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how was your travel tonight?
- Thread starter The Wookiee
- Start date
brightonrock
Dodgy Hamstrings
- Jan 1, 2008
- 2,482
Crammed in on the way to the stadium about 6.45, to the point no-one could get on or off the train. Four carriages. Absolutely stupid. On the way back we waited, had a beer and a potter round the shop til about 10.15 to try and miss the queues but beginning to think there's no point, queue back 2/3rds of the way to the club shop from the station, then at Brighton they train was full and we were told the only possible way back to Worthing was on a direct coach. Got to the coach and was told it was actually stopping several times so would take about an hour. Then told there was a train changing at Hove which would get us back which we made it onto - still a massive effort. It really needs to be thought through a bit more, it's my only criticism so far, the transport is a mare. My dad was on the Park & Ride and said it was chaos too, only made it into the ground for about 20 to 8. It seems simple, they don't even need to put on more trains, just double the number of carriages. Shell out another grand for some signs pointing people the right way, and work out a way to stagger the wait for the station a bit better as it just seems a huge crammed-in mess. God knows what will happen at a sell-out with 3000 Palace or Millwall trying to get the same trains back, potential for pwopa nawtyness.
pasty
A different kind of pasty
Getting there fine from Victoria via Lewes, but a bit of a pain getting home. Although partly our own fault for not really making any plans. At final whistle it took quite a while to get out of the top of WSU, stopped to have pint then checked out the P&R queues. Decided they were way too long so walked back towards station and decided those queues were too long, so thought we'd try and have another pint. By this time unfortunately, Dicks was closed and all concourse bars closed as well, so took another look at P&R queues which were still too long, so went back to station. Finally got to Railway Bell for a pint at 10:55
This, sort of... I tried a different technique tonight. Stayed for a pint after.. Went straight for train on Sat.. A bit of a nightmare on both but reserved judgement until I'd tried each tactic..
Saturday took 1 hour to get back to Lewes and tonight took 1 1/2 hours. Trains tonight were leaving 2/3 to 3/4 full this evening and police and stewards were holding people back resulting in jeering and booing from large numbers...
I'm not complaining as it will take time to get things right but for high profile games this needs sorting!
The Brighton bound platform was empty whilst in the other direction there were many still waiting!
Maybe it's a case of the train companies expected people to travel via Btn but large numbers are trying to go via Lewes to avoid the crowds!
This needs to be said so that things can be ironed out so don't shoot the messenger. I will E-mail the club and train companies tomorrow even though I'm sure that they will know the situation.. There was somebody counting all passengers!
BTW, this is a constructive point of view not a rant!
pasty
A different kind of pasty
After tonight, that worries me.
Yoda
English & European
Took 2 hours to get back to Worthing after the game. Left the stadium after the players left the pitch, quick 5 minute look in the shop (thanks to my mate), finally got to Brighton station at 22:45, only to find connecting train jam packed and not due to leave for another 20 minutes. Heard about the coaches going direct to Worthing station so decided to get on one of them. Got my other half to pick us up and drop mate back at his in Sompting before heading back home to Worthing. (With this detour, it took an extra 20 minutes).
Southern, even though it would have been trial and error for them still, need to get things sorted quickly if we want to put those extra 8,000 seats in. What happened to the extra carriages they said would be put on. Two trains I saw leaving for Brighton only had 3.
Southern, even though it would have been trial and error for them still, need to get things sorted quickly if we want to put those extra 8,000 seats in. What happened to the extra carriages they said would be put on. Two trains I saw leaving for Brighton only had 3.
Lord Bracknell
On fire
Why me? But, since you ask, can I ask a question back? Which bus company was running the Mill Road buses?
If I got my pre-match bus spotting right, it wasn't B&H buses. Presumably this was because they have a city bus network to run and were short of vehicles or drivers.
My advice is NEVER to use the Mill Road service. Drive to Mithras House / Cockcroft car park - where there seems to be plenty of parking space and enough (Metrobus) double deckers to satisfy everyone. And it's a much shorter journey to and from the stadium. Better still, pre-match, park at Mithras House / Cockcroft and catch the 25 to the stadium, rather than the P&R bus. It will drop you at the Sussex University entrance and avoid the need to sit on the bus while it crawls over the Falmer flyover to get into the stadium coach park. You just nip through the subway and you can be in your seat 15 minutes earlier. Or have time for a nice pie and a pint.
Leave Mill Road for people who don't know that there is a better alternative.
