[Albion] Fan advisory board

[Clive Walker]

Personally It’s so great being an Albion fan at the moment it’s TINY things that bother me.

1) the prospect of getting wet In Amsterdam.

2) paying 5p a pint more in an away pub on matchdays

3) The words to GOSBTS on the big screens esp in view of the away fans.

4) playing Hey Jude when we play Liverpool or Everton (or indeed anyone) It’s a fine song, but we can do better Shirley?

However, just to repeat, my Albion mojo is literally so “up there” at the moment I’m not even gonna slag off the transport.

5) fanszone

 

[BNthree]

One of the big issues with transport is a lot of it is out of the club’s control. The coach park often seems at capacity, so I don’t see how much more park and ride provision can really be provided.

We lost Mithras Park and Ride which has never been permanently replaced. Yes EDF occasionally is used and is very welcome but we’re still a site down.

Something else in their control: the stewards regulating egress from the car parks could do a much better job with prioritising traffic flow.

 

[BNthree]

I noticed on the pod one of the presenters mentioned about what will it cost for fans to use the new fanzine facility. I sincerely hope we will not be charging for entry. I know the FAB were going to take concerns / feedback on this - so there’s mine. Not more expense to match days pls!

Didn’t PB moan in an email to someone, that got posted here, that football fans always expect everything for free?

 

[halbpro]

We lost Mithras Park and Ride which has never been permanently replaced. Yes EDF occasionally is used and is very welcome but we’re still a site down.

Something else in their control: the stewards regulating egress from the car parks could do a much better job with prioritising traffic flow.

I’d utterly forgotten about Mithras House! Yes using EDF or something to the west generally would be good. I think they’ve used the Sainsbury’s in the past?

The Sussex carparks are an issue certainly, but more than controlling carpark exits better (which does need doing), we need police at the Sussex University side round about and some signage about the use of left and right hand lanes. The amount of merging on that roundabout is genuinely dangerous. Left hand lane should be for the A27 slip road

 

[Giraffe]

the club know and have been told the reality of the situation, I fully agree about your final point, they know and they want people to stay! There won’t be solution which everyone will be satisfied with if 30,000 leave at the same time. The location and capacity are proof of that.

I still stand by my previous point, that compared to the Amex, getting back to the city centre and central train station after a game for most clubs (barring Newcastle) in the league is an absolute nightmare.

I walked 40 mins at City because the trams are a nightmare.

I queued 30 mins for a bus at Everton at the weekend.

There will never be an acceptable solution for some people as they want to be back in Brighton at 17:15, but there’s very few clubs where you would be.

Absolutely agree with this. Driving away from the AMEX is far better than a lot of other stadiums actually.

 

[Sheebo]

Didn’t PB moan in an email to someone, that got posted here, that football fans always expect everything for free?

Probably… but… so…? my opinion though - don’t pay to get in a pub and they can still be profitable right…?

 

[BNthree]

Probably… but… so…? my opinion though - don’t pay to get in a pub and they can still be profitable right…?

Yeah totally.

 

[Seagull58]

Probably… but… so…? my opinion though - don’t pay to get in a pub and they can still be profitable right…?

You don't pay to go in a restaurant or a shopping mall either. It seems strange to me that the club would charge to enter the fanzone. If the fanzone was developed with a view to encouraging fans who don't have match tickets to attend and watch the match on a live stream on a big screen, as per Wimbledon, then I could envisage a charge being levied for anyone who doesn't have a match ticket but all ticket holders have free entry. I guess transport once again becomes an issue though if trying to attract non-ticket holders who would otherwise watch at home or in a pub, if televised, or watch on an (illegal?) stream if not, or listen on the radio.

 

[atomised]

You don't pay to go in a restaurant or a shopping mall either. It seems strange to me that the club would charge to enter the fanzone. If the fanzone was developed with a view to encouraging fans who don't have match tickets to attend and watch the match on a live stream on a big screen, as per Wimbledon, then I could envisage a charge being levied for anyone who doesn't have a match ticket but all ticket holders have free entry. I guess transport once again becomes an issue though if trying to attract non-ticket holders who would otherwise watch at home or in a pub, if televised, or watch on an (illegal?) stream if not, or listen on the radio.

