AMEX Transport - a thread of positive suggestions

[llugaes]

a fleet of about 4 or 5 buses that run from the stadium to city centre, reducing pressure on trains.

i got the bus on sunday and there seemed to be a lot of extra 25s between the steine and falmer only. don't know if that's unusual or not. i guess there's more spare buses on sundays, i think most of them were the new 6 and 7 route buses.

 

[Magicman]

taxi / private car dropoffs/pickups on the slip roads to/from the uni roundabots needs stamping down on- bloody dangerous!

If i have 4 blokes in my cab and they want to get on the slip road then what can i do to stop them ?
I could try and reason with them i guess and make sure they are aware of the dangers of doing so , do bear in mind though that the meter is still ticking and the 15 minute wait in the queue will cost them .
Believe me i aint got a chance of persuading em to stay in the cab if i want my fare. Any cab driver worth his salt would take them via Stamner Pk and drop them off inside the Uni grounds next to the subway , infact why dont punters insist upon this route and then every ones happy ?
Not a rant at you D/S , merely an observation .
Whilst on the subject of cabs , as all cab drivers are self employed and time is money etc , etc ...most of my colleagues reckon getting caught up in the traffic post match and spinning a single fare into town is not worth the hassle. Believe me , the trade wants the work but we are finding as frustrating getting into the ground post match as most of you are finding it frustrating getting out.
BTW ...Im a season ticket holder so only work upto 2 hours before K.O on matchdays

 

[Davey Boy Smith]

I know it's been suggested already but proper queuing systems for the P&R buses would make a huge difference. Whilst I appreciate all the queues need to end at near enough the same point very seperate entrances to the queues would make a vast improvement.

This would also enable the suggestions others have made that buses to the different destinations are loaded up simultaneously. If you have a clear queue properly signposted so people know what they're waiting for and loading would be far more simple.

I also like the CCTV idea of beaming pictures of the queues back to the concourses as this would encourage people to stay in the ground. Also information like estimated/average queuing time would then empower people to decide when they want to brave it or not.

This really is a good thread and shows how positive people on NSC can be

 

[driller]

Club should buy the old south building at falmer high school and build a multi story.
With decent road flow the transport problem could be eased easily here.
Short walk to the Amex from there.

 

[matt joyce]

Club should buy the old south building at falmer high school and build a multi story.
With decent road flow the transport problem could be eased easily here.
Short walk to the Amex from there.

good idea but unless each fan (season ticket holder) is willing to pay around 500 pound to contribute each we wont be able to
(sorry for any typos)

 

[desprateseagull]

fair play, magicman.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

In short... I don't care. Lose the private motorists from Bennetts Field, apart from the Albion-registered disabled and a small number of designated club-related vehicles. Give the 1901's a partial refund. Whatever it takes. Space is at such a premium in our weirdly-cramped new stadium that private parking next to the ground is a luxury that already can't be afforded. IMHO, like.

I think you're missing/avoiding my point. The club has to provide a minimum of 2,000 parking spaces within a 1.5km radius of the stadium; this is neither a luxury nor a matter of opinion - it's is a condition of the planning consent for the Amex whether you/I care or not. Currently the provision is for 2,004, including 650 or so in Bennett's Field, if you take some/all of these out of the equation then the club has to provide them elsewhere (and within the 1.5km radius).
What's an "Albion-registered" disabled supporter btw? Whether you have a disability or not is defined in the 2010 Equality Act - it's got f*** all to do with what what Perry, Brown, Hebberd, Townsend et al think.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The club has to provide a minimum of 2,000 parking spaces within a 1.5km radius of the stadium; this is neither a luxury nor a matter of opinion - it's is a condition of the planning consent for the Amex whether you/I care or not. Currently the provision is for 2,004, including 650 or so in Bennett's Field, if you take some/all of these out of the equation then the club has to provide them elsewhere (and within the 1.5km radius).

Are planning conditions cast in stone forever then? If so, then I withdraw my comment. If not, then I'd suggest that the council may well be delighted at any moves the Albion may put forward to swop car parking spaces for greener and more sustainable means of transport that would lessen the clogging up of roads around the stadium.

What's an "Albion-registered" disabled supporter btw? Whether you have a disability or not is defined in the 2010 Equality Act

I meant somebody registered with the club for a disabled ST or who is on the waiting list for same or somebody disabled who wishes to attend an individual match with/without a carer. In short I meant genuibe disabled supporters, not the wise guys who drive around with a dodgy disability badge on their windscreen. Wise guys tend to be deterred by any kind of registration process that could increase the chances of them being nicked.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Load more than one bus at a time. In fact load ALL the available P+R busses at the same time. Quite why that doesn't happen I cannot understand. Anyone who has used the Park and Ride at Southampton knows how quick and easy that is. They load 4 or 5 busses at a time, which then leave together.

