Cycling to the AMEX on matchdays.

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Do you know, Alex, Alex Dawson oo! oo! I read your very comprehensive and well-thought out question on Ask The Club the other day with great interest. However, I also read it with a heavy heart, being fairly certain that like every other question related to AMEX travel arrangements it was likely to illicit the time honoured “This morning I had meetings with colleagues and others and, in addition to my duties on NSC, I shall have further such meetings later today” response.

I know its not Insider's fault as travel arrangements aren't his remit and he is probably as frustrated as everybody else that he cannot tell us anything useful at this point. But the other day Lord Bracknell intimated that the Club has appointed a Travel Manager. Who is this person? I'm sure they are doing a great deal behind the scenes, but I wish they would start to outline their strategy and the detail therein.

Oh well.

I doubt that Paul Camillin referred my post to either Richard Hebberd or Martin Perry for input before responding and tbh I never thought he would. Lack of acknowledgement of supporter concern and absence of the normal platitudes - "We're all working hard on the TMS.... It's been a difficult challenge.... B&HCC are being very supportive etc etc etc.............." - in his reply was a little suprising but, as you infer, every question about the Transport Management Scheme has been batted back like this. Clearly that's the club strategy although quite what they expect to achieve by such a defensive approach escapes me. I agree that the Amex Stadium is not Paul's remit but since those goons who posted all that Withdean stewards nonsense last year gave Hebberd a very easy "out" from ATFPT only ATC remains in place to raise such concerns. Sure, it's an avenue that enables the raising of the trivial (Has the steel been ordered? My seat numbers missing? Will there be quilted loo paper at the Amex etc) but it does facilitate the disemination of information and that's how I often use it.
As for the Amex transport/travel scheme (TMS), I and approx 16,000 others (maybe you?), have commited around £38pm to the club since Jan/Feb of this year, the 1901's considerably more. The situation with the organised coach travel (ie Seagull travel) requires commitment from our group of West Sussex/Surrey border darlings now but we still have no information on what travel options are available - indeed nothing has moved on much since I first met the coach people at my January STH presentation. Ok there is some information out there on Council, providers and university websites, provided you have the time to scrabble around, collate and put 2 & 2 together. At the end though, there's 34 days to go to the first ramp-up game and is it SO unreasonable, after having had 4+ years to plan this, to expect Martin Perry and Richard Hebberd to have provided a detailed and coherent plan by now. There are bits that are still subject to external approval (aka Bennetts Filed and the Racecourse P&R) but so what, publish the contingency plans in parallel then.
As you said - "Oh well", and this just about sums up my resignation now. However, it's not just some "old git" fans like me that are a agitated, concerned even exacibated at where the TMS has ended up; there is still a big player that the club needs to keep completely on board if it's going to get over the line for 6 August.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Just to be clear, Jumbo, are you hoping that I shall be hit by a cyclist?

Still waiting...

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Jimbo? Not man enough to back it up? No surprise.