[Albion] Albion to launch matchday travel scheme review

[jackalbion]

I do want an improvement to the service and yes it can be done. Anyone who has to travel from within the travel zone West of Brighton, will have expereinced the joy of squeezing on to 3/4 carriage trains hours before kick off. We have had services which have missed out most of the stops between Shoreham and Hove due to dangerous overcrowding. The service on the way back is equally shoddy and unreliable.

If you were involved in launching Southern "The Key" a few years back it would explian your lack of knowledge of how electronic tickets work. Not many people use them on Southern. Not Southern's fault but destination outside of their core area have different barrier readers. Within the travel zone all barriers have similar technology to that implemented at the ground. Whereas the season ticket works with both Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, Southern's effort does not integrate with Google Wallet. All that is required is a time bound ticket with a QR code valid for a return journey within the travel zone.

https://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2022/03/25-govia-thamelink-wins-newstyle-national.html Details the management contract with £22.5m dependent on performance. This usually equals trains "on time" and passenger numbers. My guess is that this loss making service is quite important to them, when passenger numbers into London are falling.

I know how the key works, hows that meant to work on matchday, like some have said in this thread they don't even check tickets at all on matchday. The Queue is incredibly slow so this would make it even worse, as every person would have to be checked, theres no benefit for Southern staff to hire people to do this, as everyone is travelling for free anyway.

I have discussed in other threads why increasing carriages on services on Portsmouth and Southampton services is not possible in advance, ad hoc on the day decisions have to be made by control. Infrastructure and stock numbers dictate that there is not enough units to provide a service between Portsmouth / Southampton as an 8 car service, people do however gravitate towards the direct service and there are many different ways you can get down the coast without using this service (via Preston Park, Hove and Three Bridges). The West Coastway is in that state everyday of the week, but until the DfT provide funding for the lease of new stock that service on the West Coastway will continue to be overcrowded. This service makes a significant loss on a matchday when there is no engineering work, that's not guesswork.

 

[jackalbion]

Wouldn’t that mean everyone subsiding the few who manage to get parking spaces and also massively increase demand ?

Yeah I agree its not perfect solution, but at least would make it fairer the other way round, that was my thinking, I just don't see a huge issue with the travel scheme, that it encourages the use of sustainable transport to the stadium which no other club in the league has.

 

[pb21]

... the minimum service is for the line, which is 4 trains per hour, they provide 6 trains per hour.

Is there a minimum number of carriages per train?

 

[ditchy]

In terms of exiting that car park, which I agree is horrendous, I'm really not sure what can be done.

That volume of vehicles all trying to leave at the same time, single-file, through a narrow runnel and immediately hitting a major set of traffic lights is not going to be easy to improve in any meaningful way.

Not parked at Bridge for a few years now . Always thought it would be better having a one way system coming in via bridge and out at the bottom left corner . Would mean a small modification in that corner , but at least traffic all flowing one way with no log jam

 

[Seaview Seagull]

Speaking as someone who often parks at the Bridge (albeit with a full car) I can see no possible justification for including parking in the travel scheme. It would be hugely costly and fly in the face of the whole aim of the scheme which is to encourage the use of public/shared transport.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I have discussed in other threads why increasing carriages on services on Portsmouth and Southampton services is not possible in advance, ad hoc on the day decisions have to be made by control. Infrastructure and stock numbers dictate that there is not enough units to provide a service between Portsmouth / Southampton as an 8 car service,

Without wishing to defend Southern, for the last couple of games there have been 8 car services along the coast to and from the West. Not sure if this is going to be a regular thing but it definitely made a difference, especially for those getting on between Lancing and Hove.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Without wishing to defend Southern, for the last couple of games there have been 8 car services along the coast to and from the West. Not sure if this is going to be a regular thing but it definitely made a difference, especially for those getting on between Lancing and Hove.

Don't tell Mrs GB

After three games in a row where we couldn't get on at Portslade I've taken to getting the bus to Brighton a lot earlier. Conveniently earlier enough that I seem to get into a pub just before the 12.30 game kicks off......

 

[Napper]

ST slight increase , guessing free rail travel be removed up to Brighton = more money in clubs pockets , more money out the fans.