If this system was used at the Amex, and all the busses left the coach park at the same time, there would then be a reasonable period of time (whilst all the busses were on their way to/from the P+R) when Bennetts field could be completley emptied of cars without holding up the busses.

Providing the lights are 'held' at the top of Village Way,at least until all of the first wave of busses are clear, then a significant number of people could be away from the stadium very quickly.

THIS. And please listen, this bloke does this professionally.

I don't mind sitting on a bus and waiting for them to fill. I really do mind standing in a queue beside empty buses as they are filled one at a time and then pull slowly away before the next one is pulled up and starts loading. Utterly ridiculous not to fill them up in batches. They do this at Twickenham and other massive venues - please liten.

Love the stadium and am not moaning about the P&R, just could be done in a smarter way. Post West Ham was horrible.

 

[The Oldman]

THIS. And please listen, this bloke does this professionally.

I don't mind sitting on a bus and waiting for them to fill. I really do mind standing in a queue beside empty buses as they are filled one at a time and then pull slowly away before the next one is pulled up and starts loading. Utterly ridiculous not to fill them up in batches. They do this at Twickenham and other massive venues - please liten.

Love the stadium and am not moaning about the P&R, just could be done in a smarter way. Post West Ham was horrible.

This would solve so many problems. I am amazed that the club has not adopted this method after the first two matches.

 

[Tony the Pony]

As previously mentioned, another P & R for people coming from the West would be useful, as Mill Rd is quickly filled.

I know it's a year or two off, but when the new training facilities are built near Shoreham Airport, could a P & R be put there as it would only take 10-15 mins to get to the Amex?

 

[portlock seagull]

THIS. And please listen, this bloke does this professionally.

I don't mind sitting on a bus and waiting for them to fill. I really do mind standing in a queue beside empty buses as they are filled one at a time and then pull slowly away before the next one is pulled up and starts loading. Utterly ridiculous not to fill them up in batches. They do this at Twickenham and other massive venues - please liten.

Love the stadium and am not moaning about the P&R, just could be done in a smarter way. Post West Ham was horrible.

I wrote to ken Brown twice at the withdean about this suggesting not only this but a split at the end of the lane; go left for Mithras or right and the same for mill lane. Never even got an acknowledgement. I do think a know it all culture exists in our club below tony bloom and fans are to be treated with contempt. Just my slight unease gut feel from a few exchanges down the years. Don't think they like to be told by supporters what they ought to be doing. Maybe I'll write to ken Bruce next time

 

[ArcticBlue]

Have a shuttle bus running to Preston Park Station. Useful for people heading north & west & could relieve the pressure at Falmer & Brighton Stations. Of course, it would mean trains making unscheduled stops at Preston Park just like the bad/good old days at Withdean.

Now this is a very good idea.

 

[ArcticBlue]

Not a suggestion but I've now travelled by bus, train, foot, car (me driving and parking nearby), car (someone else driving and parking in the official car parks at the uni) and various combinations of the above and I've not had any problems. I think people need to just stop moaning and get on with it.

Since you haven't had any problems i guess all is ok then?

 

[ArcticBlue]

I can't believe there isn't a taxi rank, we quite often get one especially if there is 4 of us as it is only a few quid each. Every time we try too get one it causes hold ups as there is nowhere for them too stop, they normally drive down waiting for someone to put their arm up.

A Taxi rank in the vicinity of 1000's of people is just madness. Whatever next? Large carriages full of seats that run on rails? This is 2011 not 3011

 

[Notters]

Since you haven't had any problems i guess all is ok then?

No, but I reckon at least half of the people moaning could have their problems solved by either being a bit more flexible or using their legs a little.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Personally I would stop people dropping off and stopping on village way. That would certainly stop people being inconsiderate arses blocking the road.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Also, and this cannot be done by the club but if people moved down the carriages a lot more people would get on.

Staff at Brighton station hold people back when there is room on departing trains. All it needs is for one of the staff standing around chatting to their mates to stroll along the train telling people to move down the carriages.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I'd stay in the concourses longer after games if there was somewhere to sit.

 

[Peter Grummit]

As previously mentioned, another P & R for people coming from the West would be useful, as Mill Rd is quickly filled.

I know it's a year or two off, but when the new training facilities are built near Shoreham Airport, could a P & R be put there as it would only take 10-15 mins to get to the Amex?

This is a very good idea and it wouldn't surprise me if it formed part of the stadium expansion planning application.

Thanks to most for keeping this going with positive responses, I hope this finds its way to the club transport manager as a source of ideas.

Here's another one for you, if you use the Mithras House P+R and are fed up with queueing for the bus back, try taking a bike in/on your car - it's only a 10 minute cycle back downhill and cycle lane all the way - I guarantee you'll be home quicker.

PG