Falmer Station

[Easy 10]

It wouldn't be difficult to advertise the fact at the railway stations, would it?

Its unrealistic to expect people to vacate the trains or alter their plans on a Saturday afternoon just to accomodate football fans - at least certainly not to the extent that we'll be left with near-empty carriages to accomodate the post-match rush. If they're sat in their seat by the time the train pulls in at Falmer, what do they care if crowds of people can't get on, its not their problem (nor should it be).

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I think this is being blown up out of proportion. There are 91 other football grounds around England (OK, 2 in Wales) and they all have a transport system which works to one extent or another, there will always be congestion, it happens at every other ground, Falmer will be no different. It will take a bit of time to settle down, but with a train station, new 8m wide footbridge, new road flyover and car parking on the University site, the park & ride scheme, normal bus services, matchday bus services, combined with the option to stay behind after matches for a beer, I'm sure it will all shake itself down and get sorted fairly promptly. Just chill

Too much sense Phil. STOP IT.

Of course there will be teething probs the first few games then it will settle down. Besides its actually only a short walk to Coldean where you can pick up more buses that dont go past Falmer as well.

 

[Easy 10]

Whats the street parking like in Coldean ?
And what are we talking, 15-20 minutes walk ?

 

[Spiros]

And an even longer walk home when you get back to where your car was....

 

[Twinkle Toes]

This is what we need:-

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Whats the street parking like in Coldean ?
And what are we talking, 15-20 minutes walk ?

No idea but can imagine it will be chokka and will be patrolled like the Withdean area.

About that yes.

 

[somerset]

I think this is being blown up out of proportion. There are 91 other football grounds around England (OK, 2 in Wales) and they all have a transport system which works to one extent or another, there will always be congestion, it happens at every other ground, Falmer will be no different. It will take a bit of time to settle down, but with a train station, new 8m wide footbridge, new road flyover and car parking on the University site, the park & ride scheme, normal bus services, matchday bus services, combined with the option to stay behind after matches for a beer, I'm sure it will all shake itself down and get sorted fairly promptly. Just chill

I guess the model would be Reading, out of town,... not much parking at ground, therefore park and ride or walking,..... they seem to manage, and I have been there when they had 20k a couple of times with Albion..... wasnt a big deal,.. the busses were regular and many......

 

[somerset]

Its unrealistic to expect people to vacate the trains or alter their plans on a Saturday afternoon just to accomodate football fans - at least certainly not to the extent that we'll be left with near-empty carriages to accomodate the post-match rush. If they're sat in their seat by the time the train pulls in at Falmer, what do they care if crowds of people can't get on, its not their problem (nor should it be).

Used to happen at Hove,.... most non football bods steered clear from 4-30 to 6-30,....... the trains were rammed.

 

[Pinkie Brown]

Remember the first ever game at Withdean against Nottingham Forest? Remember the teething problems re getting access to Preston Park station after that game? Took at least ten minutes to gain access to the southbound platform as I remember?

Since that first ever game, has anyone had to queue to gain access to Preston Park? I certainly haven't.

The first game at Falmer will be chaotic on the public transport front. That's the way it is. Afterwards, things should (hopefully) settle down when everyone gets into a pattern.

Re the shuttle trains: AFAIK, Lewes can accommodate an 8 carriage train in the bay platform. As mentioned, if Falmer can only accommodate 6 carriages (which I think it can?), then the doors on the new stock CAN be regulated to only open on the carriages that are in the platform. Regularly happens on long trains that stop at Portslade & Lancing.

 

[8ace]

I don't know why there is so much focus on trains. Surely for those wanting to go back into Brighton the 25 bus is just as good an option.

The traffic is always terrible between the Level and Lewes Rd Sainsburys - I can only imagine it getting worse with all the extra people wanting to get to/from the Amex. What the want to do is knock down some of the houses, the crappy shops and takeaways and that scummy "garden" and build a bus lane thru that part of Lewes Road.

 

[Easy 10]

Used to happen at Hove,.... most non football bods steered clear from 4-30 to 6-30,....... the trains were rammed.

But in the case of Hove, the Goldstone was in (or near) the town centre, nice and central, with oodles of unrestricted street parking all over the place and all within easy walking distance. Nowhere near as many people were reliant on the train as a method of transport to get to and from the game.