Has anyone mentioned the total jobsworth bus driver who stormed up to the top deck and threaten to call the OB as one person didn't have a ticket? When we eventually go going he wouldn't stop at any stop (plenty of room on the bus) to pick people up and dropped people of halfway between bus stops. Needless to stay I didn't say thank you when I got off the bus.
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Well, this all seems pretty negative so far.
For my part, I left work in HH at 5.15, and parked in Park Road, Coldean about 200 yards up the road from the Hikers Rest at about 5.45. I wasn't totally sure which way to walk to the stadium from there other than I needed to turn left onto Lewes Road and walk towards the A27. I walked up Lewes Road, came to the junction at the A27, and pondered whether I needed to go through the underpass to the north side of the A27 at Stanmer Park and turn right, or whether I could turn right at the other underpass, and stay south of the A27 and walk along from there. The COMPLETE LACK OF SIGNS FOR THE WALK TO THE STADIUM was rather unhelpful.
I decided to stay on he south side of the A27 and walk along. This was a mistake. I soon came across the Southern Water building, and deciphered there was no way through that way, so started heading back. I then encountered a couple of chaps walking towards me, and asked "can you walk to the stadium from here then mate ?". One of them said "yeah, just carry along past Southern Water". So I about-turned and followed what I assumed was someone who knew what he was doing.
He didn't.
After not very long, it became apparent that the path was disappearing, and the only way to proceed was on the narrow, bush-laden grass verge of the exit slip from the A27 onto the A270. Shrubs and bushes meant it necessary, at intervals, to step out into this sliproad to face oncoming traffic doing around 60mph. "This clearly isn't the way" says I. "Naah naah, there's a bus stop not far ahead, this'll be fine in a minute" said the clueless one. Against my better judgement I persevered, dodging cars and buses, till eventually we reached a makeshift HOLE IN THE FENCE, clambered through, and joined the sanctuary of a footpath along to Falmer station and onward to the stadium. f*** me.
So I pitch up outside Dicks Bar around 6.15, decide against the queue, and go straight to the WSU for a pie and a pint. After the hazardous walk and climb up the stairs I'm sweating like a Norwegian camper, but if I take the PROPER route via the Stanmer Park walk, this should prove perfectly managable for midweek games.
Walking back to the car in Coldean (via the sensible route) took about 20-25 mins, and I was home and hosed by 10.40, which is only about 15 mins longer than my Withdean routine. Needs some fine tuning, but this'll be alright I think.
For my part, I left work in HH at 5.15, and parked in Park Road, Coldean about 200 yards up the road from the Hikers Rest at about 5.45. I wasn't totally sure which way to walk to the stadium from there other than I needed to turn left onto Lewes Road and walk towards the A27. I walked up Lewes Road, came to the junction at the A27, and pondered whether I needed to go through the underpass to the north side of the A27 at Stanmer Park and turn right, or whether I could turn right at the other underpass, and stay south of the A27 and walk along from there. The COMPLETE LACK OF SIGNS FOR THE WALK TO THE STADIUM was rather unhelpful.
I decided to stay on he south side of the A27 and walk along. This was a mistake. I soon came across the Southern Water building, and deciphered there was no way through that way, so started heading back. I then encountered a couple of chaps walking towards me, and asked "can you walk to the stadium from here then mate ?". One of them said "yeah, just carry along past Southern Water". So I about-turned and followed what I assumed was someone who knew what he was doing.
He didn't.
After not very long, it became apparent that the path was disappearing, and the only way to proceed was on the narrow, bush-laden grass verge of the exit slip from the A27 onto the A270. Shrubs and bushes meant it necessary, at intervals, to step out into this sliproad to face oncoming traffic doing around 60mph. "This clearly isn't the way" says I. "Naah naah, there's a bus stop not far ahead, this'll be fine in a minute" said the clueless one. Against my better judgement I persevered, dodging cars and buses, till eventually we reached a makeshift HOLE IN THE FENCE, clambered through, and joined the sanctuary of a footpath along to Falmer station and onward to the stadium. f*** me.
So I pitch up outside Dicks Bar around 6.15, decide against the queue, and go straight to the WSU for a pie and a pint. After the hazardous walk and climb up the stairs I'm sweating like a Norwegian camper, but if I take the PROPER route via the Stanmer Park walk, this should prove perfectly managable for midweek games.
Walking back to the car in Coldean (via the sensible route) took about 20-25 mins, and I was home and hosed by 10.40, which is only about 15 mins longer than my Withdean routine. Needs some fine tuning, but this'll be alright I think.
