Bennetts Field Temporary Car Park at the Amex

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I believe you, and I wouldn't expect you to divulge that on here.

However, can you explain to me what the initial 'parking management' means in this context for Moulsecoomb (and possibly Coldean)? If it is the same as Withdean, I can see a lot of people ignoring it, there just isn't anywhere else to go that isn't virtually a day's trek away and even more strictly controlled, especially if the P&Rs are full. I assume that the threatened full parking scheme would be meters, and controlled zones on event days, like you have at Wembley.

I think it would occasionally be helpful if the club/council consulted the kind of people who would actually be affected by this, that is how they will guage likely needs and behaviour, rather than naively assume everyone is going to get a coach from Horsham.

I think this is covered by condition 46 of the stadium planning consent:
"No use of the Stadium for outdoor events shall take place until and unless an Outdoor Event day Controlled Parking Zone is brought into operation for the duration of each Outdoor Event and for three hours either side of the start and finish times of each Outdoor event................................................."

Falmer village itself is certainly specified as a CPZ; others, I guess are down to be agreed with B&HCC and Moulsecoombe is clearly one. I guess Coldean could well be another.
Finally, Condition 42 of the stadium approval requires there to be a Parking Management Strategy in relation to the Controlled Parking Zones.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

... assuming that there will be space on the bus.

There's nothing more frustrating than to be waiting at a bus stop and the bus to sail past because it is full - especially when there isn't another one coming along behind.

It's obviously too early to say, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to find some of the proposed shuttle buses (especially those coming from Shoreham, Portslade and Hangleton) filling up very close to their starting stops. Tough luck if you live further down the route.

Beat me to it LB. Parking at my mum's in Hangleton is down the option list, although the thought of a pre-match drink in the Grenadier doesn't help much.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I see, so from what you say the initial proposal is actually already a lot more than what was in operation at Withdean. Which leaves me slightly mystified as to the difference between that, and what comes next if it doesn't work. How do you escalate from there? It already sounds quite severe.

 

[skipper734]

Beat me to it LB. Parking at my mum's in Hangleton is down the option list, although the thought of a pre-match drink in the Grenadier doesn't help much.

Oh! you really do think it's 1974.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Oh! you really do think it's 1974.

Us Hove CGS boys decamped to the Stadium in Holmes Avenue long before then.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I see, so from what you say the initial proposal is actually already a lot more than what was in operation at Withdean. Which leaves me slightly mystified as to the difference between that, and what comes next if it doesn't work. How do you escalate from there? It already sounds quite severe.

I don't know but that's what the previous poster has seen I guess.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I see, so from what you say the initial proposal is actually already a lot more than what was in operation at Withdean. Which leaves me slightly mystified as to the difference between that, and what comes next if it doesn't work. How do you escalate from there? It already sounds quite severe.

My understanding is that there will be a much more rigourous approach to stopping people driving into the area to park (signage and stewards stopping vehicles). If people choose to ignore this, then the Council are likely to bring in Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) which would probably entail a residents permit scheme. If it goes to TRO then that mean that anyone parking without a permit will either get a parking fine or be towed away. If residents find that their streets are full of football supporters and they can't park outside their houses they will no doubt be happy to support implementation of TROs - especially as it is likely it would be at minimal cost to them.

 

[Dover]

A couple of points that being half asleep I may have missed. So very sorry if fixtures.

I think a lot of away fans will be making the Brighton game a weekend trip, so taxis may be used a little more than expected.

Could there be another smallish park and ride at Hollingbury, with a shuttle bus, or reinstate the 55 route on match days.

Also liaison at the Marina, where cars could be parked and supporters get the 23 bus.

The fact is, geographically Brighton is a small town, so options must be to spread the load a little more than normal.

 

[The Oldman]

Beat me to it LB. Parking at my mum's in Hangleton is down the option list, although the thought of a pre-match drink in the Grenadier doesn't help much.

How dare you slag the Grenadier off. I met my wife there. Oh.wait!

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

The 3 buses from Shoreham , 2 from Portslade and 5(?) from Rottingdean will be well used. Fans could well end up parking their cars in Whitehawk and walking 10 minutes to catch the number 23. The problem is going to be when fans find out a journey by train is going to be a nightmare and resort to using the car or taking the bus. Fans arriving by coach won't like it because after the match Sussex Police will wait until they can get all the supporters coaches leaving together in a convoy.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

That reminds me of trying to leave the stadium:mk car park

 

[Gwylan]

You'll have to trust me on on this one but there are definitely plans being drawn up to implement a parking scheme in Moulescoombe if the parking management doesn't work. I have seen a draft copy of a confidential document relating to the travel plan (and no, I won't be posting it on here!).