PB will spin it of course and many will follow

Way of the world isnt it

 

[portslade seagull]

Maybe a precursor to to increase the costs to supporters who use the buses and trains

 

[jackalbion]

Is there a minimum number of carriages per train?

Yes, there are fines for short formed trains, although I believe on that line the services are required to be 4 car for Hastings/Ore services and 3 car for Seaford, so there are extra carriages being added for those services.

 

[jackalbion]

Without wishing to defend Southern, for the last couple of games there have been 8 car services along the coast to and from the West. Not sure if this is going to be a regular thing but it definitely made a difference, especially for those getting on between Lancing and Hove.

When its possible Southern do try their best to provide the service, I think there's an idea that they are providing the bare minimum on matchday. But when improvements can be made they do, it just isn't always possible, if trains aren't safe as they are too overcrowded, there are investigations.

 

[Bucephalus]

In terms of exiting that car park, which I agree is horrendous, I'm really not sure what can be done.

That volume of vehicles all trying to leave at the same time, single-file, through a narrow runnel and immediately hitting a major set of traffic lights is not going to be easy to improve in any meaningful way.

At the risk of showing my age there used to be motorcycle cops overriding the lights outside the Goldstone (crossroads by Hove Park Tavern) for a good 30 mins or so post match in order to get the traffic away. Surely some similar arrangement would sort out the Bridge car park if they put their minds to it?!

 

[jackalbion]

I hope the investigation involves the fans as a whole and not just those sitting with the board

I hope so too, the vast majority of young people I know use the train to get to the game, and the age demographic of the board is very much older.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think the club actually do a lot to get fans to and from the game. The train and bus subsidy is pretty impressive and I cannot think of any club that goes out of it's way to do this.

It happens a lot in Europe for football as well as large concerts and various tournament.

 

[Baldrick]

Is the club paying Southern Railways/the Government for 30,000 fans using the train service, or does the payment just cover the cost of the fans who actually use it?

The club already has different season tickets for kids, adults, over 65's etc.. Just expand the categories to include "with or without" travel to matches. Fans can then choose to pay extra if they want travel included (train/park and ride) and they buy a match with travel season ticket. People walking, biking, paying to use car parks, or already paying for Seagull Travel coach season tickets can have match season tickets without travel to matches included.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Bridge Car Park

Falmer station

West Stand Upper

North Stand

No need to thank me

 

[Bozza]

Is the club paying Southern Railways/the Government for 30,000 fans using the train service, or does the payment just cover the cost of the fans who actually use it?

The club already has different season tickets for kids, adults, over 65's etc.. Just expand the categories to include "with or without" travel to matches. Fans can then choose to pay extra if they want travel included (train/park and ride) and they buy a match with travel season ticket. People walking, biking, paying to use car parks, or already paying for Seagull Travel coach season tickets can have match season tickets without travel to matches included.

There are two obvious stumbling blocks with what looks like a simple solution...

1. Given Southern don't check tickets on matchdays, predominately because it's not practical to do so whilst keeping things moving as efficiently as possible, why wouldn't people say "no travel" to save a few quid and then use the train anyway?

2. What about people who want travel for some games and not for others depending on a range of factors personal to them?

 

[CheeseRolls]

I think I have backed myself into a corner on the train ticket argument and will have to take that one on the chin.

A few years back I was working in Paris and went on a journey with a metro/tram interchange. Coming back on the tram I used the last of a block of 10 tickets, to pay on the tram. When I got out at one of the main metro interchanges in Paris, it let me out through Nothe barriers, straight into an area with 4 sets of barriers, no exit, no staff and nowhere to buy a ticket. Suited and booted I then took the only option left to me, which was to jump the barriers

 

[Gazwag]

My random guess is they will at least look at reducing the size of the rail travel zone to being just between Brighton ( Including Preston Park and Hove ) and Lewes.

I would hope they would still go as far as Polegate, otherwise this could increase footfall at Lewes station considerably.

But a park and ride for East Susssex supporters would be a massive help

 

[El Presidente]

Grabs pringles and a large drink

...but not chips.