is stadium expansion under jeopardy

[pastafarian]

was at a dinner last night and speaking to a councilor,i asked opinions on the transport issues to the Amex, apparently the viewpoint is that cars trains park and ride etc etc are all issues that can be improved with traffic management and no one really expects the club or other parties to get it perfect from the outset however it was mentioned that the worst and most worrying issue for the council was the growing trend of people using the A27 dual carriage way as a drop off point, which is causing huge snarl ups and is potentially an accident waiting to happen.

does anyone know if this could really cause the council to reject any planning permission for expansion

 

[Captain Sensible]

No because its something that is happening now without the plans for more seats. So it needs sorting, need the OB there snagging in Drivers that are picking up.
As I said in another Post, there needs to be more buses running to the town centre from the AMEX. That will take the heat off the train and cause more people to use public transport.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Yes, because many Albion fans would be against expansion and would be prepared to lobby their local councillors if it was in the pipeline.

The transport system and catering staff are barely coping with the current number of people they have to deal with. Expansion now, without getting the house in order first, would make things far worse. it may add an extra 10 minutes to your 20 minute wait for a pie and drink, or an extra half-hour to your waiting time at the train station.

Right now, if expansion was on the agenda. it would be very easy to mobilise support behind a campaign saying we need a better Amex stadium, not a bigger Amex stadium.

 

[trueblue]

Yes, because many Albion fans would be against expansion and would be prepared to lobby their local councillors if it was in the pipeline.

The transport system and catering staff are barely coping with the current number of people they have to deal with. Expansion now, without getting the house in order first, would make things far worse. it may add an extra 10 minutes to your 20 minute wait for a pie and drink, or an extra half-hour to your waiting time at the train station.

Right now, if expansion was on the agenda. it would be very easy to mobilise support behind a campaign saying we need a better Amex stadium, not a bigger Amex stadium.

I wouldn't be joining it.

 

[AMEXican Wave]

Yes, because many Albion fans would be against expansion and would be prepared to lobby their local councillors if it was in the pipeline.

The transport system and catering staff are barely coping with the current number of people they have to deal with. Expansion now, without getting the house in order first, would make things far worse. it may add an extra 10 minutes to your 20 minute wait for a pie and drink, or an extra half-hour to your waiting time at the train station.

Right now, if expansion was on the agenda. it would be very easy to mobilise support behind a campaign saying we need a better Amex stadium, not a bigger Amex stadium.

With more seats there would be more food kiosks I would think, so the long queues shouldn't get any longer.

Transport needs to be sorted, but I'm sure it's being worked on.

Even the club wants a better AMEX stadium, so I'm not sure a campaign as such is needed, just focused feedback on the important issues.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Yes, because many Albion fans would be against expansion and would be prepared to lobby their local councillors if it was in the pipeline.

The transport system and catering staff are barely coping with the current number of people they have to deal with. Expansion now, without getting the house in order first, would make things far worse. it may add an extra 10 minutes to your 20 minute wait for a pie and drink, or an extra half-hour to your waiting time at the train station.

Right now, if expansion was on the agenda. it would be very easy to mobilise support behind a campaign saying we need a better Amex stadium, not a bigger Amex stadium.

thats an interesting point of view. On here i've seen universal support for an increased capacity stadium, but also a lot of complaints about transport and catering issues, of which many i have sympathy with or have experienced first-hand. If you were to couch the expansion in the way you do, in terms of affects on the existing fans, opposition may well increase. At the moment its an abstract concept for us.

 

[pastafarian]

Yes, because many Albion fans would be against expansion and would be prepared to lobby their local councillors if it was in the pipeline.

The transport system and catering staff are barely coping with the current number of people they have to deal with. Expansion now, without getting the house in order first, would make things far worse. it may add an extra 10 minutes to your 20 minute wait for a pie and drink, or an extra half-hour to your waiting time at the train station.

Right now, if expansion was on the agenda. it would be very easy to mobilise support behind a campaign saying we need a better Amex stadium, not a bigger Amex stadium.

the question was do people parking on the A27 for drop offs give the club bad bonus points with the council,you claiming extra capacity would be an extra 10 mins to queue for a pie is hardly relevant unless of course...........actually sod it..... that is the daftest thing ive heard in ages......the point was people stopping on the A27......oh sod it ........its really not worth trying to explain it to you

 

[nomoremithras4me]

NO. With the current economic climate being a bit unstable, i would think the council would be more than happy with the expansion plans. 8000 odd more seats = more staff = more jobs. Why would they give a f*** about a bit of extra traffic every couple of weeks?

 

[phoenix]

Is someone seriously saying, that catering Queue's will effect expansion.

 

[Rugrat]

Of all the things that might impact expansion I'd have thought that dealing with cars hanging about on A27 would have been the easiest

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Cars waiting / stopping on the A27 is already illegal. The whole of the A27 is a Clearway - as is the A270 from the bypass junction all the way down Lewes Road as far as Natal Road. If it's a problem, enforcement action can be taken against drivers who stop.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

Could the university road be used as a drop off/ pick up point for Taxis and Buses ? Would not solve the problem but may ease it.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Is someone seriously saying, that catering Queue's will effect expansion.

Exactly.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Is someone seriously saying, that catering Queue's will effect expansion.

Actually, it's precisely that kind of issue that could really f*** up expansion plans. A narrow 'no' campaign based on a theme of transport safety would pose very little danger to the club. However, a broad-based campaign, with a slogan of 'better not bigger', that focused on making the whole Amex experience better for all fans would gather significant support.

 

[Simster]

Shuttle buses from designated town centre points, a transferable travel voucher system, better stewarding at Brighton station and BF car park, and increasing catering staff numbers in the ground to make early arrival more appealing.

Get that lot sorted and things will be fine and perhaps expansion could be seriously discussed. Until then, we need to remember the club have only played seven matches there this season...

 

[Tory Boy]

Unless action is taken someone is going to get seriously hurt on the A27.

But those people are there because the existing options aren't working.

Cars need to be banned (other than blue badge vehicles) from village way and the stadium. Bennett Field should be a rank for buses waiting to feed the bus pick up points on the top car park, and all other traffic should be held up whilst the buses clear fans.

If people can be confident that the buses will get them back to the various park and rides in a reasonable time, then expansion can and will happen.

However at present it's a mess, but thankfully a mess that can be sorted.

TB

 

[Rugrat]

Actually, it's precisely that kind of issue that could really f*** up expansion plans. A narrow 'no' campaign based on a theme of transport safety would pose very little danger to the club. However, a broad-based campaign, with a slogan of 'better not bigger', that focused on making the whole Amex experience better for all fans would gather significant support.

I'd be horrified ... would supporters really get behind such a campaign? As much as there are a number of improvements that could be made I can't see more than a handful getting behind such a thing ... not only have we got ourselves a superb stadium that compares favourably to most I for one am so appreciative for what we have (in every respect) that supporting anything preventing the club growing would feel like betrayal.

If anyone feels that strongly there are more reasonable ways to approach

 

[Rugrat]

If people can be confident that the buses will get them back to the various park and rides in a reasonable time, then expansion can and will happen.

However at present it's a mess, but thankfully a mess that can be sorted.

TB

That's about right

 

[Garage_Doors]

. Why would they give a f*** about a bit of extra traffic every couple of weeks?

Because of the risk of injuries ans death as a result of parked cars being hit from behind at 60-70 mph at a guess.

 

[Ned]

The queues for catering stopping expansion?
Do me a favour! they don't seem as long as the queues were at Withdean, with a much smaller capacity.