Still can't see it happening. Every single parking zone implemented by the council has been implemented after a local referendum - sometimes to the extent that one street has restricted parking and another next to it doesn't. I can't see a council implementing a parking scheme without consultation and the chances of such a scheme being voted on my Moulsecoomb and Coldean residents is zero.

 

[Gwylan]

My understanding is that there will be a much more rigourous approach to stopping people driving into the area to park (signage and stewards stopping vehicles). If people choose to ignore this, then the Council are likely to bring in Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) which would probably entail a residents permit scheme. If it goes to TRO then that mean that anyone parking without a permit will either get a parking fine or be towed away. If residents find that their streets are full of football supporters and they can't park outside their houses they will no doubt be happy to support implementation of TROs - especially as it is likely it would be at minimal cost to them.

My street in Coldean on Saturday afternoon is virtually empty. When I lived in Moulsecoomb there weren't exactly dozens of drivers jostling for road space. It may be that we'll see thousands of drivers descend on this area but I can't really see it myself. For one thing, Moulsecoomb has only four roads into it from Lewes Rd - there'd be a big bottleneck if people tried it.

 

[portslade seagull]

The Hikers has a nice car park maybe the away fans can park there !

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Still can't see it happening. Every single parking zone implemented by the council has been implemented after a local referendum - sometimes to the extent that one street has restricted parking and another next to it doesn't. I can't see a council implementing a parking scheme without consultation and the chances of such a scheme being voted on my Moulsecoomb and Coldean residents is zero.

What if the referendum included the option of free residents' only parking, with no charge for a permit, all paid for by Brighton & Hove Albion?

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

The Hikers has a nice car park maybe the away fans can park there !

Has the Hikers been notified yet its going to be the designated "away friendly" pub ?

 

[Gwylan]

What if the referendum included the option of free residents' only parking, with no charge for a permit, all paid for by Brighton & Hove Albion?

If it were free, that might swing it a bit. But people have visitors too and they won't be happy about them paying.

We'll see what happens: at the moment there's no issue over here - there's plenty of parking space. If that changes, then residents might get arsey but there would have to be a lot of people parking for that to happen.

The other thing - wouldn't be expensive for the club to do this? I've no idea how many drivers there are in Coldean and Moulsecoomb but I bet it's close to a couple of thousand. Aren't resident parking permits more than £100? That would be a lot of dosh to fork out for a year - £200k+ would get you a player.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

- wouldn't be expensive for the club to do this? I've no idea how many drivers there are in Coldean and Moulsecoomb but I bet it's close to a couple of thousand. Aren't resident parking permits more than £100? That would be a lot of dosh to fork out for a year - £200k+ would get you a player.

One of the arguments against Toads Hole Valley, put forward at the Public Inquiry, was that the cost to the Club of funding controlled parking nearby would be prohibitive.

The planning process doesn't rule out imposing such costs on a developer. And it's perfectly possible to run a residents' parking scheme where restrictions are only in place from, say, 1.00pm to 6.00pm (or 6.00pm to 11.00pm) on event days. The rest of the time, parking can be unrestricted.

 

[Giraffe]

One of the arguments against Toads Hole Valley, put forward at the Public Inquiry, was that the cost to the Club of funding controlled parking nearby would be prohibitive.

The planning process doesn't rule out imposing such costs on a developer. And it's perfectly possible to run a residents' parking scheme where restrictions are only in place from, say, 1.00pm to 6.00pm (or 6.00pm to 11.00pm) on event days. The rest of the time, parking can be unrestricted.

As indeed they do at Watford.

 

[DT Withdean]

Sorry, but name one.

Seagull73 is spot on.

Local authorities of Bolton, Derby, Southampton, etc, etc, did everything possible to help their clubs move.

Because there were a few but key enemies of the Albion and/or Football, the Club had to spend £m's just proving the road, rail, park'n'ride, lack of impact assessments, all worked, before getting planning permission & Government approval on appeal.

Therefore, the infrastructure after it settles down, will work.