Toads Hole Valley

[Lord Bracknell]

I reckon a brisk walk from Hove Station to Hove Park then all the way along Goldstone Crescent to Toads Hole Valley aint realy that far.

There are plenty of grounds around today that the walk to the station is further!

I used to walk from the Nevill pub to the Goldstone at nearly every home game, not a lot of difference in it.

As long as it's not just you on your own, though.

3,000 people need to sign up to this way of getting there - and guarantee that they'll do it for EVERY game.

Won't you all miss the last train home after an evening game?

 

[The Large One]

I don't see a great problem here. At the Reading vs Ipswich game last week the crowd was 23,303. There are 2,000 parking spaces at the ground, and another 1,500 nearby. So even if there were 4 to a car on average (likely to be around 3 I imagine), then how do the other 10,000 get there!? Nobody upon nobody walks to the games (probably max 200), so its buses for all from the central station.

Are you honestly suggesting 10,000 go to Reading by train? That's 140-odd bus journeys. Get real.

 

[The Large One]

I reckon a brisk walk from Hove Station to Hove Park then all the way along Goldstone Crescent to Toads Hole Valley aint realy that far.

There are plenty of grounds around today that the walk to the station is further!

I used to walk from the Nevill pub to the Goldstone at nearly every home game, not a lot of difference in it.

It's between one and a half and two miles from Hove Station to Toad's Hole Valley. I'll remember that when I have my father and my eight year old nephew in tow.

 

[The Wookiee]

It's between one and a half and two miles from Hove Station to Toad's Hole Valley. I'll remember that when I have my father and my eight year old nephew in tow.

Nearer than some people thought then! But you are right its still just that bit too far.

Its a bad enough walk from Preston Park station to Withdean

Just out of interest, does anybody know the distance between Falmer station and the site of our new ground?

 

[perseus]

If the landowners do NOT want to sell (Toad's Hole), any developer has got to be snookered.

So by suggesting these sites, it cannot be a realistic prospect of building a stadium there.

And why would a landowner, not want to sell; because he can get a higher price selling it for a profitable business with higher income generation (e.g. Brighton Station).

It is ridiculous to suggest such sites as the Town & Planning Institute have said on one of their web pages. When selecting a location for out of town sports facilities, the brownfield sites in southern England can be discounted straightaway because it is right that these sites should be used for creating jobs and businesses and that is why they cost so much. Sports stuff can go on the edge of town as long as there are good transport routes.

I suppose Toads Hole Valley qualifies on these grounds (except it is not as good as Falmer for the train).

But the Council have hinted (it is not in the Local Plan) that the site can be used for industry so the owner is going to hold out for that. Really, he would want housing, cause then he would not have to find an operator for any factories and warehouses.

The road junction cost would be high.
And it (road junction, not the stadium) would be ugly on the edge of the downs.

But the opponents of Falmer could get the landowners of Toad's Hole Valley to say at the Public Inquiry that they would be prepared to sell the land at a price that would make a football stadium a viable proposition that would cause an unpleasant stir.

My best guess, it would not work financially without a supermarket and the site is too small for both, and the traders of Hove will not like edge of town retail competition, which would not get Planning Permission anyway.

The argument for Toad's Hole valley is unreasonable. What can the Albion do but choose the best site according to the information that is available at the time. And Falmer is a better bet, both then and now.

Toad's Hole is not even the second best choice. Probably is the the third best though?

 

[Le Premier Cru]

...don't forget - a station at Waterhall is a non-starter.

I've never really understood why. I mean, surely it must be possible to create a 'halt' type station at Waterhall, a bit like the one at Moulsecoomb which, by my reckoning, is itself only twenty years old.

Anyone? Ed?

 

[Curious Orange]

I've never really understood why. I mean, surely it must be possible to create a 'halt' type station at Waterhall, a bit like the one at Moulsecoomb which, by my reckoning, is itself only twenty years old.

Anyone? Ed?

Because of the proximity of the tunnel, as I understand it, it's a safety thing (and don't give me 19th century examples of stations that are built by tunnels - they could do what they liked in those days).

 

[The Large One]

I've never really understood why. I mean, surely it must be possible to create a 'halt' type station at Waterhall, a bit like the one at Moulsecoomb which, by my reckoning, is itself only twenty years old.

Anyone? Ed?

One: they want to cut back the number of station, not increase them. So if Waterhall station was built, Preston Park would probably have to go.
Two: it's a mainline route. Brighton - Lewes - Newhaven / Eastbourne etc are considered local routes. Apparently is will nause up their timetables too much.

Falmer Station to Falmer Stadium is about 50 yards. 75 yards if you're pissed. It really is that close - if Falmer Stadium was Withdean, Falmer Station is where the railway tunnel is.

