Falmer Station

[surrey jim]

Im assuming there will be a P&R aswell to the racecourse or Mithras?? Im sure many will take this option

 

[siclean]

The signalling on the line is such that they can't run more than five trains an hour. The option of putting on longer trains isn't available either - 8 coach trains won't fit into the Coastway platform at Lewes.

The other factor that will affect supporters is that the line is very busy with other passengers - not every seat will be available for Albion fans.

Having said all that ... travel to games will probably be OK (since arrival times at football matches are spread over quite a long period). If the club can find a way of spreading post-match departure times (like a decent post-match bar), things won't be too bad for people who are prepared to delay their rush for the platform.

There will, however, have to be some way of "penning in" queuing fans waiting to get on to the Brighton-bound platform. You can't simply allow more people on to a station platform than is safe.

one of the reasons it should never have been built at falmer..i got relative in falmer and have been told that the swan will not open at all on matchdays as the landlord is very anti football club. so no pub nearby either..well you got the hikers i suppose, which may i add is a proper bona fida albion pub !!!

 

[dougdeep]

one of the reasons it should never have been built at falmer.

You should have said, I'm sure the club would have put it somewhere else.

 

[siclean]

You should have said, I'm sure the club would have put it somewhere else.

i did but nobody listened..i mean what was wrong with that place along ole shoreham rd ..goldstone retail park is it called

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

one of the reasons it should never have been built at falmer..i got relative in falmer and have been told that the swan will not open at all on matchdays as the landlord is very anti football club. so no pub nearby either..

If the landlord of The Swan is blinkered enough to look a gift horse in the mouth on matchdays, then its his loss only. There's a large number of decent pubs a very short train journey away who will be glad of the extra custom. Not to mention the bars inside the ground.

 

[Brovion]

I still think the flaw in all of this is the assumption that people will want to hang around after the game for a drink or to wait for a train.#

this may be an Uptopia in a planners mind, but this is just not what happens in the real world.

Once the game is finished, the fan wants away as quickly as possible. Yes there may be a few who want to hang around, but the vast majority will want away.

If Public transport becomes a problem, then I can see people not using it and then it will be an issue.

This must not be a hassle, or people will not go, irrespective its a fabulous stadium!"!!

Totally agree. There may be times when I want to hang around, but mostly I'll want to get home ASAP. Like you say if I'm forced to hang around due to the fact that the public transport infrastructure can't handle the crowds I will not be a happy bunny. Plus the fact that joining 10,000 people queueing for a pint will be almost as bad joining 10,000 people queueing for a train.

I appreciate I do sound like Withdean Wanderer and I accept it's ridiculous to moan about something that hasn't been built or tried yet - but the threads on this subject do tend to suggest that the journey to and from Falmer will not be a pleasant part of the matchday 'experience'. People will be leaving with about 30 minutes to go in order to get a train!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Totally agree. There may be times when I want to hang around, but mostly I'll want to get home ASAP. Like you say if I'm forced to hang around due to the fact that the public transport infrastructure can't handle the crowds I will not be a happy bunny. Plus the fact that joining 10,000 people queueing for a pint will be almost as bad joining 10,000 people queueing for a train.

I appreciate I do sound like Withdean Wanderer and I accept it's ridiculous to moan about something that hasn't been built or tried yet - but the threads on this subject do tend to suggest that the journey to and from Falmer will not be a pleasant part of the matchday 'experience'. People will be leaving with about 30 minutes to go in order to get a train!

Pretty sure that getting there will be fine - unless there's weekend engineering works, and the dreaded replacement bus service, in which case it will be a cab job. Equally sure that some enterprising soul will step into the breach by laying on private coaches, sixteen-seater minibuses etc. etc. If it comes to it, hardly the longest walk back into town. Unless it's mid-winter and/or evening kick-off and/or its pissing it down. Obviously.

But isn't it grand that we're finally talking about Falmer like it's a real thing?

 

[wigman]

But isn't it grand that we're finally talking about Falmer like it's a real thing?

well said.

