'm not that familiar with the area. Basically you have to come off the A27 at the Asda Hollingbury turnoff (assuming you're coming from West/North), down Coldean Lane at the bottom turn left onto the A270 for a very short way and then left onto the new link road which is signposted to Stanmer Park/University, then follow the road through to the University and stewards show you where to park (there's several different car parks). From the east, you have to use the new link road too to enter so I guess you just go off the A27 at the Stanmer turnoff and follow the signs across to the link road.

To get to the ground from the car parks you have to walk through the underpass which brings you out at Falmer Station then over the new bridge and down the ramp and you're there - about 5 minutes walk!

 

[jackanada]

Cycle parking

Went on a cycle parking recce today. Found the following:

stands at actual stadium: None
stands at falmer station: enough for maybe 100 bikes, tucked under the new bridge over the tracks - a lovely place to spend some unobserved time with a hacksaw.
stands in brighton university: 1 stand for 12 ish bikes close to top of the stadium, some others further down into the campus.
stands in sussex university: lots of small bike shelters dotted about as you go further into the campus.
worth noting no one at either university would contemplate leaving anything other than a clunker at these stands at night.

Unless I've managed to completely miss this ample secure parking they claim or they haven't put in in yet this is completely rubbish.

 

[bhadeb]

These have now been supplied by the club:

TRAVEL VOUCHERS

When will travel vouchers become available?
They are on sale now - Brighton and Hove Albion | News | Latest News | Latest News | Amex Travel Information.

Will books of travel vouchers be sold online?
No, currently they are only available by phone or in person - at the moment.

travel vouchers come in books of 30. Are the vouchers specific to a particular match?
Yes, they will be numbered.

Some fans committed to paying £25 for a book of 25 travel vouchers when they attended season ticket presentations. Will they now have to pay an additional £5 to obtain a book of 30 vouchers?
Those who paid at their season-ticket presentation will get a discount.

Can unused vouchers be carried over to next season?
No, books are seasonal.

Are travel vouchers transferable to other fans?
Yes.

Can one book of vouchers be shared between several people travelling together (e.g. a group of people using park & ride)?
No, one person per voucher.

Will one voucher be sufficient for a journey that involves both a bus and a train, or two buses run by different companies (Stagecoach and Brighton & Hove), or two buses run by B&H Buses?
Yes.

Will it be possible for fans who cannot attend most games to purchase single vouchers?
Yes, details to be announced in due course.

Are all passengers using park & ride services required to have travel vouchers, or can some users (e.g. young children, senior citizens, etc) travel without a voucher?
Senior citizens (with bus passes) are free on buses and on the park & ride, but anyone else needs a voucher.

Will travel vouchers be made available to away fans?
Yes.

Can the club clarify whether there is a booking fee for purchasing travel vouchers?
Online or phone bookings are subject to a £2 booking fee per transaction.


BUS SERVICES

Will the post-match regular scheduled buses to Brighton call at the stadium? Or should passengers wait for them at the stop outside Falmer Station?
The area inside the bus and coach park will be used by any specials running on the day. The scheduled 25s will be using the normal bus stops outside Falmer Station or on Village Way outside the main stadium entrance.

Where will the regular buses to Lewes pick up passengers, post-match? What is the pedestrian route to the bus stop?
These buses will be picking up at the bus stop on the up-ramp alongside the University. The pedestrian route is over the station bridge, under the underpass and turn right.

Will passengers without a travel voucher be able to pay cash on the football special buses (e.g. the buses from Shoreham or the shuttle service from Rottingdean)?
These buses are managed by Brighton & Hove Buses as a bus service and so will operate the same rules as a standard service route (eg. fare or voucher)

Do the bus companies (including Stagecoach) plan to run any extra match day service buses or football specials from areas outside Brighton (e.g. Haywards Heath)?
For information for Sussex please see here - Brighton and Hove Albion | News | Latest News | Latest News | Coaches From All Over Sussex!.
For Haywards Heath and other areas to the north of the county, also see Home - Mid Sussex Seagulls and North West Sussex Seagulls Home.

Will there be any special buses running from Telscombe, Saltdean, Rottingdean and Woodingdean?
For coaches from across Sussex please see - Brighton and Hove Albion | News | Latest News | Latest News | Coaches From All Over Sussex!.

