[Albion] For those of you that arrived at The AMEX on a bicycle, yesterday...

[Stat Brother]

If the weathers still good I may do this for the Chealski game, although it will be dark for the return leg. . . . Which takes the edge off.

As it's a 'special' season I checked the fixtures and we have 5 (five) home games between the start of November and end of February.

If ever there was a season for the club to make itself more accessable to bikes it's this one.


Oh and next time there's a strike - because there will be a next time, there was still plenty of unused racks under the foot bridge by the platform.

 

[WATFORD zero]

As it's a 'special' season I checked the fixtures and we have 5 (five) home games between the start of November and end of February.

If ever there was a season for the club to make itself more accessable to bikes it's this one.


Oh and next time there's a strike - because there will be a next time, there was still plenty of unused racks under the foot bridge by the platform.

Trying to encourage NSCers to come to the Amex in Lycra - are you sure

 

[LamieRobertson]

I don’t understand the comment that there isn’t any more room for cycle racks ..plenty spare adjacent to the existing ones (as you head to the station)..they don’t have to be covered…yesterday was ridiculous trying to padlock a bike against bramble covered fencing

 

[zefarelly]

Trying to encourage NSCers to come to the Amex in Lycra - are you sure

I'm thinking double denim and cow horn handlebars

Lycra is illegal in this house.

 

[pb21]

Had my helmet in my bag, security were OK with that, then under my seat.

 

[brighton_tom]

There is nowhere near enough capacity to safely lock your bike at The Amex.

I emailed Paul Barber about this once, and he said that nothing could be done about this:

"Extra bike parking is a challenge for us. The outer external concourses are subject to strict (legal) conditions regarding the movement of people, vehicles and emergency access.

It’s one of the reasons why we are constantly asked for more outdoor seating areas but can’t actually deliver them. It’s quite frustrating but obviously we must comply with safety rules.

Beyond the stadium footprint is land we don’t actually own or control so can’t add or impose more bike parking. I do appreciate the issue but I’m afraid we don’t have easy solutions."

I think this is a real shame, as it makes it all a bit of a ball-ache. I have my own secret parking place now...

That feels like such an unhelpful answer. I get what he's saying but surely if the club had conversations with the universities and local council, and other businesses, and said ''we'd like to pay for some more bike racks to be installed outside of the stadium footprint, on nearby paths/roads/car parks etc'' then nobody would have much of a problem with that. That path between the station and the bridge carpark is roughly 600/700m long and wide enough that you could have bike racks installed on one side, with still plenty of room for people to walk by and emergency services to drive along.

I once emailed PB basically saying that the travel plan of buses and trains is being overwhelmed, and gave a list of suggestions that were not aimed at coming up with some totally new way getting 32,000 people too and from the stadium, but more small things that could be done to get an extra few hundred people cycling, or an extra few hundred people walking, or by motorbike, or better signage to local bus route etc. Small things that might total 500-1000 people then not getting in a queue for the buses or trains. & his response was basically 'thanks but we're not going to do any of that, the system is fine'. He gave examples of other stadiums that have trouble shifting people, which I dont doubt is true, but that doesnt mean we cant look to improve our way of doing things.

 

[Bozza]

had conversations with the universities

I would guess the universities already have a shitload of bike racks across their campuses don't they?

A quick google for the University of Sussex and this turns up: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/gateway/file.php?name=bicycle-parking-map-nov-2018.pdf&site=442

That said, it took bloody ages to get from the stadium onto campus after the game yesterday, where I had borrowed a parking space. I have no idea if that is typical or not, given the train situation and shuttle bus setup.

 

[Deleted member 37369]

For football I just have a long cable and padlock.
Plus a (£10 from Amazon) zip lock, which is probably overkill but it stays on the bike as it's idea for coffee stops - I loop lights etc through that before looping it through the bike and other cable, as said overkill, but silly not to use it.

Bike locks need to be a faff for the thief.
1 superdooper lock costing £60 isn't anywhere near as effective as 3 different locks that cost £20 each.


I too am looking for another way out of the stadium, onto the Lewes Rd cyclepath, heading into Brighton where I park up.

It's all good walking down to The Bridge Tunnel but could be better.
I guess the dream is a narrow segregated path, but for a bazillion reasons I can think of, that ain't happening.

We should write to PB and demand a dedicated cycle lane

 

[brighton_tom]

I would guess the universities already have a shitload of bike racks across their campuses don't they?.

