8 car trains for Falmer?

[The Large One]

Top work!

I'm also sure it will all get sorted out. As has been pointed out there are bound to be teething troubles, but eventually people will work out a way that's best for them.

Just out of interest what IS the capacity of the Park 'n' Ride sites and coach parks (in terms of vehicles)? Do you know, roughly?

I'm not sure what the capacity for the racecourse P&R is, nor whether those figures have been calculated.

All I do know is that a few years ago, when the planning application went in, the then manager of Brighton racecourse told me that the club can have what they want - they can worry about the figures later.

One thing I would say about the P&R from Brighton racecourse which does worry me a bit is getting a full bus from the racecourse to Falmer ought not be too bad - it's getting the empty bus back to the racecourse afterwards (or indeed the full bus after the game) seeing as the crossroads at Downs Hotel is an constant traffic jam. There was talk of re-aligning the traffic lights at this junction, but there doesn't seem to be a great deal happening on that score.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

So... if the club knew from day 1 that there would be limited rail capacity... what is plan B for getting fans to and from the stadium?

I don't know.

It's no longer a planning issue, of course. It's now a marketing and consumer issue. How are the Club going to keep the punters happy?

How will the available parking spaces be allocated at Sussex University and what we now know will be called the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy?

What will be on offer, post-match, at the bars at the stadium?

Will the bus queues disperse quickly?

Will the holding areas for passengers waiting for trains be well managed?

I expect I'm no different from everyone else. I want my matchday experience to be pleasant. If it's not, I'll complain.

 

[Hunting 784561]

I am still struggling to understand - given our long documented history on fans using sustainable transport, etc, etc, - that a mutli million pound flyover and junction project is both approved and funded, but someone forgets to talk to the rail company whose station is right next door to the new stadium ?

 

[Pantani]

15 x 70 = 1,050. Presumably they are quite busy already or there wouldn't be so many. So perhaps there's room for 300 per hour?

I'm not trying to be a doom merchant by the way. I'll probably walk most of the time despite the fact I live in central Hove.

They are busy in the week, less so at the weekend and in the evenings. Most lectures take place in the day during the week you see.

 

[The Large One]

I don't know.

It's no longer a planning issue, of course. It's now a marketing and consumer issue. How are the Club going to keep the punters happy?

How will the available parking spaces be allocated at Sussex University and what we now know will be called the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy?

What will be on offer, post-match, at the bars at the stadium?

Will the bus queues disperse quickly?

Will the holding areas for passengers waiting for trains be well managed?

I expect I'm no different from everyone else. I want my matchday experience to be pleasant. If it's not, I'll complain.

It IS a planning issue, as the club has to get its TMP approved by the city council.

 

[Notters]

Because this would mean that a higher proportion of people would travel to and from Falmer by train than any other stadium in the country. It simply isn't realistic to expect this level of use. There is a station fairly near Withdean and there was one near the Goldstone, but neither of these are/were used by anything like the numbers you are suggesting. I can't see any reason to suppose Falmer will be different.

-Because it's the most rural stadium in the country.
-Because there is ample street parking around Withdean and the Goldstone.
-Because Falmer station is RIGHT next to the stadium
-Because it's exactly what people are saying they plan to do.
-Because the Goldstone and Withdean are easily walkable from a large part of Brighton and Hove.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It IS a planning issue, as the club has to get its TMP approved by the city council.

As long as the plan maximises use of walking, cycling, rail, bus, and park and ride use and discourages excessive car use, it will satisfy the city council. I see no prospect of failure at that stage.

 

[Uter]

-Because it's the most rural stadium in the country.
-Because there is ample street parking around Withdean and the Goldstone.
-Because Falmer station is RIGHT next to the stadium
-Because it's exactly what people are saying they plan to do.
-Because the Goldstone and Withdean are easily walkable from a large part of Brighton and Hove.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree then.

 

[Billy the Fish]

A decent bus alternative is the key here.

There's an opportunity for the club, or someone else for that matter, to lay on special busses from towns accross sussex. A mid sussex bus from HH station would definitely be a winner. You could easily do tunbridge wells and eastbourne in the east and worthing and littlehampton in the west.

