Car parking and stewarding.

[trueblue]

Incidentally, if I got back to my house more than 120 miles away at 0050 from an event attended by 20000+ that was always going to end around ten o'clock, I'd think that was pretty reasonable.

 

[e77]

They used to give priority to coaches getting out of the coach park but that seems to have stopped now.

Hardly an incentive for people to use public transport.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Did the club forget that those with £260 Uni parking ST's would still turn up expecting to get in free?
In previous years included in match by match voucher system were half a dozen extra 'cup match 1' etc
This year is a single hang up internal car mirror pass. Have they moved the goalposts or not with regard to cup games, are they still included as they have NOT highlighted this on renewal & removed the extra included cup games surreptitiously ?

 

[happypig]

Did the club forget that those with £260 Uni parking ST's would still turn up expecting to get in free?
In previous years included in match by match voucher system were half a dozen extra 'cup match 1' etc
This year is a single hang up internal car mirror pass. Have they moved the goalposts or not with regard to cup games, are they still included as they have NOT highlighted this on renewal & removed the extra included cup games surreptitiously ?

Cup parking is included if you have paid for a parking ST.
I said last night that I thought they had oversold it, CP1 was virtually full when I finally got in at about 7.40, having queued for ages and there were still dozens behind me. I was lucky getting a space - some hapless duffer in a huge Volvo 4x4 couldn't fit in a space and his loss was my Jimny's gain.
Getting out was a bit of a pain too; usually we dart out of one of the back ways but because of where we were I had to join the regular queue, took about 20-25 mins to get out.
It's probably because it was a cup match with a lot of casual visitors staying right to the end as on regular match days a lot of CP1 has gone before we get to the car.

If we manage to scrape past Hull in the replay, then I will be leaving home a LOT earlier next time as sitting Ina traffic queue is far preferable to standing in th pissing rain waiting for a train

 

[The Merry Prankster]

The traffic manager on Twitter seemed to be be smugly complacent. Echo what every else says, oversold, non existent stewarding. Piss poor.

 

[Giraffe]

Sounds like suggesting switching from Bennets Field to Sussex Uni might not be such a good idea after all!

Although didn't leave BF until 10.45pm last night having left at the final whistle.

 

[SI 4 BHA]

Never used the uni parking before, but it worked perfectly for us. Arrived 5.45, only 2 cars in queue in front of us, efficient steward ticked name of her list, directed us to car park 3, in Swan by 5.55, Perfect! No real problem getting away afterwards either, in Brewery Tap by 10.15. The 4 in our car all agreed it had been a good experience, and should we get though the replay, we will do the same again.

 

[heavyweightsrbest]

I've had a permit for the last three years and when I arrived I was told there were no more spaces. There is usually no problem parking here so they obviously over sold spaces or let in cars with no permit. Ended up parking illegally and 35 minutes after the game had started, so missed the goal. A bloody shambles in other words.

 

[Rugrat]

What the heck went wrong last night on site certainly needs investigating. If the club sells parking, it has to be honoured. But what the heck goes wrong overall is that far too many people who don't need to still use the worst possible way of getting to the ground and then moan about it afterwards. Not a pop at you as coming from a very long distance, it's more understandable to drive but I'm still always amazed by the number of relatively local people I meet who seem to think getting a train or bus is some terrible trial. The Amex is pretty easy to get to from town or park and rides, so even drivers have the option of parking further afield. People just need to accept it may take half an hour to get there and half an hour to get away. Like pretty much everywhere that has 20-30000 people arriving/leaving at once.

Utterly horrid, I feel for you.

The signs were there for the Reading game which as also a mess but not on the same proportions as last night

The traffic manager on Twitter seemed to be be smugly complacent. Echo what every else says, oversold, non existent stewarding. Piss poor.

If ever the Traffic Manager leaves I want his job. He has done SFA about a lot of the continuing issues and certainly hasn't consulted fans and/or responded to the many suggestions (other than lip service) that have been put forward, some of which might be pretty sensible.

 

[CheeseRolls]

We were queueing an hour before kick off and I managed to miss the first 15 minutes and then stood queueing post-match as they let loads of people sneak around the back way, to get over the bridge. Last night was exceptional and I dare say shambolic, it will be back to the trains for me, from now on.

How can the situation be improved ?