 

[perseus]

The railway company has actually been asked why they would not do it. Officially it is "because it is a main line and would muck up their timetables".

 

[The Large One]

The railway company has actually been asked why they would not do it. Officially it is "because it is a main line and would muck up their timetables".

Invent your own bloody arguments, Judas. Don't nick everyone else's.

 

[perseus]

Invent your own bloody arguments, Judas. Don't nick everyone else's.

I asked a Planning Officer at a Park 'n Ride public meeting personally to check it out.

If there were a quarter of million passengers a year, they may allow a station to be built. But only on a branch line. The cost would be about £5 million (different research cf. Bolton) and they may not want to pay for it though.

 

[Wilts]

Are you honestly suggesting 10,000 go to Reading by train? That's 140-odd bus journeys. Get real.

By bus to the ground, how else can they get there?

I'd say there were probably around 120 buses (double-deckers) from the station and from suburbs of Reading to the ground on a fully-packed matchday. Each holds around 80, so I reckon thats 120 x 80 = 10800... Easily done if not with a bit of a queue on sell-out days like Ipswich, Wigan, and Leeds this season.

Far easier than driving though, and no-one gets a train to the ground itself as Green Park station won't be built for a couple of years yet (Prudential land 100m from the stadium).

 

[The Large One]

120 buses? You're lucky that there are that many spare in service in that town. That's a convoy that three quarters of a mile long.

Or, of course, you could be living in fantasy land.

 

[Marc]

By bus to the ground, how else can they get there?

I'd say there were probably around 120 buses (double-deckers) from the station and from suburbs of Reading to the ground on a fully-packed matchday. Each holds around 80, so I reckon thats 120 x 80 = 10800... Easily done if not with a bit of a queue on sell-out days like Ipswich, Wigan, and Leeds this season.

Far easier than driving though, and no-one gets a train to the ground itself as Green Park station won't be built for a couple of years yet (Prudential land 100m from the stadium).

sorry mate but thats bollocks, I was in the Bus queue at the first game of the season for 45mins and only just caught my train because it was thankfully delayed by 10mins! (and the queue went on behind me for quite a way too)

 

[Arthur]

120 buses? You're lucky that there are that many spare in service in that town. That's a convoy that three quarters of a mile long.

Or, of course, you could be living in fantasy land.

Why would anyone want to lie about such a trivial matter??

Seeing as you appear to be all knowing Mr Large One please do tell us how people get to the Madjeski (sp?).

Reading station to the ground has got to be further than Hove train station to Toads Hole.

 

[me_me]

Well i live in the road which looks onto THV (downland drive) and as much as i want us to get a new stadium i do NOT want it being there. mainly becuase of all the wildlife that lives in the field. However i would rather it was used for a new stadium than office blocks or something like that.

 

[Marc]

Well i live in the road which looks onto THV (downland drive) and as much as i want us to get a new stadium i do NOT want it being there. mainly becuase of all the wildlife that lives in the field. However i would rather it was used for a new stadium than office blocks or something like that.

I will get built on though, surely the wildlife can hop across the A27 to the huge landscape known as the South Downs
What about the MotoX stuff aswell, surely thats gotta scare away abit of wildlife......unless I'm being dumb and thinking of the wrong place altogether!

 

[me_me]

What about the MotoX stuff aswell, surely thats gotta scare away abit of wildlife

nope there is still plenty of foxes, rabbits, snakes and other wildlife over there.

 

[Marc]

nope there is still plenty of foxes, rabbits, snakes and other wildlife over there.

aahh fair enough, suppose that could be used in argument then. Another reason THV is a no-go! have THAT you NIMBYS fuckers!

 

[Wilts]

120 buses? You're lucky that there are that many spare in service in that town. That's a convoy that three quarters of a mile long.

Or, of course, you could be living in fantasy land.

Sweet Jesus this is not rocket science...

Outside the ground on Saturday I was in a queue of people awaiting buses to leave to go back to town and the suburbs. There were probably around 30 buses in the vicinity of the ground at the time. Some then go and come back. Why would we need 120 buses, when we can have 30 buses doing 4 trips!?

Prior to the game its even easier... buses go every 4 minutes from stand SK at the train station bus area... first buses go to the stadium around 1pm ish. So thats 15 buses an hour, and therefore 30 from that bus stop alone. Then there's the stops in Newbury, Earley, etc... some of them on link below:

http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Transport/0,,10306,00.html

There is a total of 3,900 car parking spaces (from the official site) - 2,000 of which are car park season ticket holders. It takes around 1 hour to get out of the car park on matchdays.

There is also an away fans park and ride scheme from the Foster Wheeler/Ex-Berkshire County Council HQ which runs every 15 mins.

It all works like clockwork for up to 24,200 people and there is no train station nearby. I can't see the problem.