 

[Uter]

Interesting to hear that there is ample street parking around Withdean considering that parking is restricted on matchdays. I'd say that this is evidence that people are determined to use their cars come what may. I don't think these people that flout the restrictions are going to decide that public transport is their best option for Falmer.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Interesting to hear that there is ample street parking around Withdean considering that parking is restricted on matchdays. I'd say that this is evidence that people are determined to use their cars come what may. I don't think these people that flout the restrictions are going to decide that public transport is their best option for Falmer.

There will be NO available street parking around Falmer.

 

[Lady Bracknell]

I am still struggling to understand - given our long documented history on fans using sustainable transport, etc, etc, - that a mutli million pound flyover and junction project is both approved and funded, but someone forgets to talk to the rail company whose station is right next door to the new stadium ?

Nobody "forgot". That's the point!

 

[Notters]

Interesting to hear that there is ample street parking around Withdean considering that parking is restricted on matchdays. I'd say that this is evidence that people are determined to use their cars come what may. I don't think these people that flout the restrictions are going to decide that public transport is their best option for Falmer.

The restriction zone isn't actually that big, though. You can park (as many people do) half way up Surrenden Crescent, which is only 5 minutes walk from the turnstile and outside the restricted parking zone.

I'd also like to add that the availability of booze at the stadium will reduce the amount of people that want to drive. I don't generally drink before Saturday matches but I'll be tempted to have a half time pint at Falmer.

 

[portlock seagull]

and your point was ?

Like many other fans either working or living in London. Getting to or from evening games in good time may prove to be a real challenge. One by one all the big issues around the stadium project ,have been picked off and dealt with. This one by comparison is an inconvenience, but remains unresolved.

Yes, but all the other issues didn't inconvenience FANS. Where as this one does. So the solution will merely be FANS should shut up and put up (whilst paying huge amounts of money for the previlage of being treated like cattle)

That's just the way it is (as Bruce Hornsby used to say).....somethings will never change......

 

[Hunting 784561]

Nobody "forgot". That's the point!

That's what I've been trying to establish !

But what was the outcome of those discussions, what is the rail company's view on increasing capacity on the line for matchdays ?

 

[8ace]

You're joking right?

The major disadvantages that Falmer has is that you can't walk to and from it and there's nowhere near for people to disperse to (Pubs). I think the trade off from getting your nice new stadium is that it's going to be a bit of an arseache to get to (or more acutely leave from), heyho, still beats Withdean.

Better than Coventry, Reading or Yeovil to name a few.

 

[The Large One]

That's what I've been trying to establish !

But what was the outcome of those discussions, what is the rail company's view on increasing capacity on the line for matchdays ?

They're still having - as far as we're aware - ongoing discussions.

The club will lodge a Travel Management Plan (it needs to be approved before the stadium can open), and we can see then what the plans are.

 

[8ace]

Its not the rail companies, network rail have been told to save 4 billion in the next 4 years, if they get together and work a deal then it might happen, how much income will the train companies make from it? It will be a shame to see a nice stadium with a poor transport system

If a travel voucher is included with the match ticket (I believe this is likely to happen) then rail operator will recieve an annual sum for this (as is the case now). So it wouldn't make any difference to them if more or less people opted to travel by train.

 

[Notters]

If a travel voucher is included with the match ticket (I believe this is likely to happen) then rail operator will recieve an annual sum for this (as is the case now). So it wouldn't make any difference to them if more or less people opted to travel by train.

Don't they guage how much each company should receive based on how many stubs they've collected?

 

[Hunting 784561]

They're still having - as far as we're aware - ongoing discussions.

The club will lodge a Travel Management Plan (it needs to be approved before the stadium can open), and we can see then what the plans are.

Great - thanks for a straightforward answer.

- I would really like to see the club making full representations to Southern and Network Rail - now - on cost effective ways of increasing line capacity relatively quickly.

As BB said above, it may turn out to be a simple matter of re-scheduling signals, rather than large scale rebuilding.