How about handing out walkie talkies to the stewards ? Last night I queued through three full car parks, before looping back down into a queue for the fourth car park, where we mingled, with cars just arriving. Unless there is some means of coordination between the stewards, all they can really do, is wave their arms, or stick their hands in their pockets and shrug their shoulders.

I presume that the frame going up on the stadium side of the railway bridge, will eventually hold queueing instructions for football matches. It is quite frustrating, standing in the rain, queueing for an Eastbourne train, when your car is parked in Sussex University.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I've had a permit for the last three years and when I arrived I was told there were no more spaces. There is usually no problem parking here so they obviously over sold spaces or let in cars with no permit. Ended up parking illegally and 35 minutes after the game had started, so missed the goal. A bloody shambles in other words.

I too have had a UoS permit since the Amex opened. When we arrived at about 18.30, the stewards seemed to be turning round some drivers who clearly didn't have a permit; this contributed to the hold-up.

 

[Daffy Duck]

We pre-booked the uni car park for the first time last night as well. Usually use the Bridge car park on a weekday game.

It was utter, utter chaos. What few stewards we did see seemed pretty anonymous and most of them just stood around completely uninterested in what was going on around them and chatting under their brollies.

There was one young female steward who just stood there holding her nice designer handbag so that everyone could see it!!

Will never use the Uni car park again.

I wonder how much the stewards get paid an hour to just stand around doing nothing while chaos reigns all around them. I think I might apply for a job with them.

 

[Since1982]

I couldn't be there last night but have used the Uni since the Amex opened and I'm staggered to read of these issues. For an evening game I usually arrive at 7 ish drive straight to cp1 and am in the ground by quarter past. I've never been convinced that the stewards have any clue about how to manage the parking there but as it is usually underused and the vast majority are regulars, their shortcomings aren't exposed. Sounds like last night that all changed.

 

[Withdean and I]

Is the club / Mr Barber aware of the total cock up of the parking last night? If not then they really should be told as it was really really bad.

For fans coming for the first time it would not have been a good experience at all. I was sat next to some and they too had a terrible time of it.

 

[Let's Have A Winner!]

We've used the Uni car parks for every single game since the Amex opened and never had a problem before, in fact it generally operates very well, but last night was an utter shambles. The warning signs were there at the Reading game but last night was on another level. We reached the Beacon Road/Coldean Road junction at about 6.45, got (luckily) parked at 7.45 and missed the first 10 or 15 mins. The stewards this season seem a different bunch to the first couple of years, cost cutting perhaps?

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Simple answer is that paying for the parking isn't worth it. The club will be hit next season with a lot of people not renewing the parking tickets as you get out quicker using the P&R which is free (ish).

Stewards at the main gate weren't doing much again last night either. Buses were left to force their way in/out, the same with cars too. The priority given to the Uni car park on Village Way is bizarre too.

Something needs to be done about the cars coming in to pick up too who block the side of the road up, then do u-turns to cut up the traffic.

 

[happypig]

Is the club / Mr Barber aware of the total cock up of the parking last night? If not then they really should be told as it was really really bad.

For fans coming for the first time it would not have been a good experience at all. I was sat next to some and they too had a terrible time of it.

I emailed him earlier, be interesting to see what he has to say.

 

[ruthers]

Agree, a complete shambles. I have the season ticket but there seems poor policing of the laminated rear view mirror pass.
The stewards seem to be employed in groups of 3 so they have someone else to chat to.
Always get directed past numerous empty places in car park 2 & 3 irrelevant of how early we arrive. When questioned about these empty places they say they're reserved! For who?
Last night I heard stewards in car park 1 asking each other which car park they were in which hardly breeds confidence.

We arrived at the Uni at 18:10 and the chaos was already building. Even at that time we were directed to the furthest car park 1.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I look forward to Barber's email about this shambles.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Always get directed past numerous empty places in car park 2 & 3 irrelevant of how early we arrive. When questioned about these empty places they say they're reserved! For who? Quite. I wasn't aware that there are any reserved places in the uni car park. I have a season pass and see spare spaces in CP 3 most times I am directed past it to CP2.

We arrived at the Uni at 18:10 and the chaos was already building. Even at that time we were directed to the furthest car park 1. I got there at 17:55 and was likewise directed to CP1. Bizarre. It was very clear that it was going to be a complete clusterf*ck.

....