Young people aged 5-19 currently pay 20 pence for bus journeys they make on B&H local buses when they hold a BusID pass and are travelling with a fare-paying adult. Will travelling with an Albion travel voucher holder on a local B&H bus service count as travelling with a fare-paying adult?
With regard to specific offers, you would need to contact the bus company.

Will Brighton & Hove Buses be running extra buses on the route from Tunbridge Wells, Crowborough and Uckfield?
For coaches from across Sussex please see here - Brighton and Hove Albion | News | Latest News | Latest News | Coaches From All Over Sussex!.

Please also see - home - seagulls over burwash.

Will arrangements be made post-match to ensure that fans returning by bus to places beyond Lewes (e.g. Uckfield, Crowborough and Tunbridge Wells) get priority over Lewes-bound passengers to ensure that they can get a place on one of the few journeys that will be available to meet their needs?
On regular services we are not sure how this is possible; you may wish to consider using one of the coach facilities that are being made available.

Are B&H Buses planning to make the purchase of Saver tickets online so that you can print them out yourself rather than getting them by post?
With regard to specific offers, you would need to contact the bus company.


TRAIN SERVICES

Some train journeys have a "kids for a pound" deal for young people accompanying a fare-paying adult. Will this deal be available when the adult is using a Travel Voucher?
With regard to specific offers, you would need to contact the train company.

What extra train services will be running on match days (Saturdays and evenings, pre-match and post-match)?
There are a number of additional services and increases in carriages to many others. Details of services will be available on the club website and on screen in the concourses on match days.

When will the match day train timetables be published?
As above.

When evening games are played, what is the latest time to catch a train from Falmer to ensure a connection with a train to Haywards Heath or beyond?
You will need to check with National Rail Enquiries or check the match day timetables as above.

Can the club provide an estimate of how many spaces on trains will be available for supporters, pre-match and post-match - for both Saturday games and evening games?
Based on the Fan Travel Survey we know that there is sufficient capacity on the trains to cope with the number of fans who have indicated they wish to travel by train within a reasonable time.


PARK & RIDE SERVICES

Is every passenger in a car required to have a travel voucher? Or is it one voucher per car?
One per passenger boarding the bus.

Will it be possible to pay cash to travel on a park & ride bus?
TBC, when we announce match-to-match travel voucher info.

Will car users who turn up at a park & ride site without a travel voucher for each passenger be turned away?
TBC, when we announce match-to-match travel voucher info.

Is park & ride available to away fans?
Yes.

Will "walk up and go" passengers, "kiss and riders" and cyclists who park at, say, Mithras House or the Racecourse, and then use the park & ride buses, have to produce a travel voucher?
Yes.

Are Senior Citizens' Concessionary Bus Passes valid on the park & ride buses?
Yes.

What happens when a park & ride site becomes full? How will this be publicised on the day?
All the park & ride sites are linked by radio; if one becomes full people will be directed to one that isn't full.

Does the club have any plans to increase the number of park & ride spaces available?
If we can find other locations, yes.

Has Withdean Stadium been considered as a site?
Yes, but it is currently not available.

Would Waterhall be acceptable as an emergency overflow site, should Mill Road fill up?
Only if cars can be safely parked on the roadways. This will be managed by stewards.

How many buses will be used for each park and ride?
Enough to cope with the demand.


COACH SERVICES

Do travel vouchers give a discount on coach journeys? Or is the club's subsidy to coaches paid in some other way? And does it apply to all coach services?
Coach companies and coach operators receive a subsidy from the club based on the number of passengers carried. With the aim that this is passed on to the passengers.

Is the subsidy being given to coach travel sufficient, or will comparatively high coach prices from places like Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and Hassocks have the effect of encouraging fans from these areas to travel on an already overcrowded train network?
Hopefully not. There are also additional advantages to using the coaches, including atmosphere and convenience.


COMMUNITY ORGANISED COACH AND MINIBUS SERVICES

Is there capacity in the coach park for all community organised coaches and minibuses to park and pick up passengers at the end of the match?
Yes. However, it is vital that all those organising coaches or minibuses inform the club's transport manager (email: <A href="mailto:transportmanager[MENTION=5978]bhafc[/MENTION].co.uk">transportmanager[MENTION=5978]bhafc[/MENTION].co.uk</A>) so that the necessary plans can be made and passengers are not delayed at the bus and coach park. We also ask that each bus carries some form of identification so that people don't return to the wrong bus!