They do, but we still obviously need more, and it feels like needless red tape prevents things like this being improved, and so the overall travel plan being improved.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Mines quite an old helmet so I just use a cable lock to secure it to the bike. Unlikely someone will nick it

Who doesn't love a sweaty helmet?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Where's that?

Back, and on fire!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jon3xFPUQ0E

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

That feels like such an unhelpful answer. I get what he's saying but surely if the club had conversations with the universities and local council, and other businesses, and said ''we'd like to pay for some more bike racks to be installed outside of the stadium footprint, on nearby paths/roads/car parks etc'' then nobody would have much of a problem with that. That path between the station and the bridge carpark is roughly 600/700m long and wide enough that you could have bike racks installed on one side, with still plenty of room for people to walk by and emergency services to drive along.

I once emailed PB basically saying that the travel plan of buses and trains is being overwhelmed, and gave a list of suggestions that were not aimed at coming up with some totally new way getting 32,000 people too and from the stadium, but more small things that could be done to get an extra few hundred people cycling, or an extra few hundred people walking, or by motorbike, or better signage to local bus route etc. Small things that might total 500-1000 people then not getting in a queue for the buses or trains. & his response was basically 'thanks but we're not going to do any of that, the system is fine'. He gave examples of other stadiums that have trouble shifting people, which I dont doubt is true, but that doesnt mean we cant look to improve our way of doing things.

No chance. That path is chocka after the match, and just one bloke on a bike, trying to weave in and out of the walkers is bad enough. Narrow it with bike racks, and parachute 200 cyclists into the mix and it would be armageddon.

To regard Barber's answer as not good enough is unfair. Of course we could Amexit and demand that the Albion play on some sort of open land, accessible to all the British People.

 

[Deleted member 37369]

I would guess the universities already have a shitload of bike racks across their campuses don't they?

A quick google for the University of Sussex and this turns up: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/gateway/file.php?name=bicycle-parking-map-nov-2018.pdf&site=442

That said, it took bloody ages to get from the stadium onto campus after the game yesterday, where I had borrowed a parking space. I have no idea if that is typical or not, given the train situation and shuttle bus setup.

On a 'normal' match day - when trains are running - is there a separate route over the bridge to other side of station for those that aren't getting a train towards Lewes?

 

[Deleted member 37369]

Who doesn't love a sweaty helmet?

Well that's true ... and if someone does nick my old sweaty one, it gives me the excuse I've been looking for to get a new one!

 

[Stat Brother]

We should write to PB and demand a dedicated cycle lane

Obviously it'll never ever happen.
I can't even begin to fathom the hoops needed to jump through in order to take a metre out of the path down to The Bridge CP.

The point being if x,y and z can be done to make sustainable transport not only work, but seen to be working, it becomes far more attractive.

There's at least 3 threads of moans, hundreds of hours wasted, 'never again' and this one saying 'well that was all rather nice'.
Shirley more needs to be done to make that the other way round.

 

[Deleted member 37369]

Obviously it'll never ever happen.
I can't even begin to fathom the hoops needed to jump through in order to take a metre out of the path down to The Bridge CP.

The point being if x,y and z can be done to make sustainable transport not only work, but seen to be working, it becomes far more attractive.

There's at least 3 threads of moans, hundreds of hours wasted, 'never again' and this one saying 'well that was all rather nice'.
Shirley more needs to be done to make that the other way round.

Agreed

 

[Deleted member 37369]

Had my helmet in my bag, security were OK with that, then under my seat.

It does seem very hit and miss re rules on size of bag and what you can take in!

 

[Heathfield Seagull]

On a 'normal' match day - when trains are running - is there a separate route over the bridge to other side of station for those that aren't getting a train towards Lewes?

Yes people waiting for trains queue up on the left hand side of the bridge and go down the ramp. People heading to the University stay on the right hand side and go down the stairs.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

 

[pb21]

It does seem very hit and miss re rules on size of bag and what you can take in!

I've cycled to the Amex since 2015/16 (sometimes regularly, sometimes occasionally), and have always taken my helmet in, inside a regular size backpack. Not sure if I've been lucky or not!

 

[Stat Brother]

There is plenty of room in the coach park, near where the motorbikes park. Alternatively, remove ten car parking spots which would provide enough room for 50 bikes. His real response should have been it's not enough of a concern for them to think of a solution.

100 bikes.