Disabled Parking, were you told it would be free?

[seagullwedgee]

well, there you go, there's another bonus, disabled parking was free at portsmouth and cardiff. So, you're on a winner straight away - even less reason for you to keep bloody moaning.

Why can't you just accept the good deal you've got, and move on.......?

 

[Lush]

Of the four of us to which you refer, apart from myself, the only other adult is my carer who only comes like every other carer to ensure that if I have a medical emergency there is someone there to deal with it, whilst the other two occupants are aged 5 and 3.

How on earth is your carer taking care of you, and a 5 year old, and a 3 year old? They must be a pretty special person.

 

[Ken Newbury]

myself and my carer, were told at our presentation, in no uncertain terms by the salesperson, that parking would be just outside (in the area we now know as Bennetts Field)

Hi, I hope you don't mind me asking but your comment in your very first post got me curious.

I may be wrong (for which I apologise now if I am) but at the time of the ST presentations I was under the impression that we had not even applied for planning permission to have a car park in Bennetts Field and that the idea had come much later. If that is the case surely no-one at the club could have actually mentioned "Bennetts Field" to you at the presentation as it was mere farmland at the time.

Another quick question, as permission for Bennetts Field is limited to a maximum three years, if the club gave you a free parking space in that car park now where will you expect the club to let you park in three years time when that car park is closed and returned to farmland?

I am not on any side here, nor do I have an agenda but I am honestly very curious to understand your veiws on the above two points.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

What happened at the much vaunted meeting with Martin Perry? Has it happened? Has anyone reported back on it?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Why can't you just accept the good deal you've got, and move on.......?

I think you'll find that libra-gully is stuck the other side of the A27 and the only way to move on is through a subway and across a long ramp over a railway bridge, then a few hundred metres up a steep slope.

 

[Mr Burns]

All the disabled spaces are NOT in Bennetts Field. Some are the other side of the A27.

I know. And thats what I was saying, they should be in Bennetts Field. I driven past Bennets field on a number of occasions, and saw a number of disabled spaces. I dont know how many they need in total, but I agree more effort should be made to get them nearer the stadium.

 

[Mr Burns]

With the greatest of respect, you completely missed the point!

Of the four of us to which you refer, apart from myself, the only other adult is my carer who only comes like every other carer to ensure that if I have a medical emergency there is someone there to deal with it, whilst the other two occupants are aged 5 and 3.

Do you suggest I raid their Albion piggy banks to make you feel better?

As per the comments re paying in one go, it is not really any of your business, but for the purpose of full disclosure, grandparents paid for the two children, and I paid for the rest out of an accident payout that left me disabled.

If any of the 'clever people' on here, wish to swap places with me for a week, and live my life of pain and medication, I will gladly listen to any supposed criticisms.

Just for the record, my space is not just outside as quoted by somebody, but over the A27 in the Sx Uni, 30 minutes away minimum in all weathers!

With all due respect, I think you missed the point. I totally agree you should be on the stadium side. Not much point having disabled places, if they are so far away that you can not reasonably get to the stadium. And I also said if the club did say that, they should go some way to help you out, but I think it would have been one big misunderstanding. Im sure the club didn't set out to mislead you, but why should they be expected to give away parking spaces for free. Do you expect a free season ticket, so why expect a free parking space? Maybe they should reduce it for this season if they did say that, but I don't believe they should be free.

I would be more interested in the club having a disabled park and ride charged at the same price and subsidised by the club. I couldn't for one second think or know the logisitics of it, but wouldn't be better to be picked up from your car, say at the racehill, and the driven to the door of the stadium. That way there would be hardly any walking involved (agree 30 nminutes isn't acceptable) and they could run a disabled bus for families?

 

[Mr Burns]

I can't believe that the club are digging their heels in for what is probably a relatively small amount of money, in the great scheme of things. nWhich makes me think that there is more to this than meets the eye.

I would be interested in hearing an 'honest' answer from the club (although it's possible that they can't give it without falling foul of disability rights/laws).

Is it possible that the disabled spaces have been so massively over-subscribed that we just can't cope AND meet other equally legally binding commitments?

This

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I would be interested in hearing an 'honest' answer from the club (although it's possible that they can't give it without falling foul of disability rights/laws).

In respect of charging for the disabled parking I feel the club have been honest. The club have said that the cost of parking is huge, the have to charge for it, and they have given a 50% concession and the ability to pay for it in 6 monthly installment to those with mobility issues.

As an aside, it can be argued the club have meet this issue half way ie the club are charging able bodied supporters £360, there is a request for free for those with mobility issues and club are meeting this halfway at £180.

 

[Superphil]

Is it possible that the disabled spaces have been so massively over-subscribed that we just can't cope AND meet other equally legally binding commitments?

No-one knows what the demand is/was, or at least no-one has published any figures on this.

 

[somerset]

Obviously if you were told it would be free & now chargable that is wrong... I as everyone obviously agrees parking should be next to the stadium for disabled guests,
HOWEVER why should disabled people have free parking??

Agreed, its access that is the issue, not ability to pay, I don't see why disabled supporters should get free parking, they obviously have enough money to buy the ST, the club is simply maximising its income as a profit making company.