PARKING FOR DISABLED PEOPLE

Bearing in mind that there are only 46 disabled parking spaces that are available to buy (on a seasonal basis only, at a price of £130 a season), what criteria will be used to decide which disabled people will be permitted to buy these places? And who will decide?
We have carried out a disabled fans' survey, and we are now allocating spaces in consultation with BODS.

Is it fair to charge for a disabled parking space?
Yes, most privately owned car parks do. It would also be positive discrimination against other fans if we did not charge.

Did the club advise BODS that disabled parking spaces would be made available free of charge?
We spoke of several options and BODs are now fully aware of the situation.

If a Blue Badge holder (or other disabled supporter) is unsuccessful in applying for one of the available disabled parking spaces, what alternatives will be offered?
We are actively seeking alternative additional spaces.

If none of the alternatives is suitable, will the club offer a refund on the season ticket and PSL that has been purchased? We will do everything possible to cater for all fans needs, but if this is the case, then yes.

Are there any plans to help disabled people get from the Sussex University car park to the stadium if they find that they are unable to get a designated disabled parking space, but do succeed in getting a space elsewhere on the university campus?
We are hoping we do not have to put any disabled supporters on the university. However, the whole of the route from the university meets disabled access standards. If people are in this position and inform the club's transport manager (<A href="mailto:transportmanager[MENTION=5978]bhafc[/MENTION].co.uk">transportmanager[MENTION=5978]bhafc[/MENTION].co.uk</A>) and we will save a space in the car park, as close to the stadium as possible.

If a wheelchair is necessary to assist a disabled supporter to get from Sussex University to the stadium, does the club propose to make wheelchairs (and pushers) available for this purpose?
See above.

Where at the stadium can wheelchairs be parked?
Contact customer services if this is required. Arrangements will then be made for wheelchairs to be stored in the nearest convenient location.

Will it be possible for disabled supporters who do not have an allocated parking space to be dropped off and picked up close to the stadium entrance?
Yes, in consultation with the club via customer services.

What arrangements are being made for disabled parking spaces to be made available to away fans? How many spaces will be available? And where will they be located?
This will be arranged in consultation with the away club.


NEAR-STADIUM CAR PARKING

Will there be any parking available at Sussex University (or another nearby car park) on a match-by-match basis?
No.

What is the recommended walking route between the car parking areas and the stadium? Is it safely lit?
These will be safely lit, and signage and stewards will direct you to the stadium.

Will the registration numbers of cars parked at the University be cross checked against season ticket seat numbers?
Yes if they are illegally parked, and offenders will run the risk of having their car towed and/or season ticket cancelled.

How will "block parking - bumper to bumper" (as promised on the Sussex University website) work? Will this delay post-match departure times?
We will only block park in exceptional circumstances and drivers will be warned of this when they park.

Is free match day parking being made available to stewards and other stadium staff?
Extremely limited parking will be available to players and directors, but the majority of staff will be encouraged to travel by public transport.

The club has announced that: There are 650 parking spaces available for 1901 Club members in Bennett's Field; 700 pre-bookable parking spaces are available for purchase by STHs located on the Sussex University campus; 46 pre-bookable parking spaces are available for purchase for disabled attendees. According to the City Council, there are 2,004 near-site, match-day parking spaces. Where are the other 608 spaces located? Who will they be made available to? And on what basis?
With over 1,000 employees, the balance of parking is for directors, VIPs, players, staff and press parking.


Information on the Sussex University website states that there are 1,100 pre-bookable spaces available for daytime matches and 700 for evening games. How will the shortfall be met for evening games? If there is no alternative location, how will the club continue to comply with the conditions of the planning consent?
At the moment it isn't - hence the fact we can only sell 700.


MOPEDS AND MOTOR CYCLES

What parking is available near the stadium for mopeds and motor cycles?
We are trying to find a specific location which will be announced in due course. For the moment motor cyclists will be accommodated in the bus and coach park or Bennett's Field.


PARKING IN NEARBY RESIDENTIAL AREAS

Do stewards have any legal authority to prevent parking in nearby residential areas (e.g. Coldean or Moulsecoomb)? If fans do park legally in these areas, will any enforcement action be taken?
Not by the club, but local enforcement may take place by the police or council.