I wonder if this suggestion is because Barber made comparisons to Boxpark and.how much fans enjoyed that facility at Wembley. I too think it will be free entry on match days with a match ticket

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

We lost Mithras Park and Ride which has never been permanently replaced. Yes EDF occasionally is used and is very welcome but we’re still a site down.

Something else in their control: the stewards regulating egress from the car parks could do a much better job with prioritising traffic flow.

This.

Another thing that would help immensely with exiting the coach park in a timely fashion, would be to close Village Way to all other traffic for say, an hour after the game, although doubtless those wanting access to/exit from, Brighton Uni, would have a lot so say about that.

Also they could better regulate the traffic lights at the top of Village Way enabling more football related traffic to get away from the ground.

I can't see either happening in the short to medium term though.

 

[dazzer6666]

This.

Another thing that would help immensely with exiting the coach park in a timely fashion, would be to close Village Way to all other traffic for say, an hour after the game, although doubtless those wanting access to/exit from, Brighton Uni, would have a lot so say about that.

Also they could better regulate the traffic lights at the top of Village Way enabling more football related traffic to get away from the ground.

I can't see either happening in the short to medium term though.

.......they already manually control the lights at the end of Village Way after matches. If they allowed even longer for traffic to exit Village Way, the P&R buses from the racecourse will take forever. Even now the queue is often almost to the top of the hill 45 mins after the final whistle. They should limit the green light time more for the relatively small number exiting the parking opposite in the farm shop.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

.......they already manually control the lights at the end of Village Way after matches. If they allowed even longer for traffic to exit Village Way, the P&R buses from the racecourse will take forever. Even now the queue is often almost to the top of the hill 45 mins after the final whistle. They should limit the green light time more for the relatively small number exiting the parking opposite in the farm shop.

Yes perhaps, but as we all know, you are never going to please all of the people all of the time.

 

[Hiney]

He now lives in Cornwall doesn’t he?

Yes, yes he does

Wasn’t our very own @Hiney a member of this group, he doesn’t appear in the Bio’s on that web site?

It's a long story, but I'm not on the FAB any more, unfortunately.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Could Brighton and Hove Buses do more? Possibly, but given my local routes randomly fluctuate between running to timetable and a third of services not showing up I’m not hopeful there.

This is one area I think could be discussed further. If there were shuttle buses that just run direct to and from the Old Steine to the Amex non-stop like they do now for the Europa League away fans, this would take a some of the strain off the trains and also the existing bus network. I'm sure we've all been to a few grounds over the years where these types of buses run.

 

[stewart12]

This is one area I think could be discussed further. If there were shuttle buses that just run direct to and from the Old Steine to the Amex non-stop like they do now for the Europa League away fans, this would take a some of the strain off the trains and also the existing bus network. I'm sure we've all been to a few grounds over the years where these types of buses run.

yes I think this is a very realistic option that would genuinely work well

as you say it would take the strain away from falmer station. I'm sure there's plenty of people who just need to get into town rather than connecting trains

 

[halbpro]

This is one area I think could be discussed further. If there were shuttle buses that just run direct to and from the Old Steine to the Amex non-stop like they do now for the Europa League away fans, this would take a some of the strain off the trains and also the existing bus network. I'm sure we've all been to a few grounds over the years where these types of buses run.

I think a key issue with this is that Brighton and Hove buses don't often have much going spare, and we're already hiring up a lot of the local buses for the park and ride schemes. But the club have been able to do it on train strike days in the past, I guess it's just a question of economics?

 

[Chicken Run]

Yes, yes he does


It's a long story, but I'm not on the FAB any more, unfortunately.

Well either way it’s lovely to see you posting here again

 

[stewart12]

I think a key issue with this is that Brighton and Hove buses don't often have much going spare, and we're already hiring up a lot of the local buses for the park and ride schemes. But the club have been able to do it on train strike days in the past, I guess it's just a question of economics?

could we use a different company or does B&H have a monopoly?

 

[Chicken Run]

Yes, yes he does


It's a long story, but I'm not on the FAB any more, unfortunately.

Btw have they bought you out of retirement because all the fun Police are in Amsterdam?

 

[halbpro]

could we use a different company or does B&H have a monopoly?

We absolutely could use other companies and do. Lots of the Park and Ride buses are from Seaford and (I believe) Worthing, not under B&H ownership. But we’re already using significant chunks of those fleet for the P&R, and then Seagulls Travel hire lots of other buses and coaches too