 

[clippedgull]

3) If for some medical reason the supporter needs to leave anytime before the game finishes, never mind the next 30 minutes they are totally unable to do so. That sounds ridiculous but is absolutely true, as the club have agreed not to open the concourse for ANY reason outside these timings.

With respect that is absolutely not correct. Are you saying any supporter with a medical condition that needs him/her to leave the stadium before the final whistle is held captive? What about emergency cases involving paramedics? I think you are stretching things to meet your agenda.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

In respect of charging for the disabled parking I feel the club have been honest. The club have said that the cost of parking is huge, the have to charge for it, and they have given a 50% concession and the ability to pay for it in 6 monthly installment to those with mobility issues.

As an aside, it can be argued the club have meet this issue half way ie the club are charging able bodied supporters £360, there is a request for free for those with mobility issues and club are meeting this halfway at £180.

But did the Club not know the costs involved when BODS were advised earlier this year that disabled badge parking would be free of charge? Seems very odd to me (unbelievable really) to have made such a commitment without knowing your costs.

 

[tedebear]

At the heart of the matter is that he purchased his season tickets on the basis that the parking spot would be free (and not 30 mins difficult walk/wheelchair away). So personally that is the wrong which needs addressing for this individual not for everyone. If the answer is they changed their mind then legally that isn't acceptable.

As long as the stadium meets the rules in relation to how many disabled spots are available and access for disabled people is sufficient (which it must be otherwise we wouldn't have got an operating licence) then I think this is between Libra Gull and the management.

 

[oldalbiongirl]

If people were told before buying a ticket that they were going to get free parking and on this basis made the decision to buy a ticket then what are we all going on about. They are entitled to the free parking. If you bought a season ticket and then were told well actually to access the ground you now have to pay another £180 of course you would be complaining. At the end of the day, I think the club have probably messed up big time but don't want to admit it. They got all excited selling the tickets and talking about how things will be free and then probably got some advice that actually they shouldn't be discriminating against anyone, whether positively or negatively. It is a legal requirement that everyone is treated in the same way and by saying that disabled fans can have parking for free, this has the potential for disabled people to take offence at as its a form of discrimination. (I know its unlikely but technically its possible). So the club are between a rock and a hard place really and need to take a decision. So they have decided to go for the cheaper parking option. This way they are not treating disabled people as needy or as being people who require sympathy therefore free parking. They are giving them a parking charge like everyone else but recognising the disability with a concession in price. But (unfortunately on the basis of what you have said) this was the wrong decision by the club, who have effectively broken the law. They have seemingly offered the tickets with the parking included (therefore this being part of the contract) and then changed the terms after the contract has been made which is unfair and therefore illegal. So in short if you are unhappy with the contract now you have every right to get your money back for the parking or cancel your season ticket and get all of your money back(aaaagh). Lets hope the club are a little more careful with their choice of words in the future. Its sad that such a brilliant time is being spoilt for some by a simple error.

 

[somerset]

If the answer is they changed their mind then legally that isn't acceptable.

Well actually unless the club published in writing either in their ST policy for disabled supporters or somewhere in a specific mail/communication then there is no basis for a contract and therefore no basis for a legal case. It may be considered morally in breach, but that wont wash in a court of law I am afraid.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

But did the Club not know the costs involved when BODS were advised earlier this year that disabled badge parking would be free of charge? Seems very odd to me (unbelievable really) to have made such a commitment without knowing your costs.

I do not know. What I do know is that the parking sites available changed significantly. Possibly this played a part?

 

[WATFORD zero]

Reading through, i think everyone is in agreement that the disabled parking spaces need to be in Bennets Field and not over the road at Sussex Uni. It only needs a few staff and 1901 spaces to be moved around to solve this. (And from what i have read about trying to get out of Bennets field after the game, i imagine there may be volunteers !)

The charging issue looks a little more contentious and i would suggest that the club publishes their cost of a parking space. If it is costing the club £360 a season then maybe a 50% concession to £180 is reasonable. If it costing the club £80 a season then maybe charging at cost is the answer etc

The one thing that is certain is that the club needs to get into a debate about this and i think the petition maybe the best way to get this started.

 

[trueblue]

Don't really know where I stand on the parking charge. I'm veering towards the idea that it's perfectly acceptable to charge a concessionary price - especially if other people can fit in the car too and share the cost.

It does seem stupid though that some of the spaces are so far away. I think it would be easy to switch with some 1901 members, some of whom would probably prefer to be on the university site anyway as it seems to offer the prospect of a quicker getaway than Bennett's Field, where departures are restricted by the need to move the vast majority of people on public transport.

 

[oldalbiongirl]

Well actually unless the club published in writing either in their ST policy for disabled supporters or somewhere in a specific mail/communication then there is no basis for a contract and therefore no basis for a legal case. It may be considered morally in breach, but that wont wash in a court of law I am afraid.

Even if the terms are proivded verbally, providing the person entering into the contract can prove it was said, then the courts would look favourably on the person entering into the contract and find for them. If it was a case of "buy this season ticket. It will also come with free parking", the person purchases and then they later find out that actually there is no parking, then they will be able to challenge the contract legally.