 

[The Oldman]

I think most "big" clubs, even in city centres have problems getting thousands away from the ground in a few minutes. Ever tried getting on the tubes at Chelsea, West Ham, etc after a match?

 

[wigman]

I think most "big" clubs, even in city centres have problems getting thousands away from the ground in a few minutes. Ever tried getting on the tubes at Chelsea, West Ham, etc after a match?

Not forgetting Wembley.

 

[Brovion]

...
But isn't it grand that we're finally talking about Falmer like it's a real thing?

Indeed!

I think most "big" clubs, even in city centres have problems getting thousands away from the ground in a few minutes. Ever tried getting on the tubes at Chelsea, West Ham, etc after a match?

Oh I AM expecting to queue don't get me wrong, but I agree with Dave when he says there's an assumption that fans will stagger their journeys home because some/most/enough will want to stay behind for an after match pint. Like I say I'm not sure that the bar facilities will be able to cater for thousands wanting to stay behind, but obviously I could be wrong. One advatage that London has is that you can walk to different tube or train stations or bus stops. Also you can walk past a number of pubs, bars, cafes, resturants etc where you can sit out the rush. At Falmer outside of the stadium there's The Swan, The Hiker's Rest and that's about it.

 

[Billy the Fish]

At Falmer outside of the stadium there's The Swan, The Hiker's Rest and that's about it.

I'm sure it's been said on here before that there will be a proper bar at the ground. As long as it has Sky and is showing the 5:15 premiership game, and isn't a soulless shithole I'm sure a few people will stay afterwards. I cirtainly would if I was having a drink, if I wasn't drinking then I'd just use the park and ride anyway.

They will definitley need to get the bus/coach situation right though.

 

[dougdeep]

I'm sure it's been said on here before that there will be a proper bar at the ground.

There had better more than one.

 

[johnnyrocketpants]

There had better more than one.

There are a few bars, but I don't suppose they will all be open after the game............... supply and demand I guess.

 

[Brovion]

I'm sure it's been said on here before that there will be a proper bar at the ground. As long as it has Sky and is showing the 5:15 premiership game, and isn't a soulless shithole I'm sure a few people will stay afterwards. I cirtainly would if I was having a drink, if I wasn't drinking then I'd just use the park and ride anyway.

They will definitley need to get the bus/coach situation right though.

Yeah, without wishing to labour the point I think you've put your finger on it - a few people. If THOUSANDS try and stagger their journey, what'll happen then?

 

[Ernest]

Of course Southern might think the hassle of catering for 1000's of football fans is not worth the expense or the disruption to their normal service with the knock on delay factor and decide not to serve Falmer on matchdays.
They did this before with Party in the Park and didn't serve Preston Park or London Road stations and no longer cater for the Lewes Bonfire Night celebrations.
As it stands it will cost a lot of expense and manpower to make Falmer fit safety wise for the football traffic and unless someone else is paying they might decide not to bother.

 

[portslade seagull]

I seem to remember reading or hearing at the public inquiry that Falmer station was to be extended to take eight carriages, and a shuttle service would operate between Brighton and Lewes? But then i could be dreaming or going senile.

I'm sure this was muted by the board as a possible scenario glad some-one else also read/heard it

 

[Notters]

Anyone know how things work at reading? After all, they don't even have a station. I walked from the town centre myself, but it must be a similar distance out to Falmer?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Anyone know how things work at reading? After all, they don't even have a station. I walked from the town centre myself, but it must be a similar distance out to Falmer?

I've always used the Park and Ride when I've gone to football at Reading. There is, however, an excellent shuttle bus service that runs every five minutes from Reading station to the Madejski Stadium - not just on match days, but throughout the week.

 

[Notters]

I've always used the Park and Ride when I've gone to football at Reading. There is, however, an excellent shuttle bus service that runs every five minutes from Reading station to the Madejski Stadium - not just on match days, but throughout the week.

Which Falmer already has, the number 25.