Falmer, by comparison, is in the middle of nowhere. Now the Green nazi's have come into play we can't drive any more, so P&R and trains are the only viable option for the majority of fans. Even WITHOUT the inevitable presence of Saturday shoppers on the trains, it looks like whatever way you slice it, its going to take some considerable time to get away after the game if you are railing it.

I'm sure it'll sort itself out over time as people settle into whatever matchday routine works best for them, but it'll probably just have to be with some acceptance that you won't necessarily be able to get home for the start of Strictly.

 

[Gwylan]

Whats the street parking like in Coldean ?
And what are we talking, 15-20 minutes walk ?

No parking restrictions at all and there's generally a fair bit of parking space around. And yes, it's about 15 minutes from the bottom of Coldean, 25/30 minutes from the top end.

Don't bank on getting too many buses though, there are only three an hour (and one an hour in the evening). People would be better off walking to Moulsecoomb and picking up the 49 - it's about 15 minutes from the ground and I think there are eight an hour.

 

[ali jenkins]

What are people expecting exactly? In the middle of Brighton in under 10mins after the final whistle??

 

[Easy 10]

No parking restrictions at all and there's generally a fair bit of parking space around. And yes, it's about 15 minutes from the bottom of Coldean, 25/30 minutes from the top end.

Don't bank on getting too many buses though, there are only three an hour (and one an hour in the evening). People would be better off walking to Moulsecoomb and picking up the 49 - it's about 15 minutes from the ground and I think there are eight an hour.

Cheers Gwyzzer.
I'm really hoping the minibus pick up / drop off option pans out, but if not then I won't mind a 20-30 minute walk from Coldean too much. I'll just play it by ear with the trains - there'll undoubtedly be some Saturdays where I can hang back for an hour or longer for a few shandies at the stadium before wobbling over to the platform when its thinned out a bit. They're going to have live updated travel info boards on display inside the stadium concourse, showing the times for P&R and train departures, so that'll be handy.

 

[Ernest]

I'd like to know where all these extra trains are going to come from ? There is no spare stock to suddenly start running loads of extra trains, I would imagine there would be one or possibly two additional Falmer to Brighton services with stock running empty from Brighton to Lewes and then back to Falmer to start the additional train.
Fact - a train cannot leave Falmer towards Brighton until the preceding service is in the platform at Brighton so this will always limit any additional services.
I always wondered why the anti Falmerites never picked up on this at the enquiries as this was always a weak link in the planning application.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Where are the park and rides going to be?.Is Mill Rd still going to be one?

 

[Easy 10]

I'd like to know where all these extra trains are going to come from ? There is no spare stock to suddenly start running loads of extra trains, I would imagine there would be one or possibly two additional Falmer to Brighton services with stock running empty from Brighton to Lewes and then back to Falmer to start the additional train.
Fact - a train cannot leave Falmer towards Brighton until the preceding service is in the platform at Brighton so this will always limit any additional services.
I always wondered why the anti Falmerites never picked up on this at the enquiries as this was always a weak link in the planning application.

Indeed.
But far from being a weak link, the proximity of Falmer to a train station was always (and rightly) presented as one of the biggest arguments in favour of it being the best site for the stadium in terms of sustainable transport. And obviously it is a benefit.

But how beneficial / convenient it turns out to be in practice remains to be seen.

 

[Ernest]

Indeed.
But far from being a weak link, the proximity of Falmer to a train station was always (and rightly) presented as one of the biggest arguments in favour of it being the best site for the stadium in terms of sustainable transport. And obviously it is a benefit.

But how beneficial / convenient it turns out to be in practice remains to be seen.

Can't see a problem myself, some like now will leave 5 minutes before the end and others will have a pint and watch the SKY match before leaving.
Might be a bit chaotic the first few games as people sort themselves out though.

 

[British Bulldog]

Re the shuttle trains: AFAIK, Lewes can accommodate an 8 carriage train in the bay platform.

If your talking about platform 5 it's never been long enough to turn round an 8 carriage train, The only way you can turn round an 8 carriage train from Brighton at Lewes is with a main line shunt east of the signal box.

 

[Ernest]

If your talking about platform 5 it's never been long enough to turn round an 8 carriage train, The only way you can turn round an 8 carriage train from Brighton at Lewes is with a main line shunt east of the signal box.

Thus blocking the whole station whilst you shunt so that will rule out anything longer than 4 coaches