Are there any plans for any additional, legally enforceable, match day parking restrictions to be introduced in Coldean or Moulsecoomb?
This will depend on the way in which those coming to the stadium comply with our travel plans. If there is persistent abuse in any areas, it is likely that a residents' area will be introduced. This will have to be funded by the club. Any persistent abuse is also likely to have a detrimental effect on future planning applications.

Bearing in mind the fact that there will inevitably be people (including away fans) who are unable to use any alternative to the car to get to games, what advice will the club give them about where to park, assuming that paid parking near the stadium won't be available and there is a likelihood that park & ride spaces will be fully subscribed?
The club's fan travel survey indicates we have enough space. However, if parking sells out ahead of the game, we will announce it and supporters will be asked to use public transport.


KICK-OFF TIMES OF EVENING MATCHES

Has the club considered a 7.30pm kick-off time, to clear the stadium in a timely way, and help fans who need to make travel connections as part of their journeys home?
We did consider this but felt that doing so would push our traffic arriving at the stadium into the evening rush hour. It would also provide problems for part-time staff having to leave work early.


TRAVEL DATA

Will the club publish the information collected in the travel survey conducted when season tickets were on sale?
This information is being used by the club and the council to inform the travel plans but there is no intention to publish them to a wider audience.

I think you will find that if you speak to bods the story for the following quote is very different!! An email from Martin Perry saying that disabled parking WOULD be free!!

Did the club advise BODS that disabled parking spaces would be made available free of charge?
We spoke of several options and BODs are now fully aware of the situation.

 

[bobby smith]

I was told my 3year old would not need a travel voucher so i did not buy him one what do i do now leave him at Mill Road with the stewards

 

[LamieRobertson]

Went on a cycle parking recce today. Found the following:

stands at actual stadium: None
stands at falmer station: enough for maybe 100 bikes, tucked under the new bridge over the tracks - a lovely place to spend some unobserved time with a hacksaw.
stands in brighton university: 1 stand for 12 ish bikes close to top of the stadium, some others further down into the campus.
stands in sussex university: lots of small bike shelters dotted about as you go further into the campus.
worth noting no one at either university would contemplate leaving anything other than a clunker at these stands at night.

Unless I've managed to completely miss this ample secure parking they claim or they haven't put in in yet this is completely rubbish.

Well thts as good as ruled out my method of transport..hmmmm!!!!!!!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

There is cycle parking - lots of it - but it's not what most cyclists would think of as secure, quality provision.

Bike parking

Martin Perry recently indicated that around 140 supporters were anticipating arriving at matches by bike.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of cycle stands provided at the stadium are unsuitable because a) they only accept one wheel and do not support the bike properly with the possibility of damage; b) do not allow the frame to be locked with a standard D-lock; and c) do not accept a bog-standard 2-inch mountain-bike tyre.

There are a small number of much-preferred “Sheffield” bike stands under the new bridge. They are likely to be occupied pretty quickly leaving the other hundred or so cyclists wondering what to do.

Will supporters be able to lock their bikes to perimeter fencing if this does not impede any pedestrian or other routes?

Thank you.

I will pass on your comments to the project team.

 

[black shadow]

We booked three travel voucher books during last week. The member of our party who phoned the ticket office to book was NOT told that, being a pensioner, she could use her Senior Citizens' Consessionary Bus Pass. When the staff member called her details up on screen surely he would/should have seen that she has a concessionary season ticket? We only found out after being "tipped off" by a friend of ours who had also bought vouchers and then found out afterwards that they had paid for two books unnecessarily!!

How many other pensioners have been caught out like this and don't realise it?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

We booked three travel voucher books during last week. The member of our party who phoned the ticket office to book was NOT told that, being a pensioner, she could use her Senior Citizens' Consessionary Bus Pass. When the staff member called her details up on screen surely he would/should have seen that she has a concessionary season ticket? We only found out after being "tipped off" by a friend of ours who had also bought vouchers and then found out afterwards that they had paid for two books unnecessarily!!

How many other pensioners have been caught out like this and don't realise it?

If she wants to travel on the Park & Ride buses, it hasn't yet been confirmed by the Bus Company that she CAN use her bus pass. See post #23, above.

 

[black shadow]

Same here, there was no mention whatsoever of any cost for travel vouchers at our presentation either.

 

[black shadow]

Just one other point.....considering the club's poor organisation in various aspects, we have written to The Argus at least three times asking them to question the club on behalf of fans, and have had absolutely no response ....does anyone know if the paper has perhaps been gagged??!! Nothing would surprise us!