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pasty
A different kind of pasty
Thats a concern, as when we asked a steward which was the queue for the racecourse P&R we were directed to the back of a humongously long queue, gave up and went back to the station. If the racecourse one was being barely used, where was the proper queueing system?
andybaha
Active member
Before I make my comment I just want to say that I love the Falmer experience and don't want what I see as constructive criticism to be seen as moaning and groaning.
I'm coming in from Newhaven with one or two kids. I have now done this three times. Getting to the games is a doddle, getting home is a nightmare. Tonight, with about ten minutes of the match to go, I actually started dreading the journey home. It involves about half an hour queue to get to the platform and then get packed into a train like something you see on those Indian railway documentaries. Change at Lewes and wait for the Seaford train. Back on the train and stand again, packed in like sardines. As it goes tonight it was slightly better as fortunately the train we were forced on at Falmer was the Seaford train. Finally got back to Newhaven about 10.45 and home by about 11. Ok as it's the school holidays but no good on a school night.
I can't stand that train journey home. I need to find another way where I'm in control of my own movements. There must be a way of walking to somewhere where you can park or reach a bus that is not totally rammed.
I've paid for travel vouchers for the season but I'm prepared to cut my losses on them if I can find a less stressful form of travel home. Incidently after three return journeys I've still not been asked to show any proof that I've paid for my travel.
I'm coming in from Newhaven with one or two kids. I have now done this three times. Getting to the games is a doddle, getting home is a nightmare. Tonight, with about ten minutes of the match to go, I actually started dreading the journey home. It involves about half an hour queue to get to the platform and then get packed into a train like something you see on those Indian railway documentaries. Change at Lewes and wait for the Seaford train. Back on the train and stand again, packed in like sardines. As it goes tonight it was slightly better as fortunately the train we were forced on at Falmer was the Seaford train. Finally got back to Newhaven about 10.45 and home by about 11. Ok as it's the school holidays but no good on a school night.
I can't stand that train journey home. I need to find another way where I'm in control of my own movements. There must be a way of walking to somewhere where you can park or reach a bus that is not totally rammed.
I've paid for travel vouchers for the season but I'm prepared to cut my losses on them if I can find a less stressful form of travel home. Incidently after three return journeys I've still not been asked to show any proof that I've paid for my travel.
West Hoathly Seagull
Honorary Ruffian
No problem for me. I drove down to Lewes and parked on the Nevill Estate at 6.40, then walked to the crossroads and caught the 28, with only about 5 other Albion fans there. After the game I walked as quickly as I could to the bus stop on the slip road. Large queue there but got on the 22.02 28 and got a seat. Bus was absolutely rammed, and I don't know how many people were left behind, but I was back at the car by 22.25 and home by 22.55. I gave up on the Park and Ride after the SSC game. Getting from Mithras House to the ground was a nightmare, but I don't know what the Racecourse one is like (I haven't tried it, but must try it some time). Did the train from Haywards Heath for the Spurs game, but frankly it's too much hassle trying to find a parking space near Haywards Heath Station and then having to walk 15 minutes, and it isn't an option on week days. I'm glad I'm not working at the moment, because otherwise I'd be faced with having to get the train from London, and then having to get back afterwards.
Just to reiterate, because of the new arrangement tonight the train queues looked longer. They moved surprisingly quickly.
Agree they could squeeze more people on for such a short journey. At Millwall, it's like being on the tube and nobody's bothered.
Agree they could squeeze more people on for such a short journey. At Millwall, it's like being on the tube and nobody's bothered.
Kuipers Supporters Club
Well-known member
THanks for that - we will take your advise for the Blackpool game.
Biggest problem after the game was it was coaches, rather than busses, and they took ages to load.
Why not count 50 people, (and let them start boarding a coach) and then start loading the next one, rather than load one, wait for coach to move, then start loading the next one.
We stayed for a drink in the hope the Queue would be gone, No such luck, very long wait.
Needs attention before the Leeds game.
Lord Bracknell
On fire
SIGNS are needed.
SeagullinExile
Well-known member
Just got home to deepest, darkest Kent! Missed my train connection and had to get a cab from Three Bridges...£65! But hey...f*** it...it was worth it! Not being able to go Saturday, i wouldn't have missed tonight for the world!
Can't have been as much of a shambles as the Bennetts Field car park.
pasty
A different kind of pasty
Completely and utterly, THIS
It Shirely can't be hard to have separate queues for each different P&R destination which there didn't appear to be tonight.
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Hmmm...I'm guessing thats not something you'd be happy to do several times a season though.
Kuipers Supporters Club
Well-known member
Mill Road P + R - won't be doing that again for evening games.