[Football] Matchday travel subsidy?

[Herr Tubthumper]

Ground is in the sticks. Part of planning was club saying very large % would be arriving by public transport. They had to supply a place for buses to park. Cannot believe they have or will ever consider charging.

During the planning consultation LDC made a claim the ground would be a Trojan horse for other developments. The club denied this. Then the club put in an application for a hotel. My point being, unless something is explicitly in the planning consent, saying doesn’t mean much.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Now the genie is out of the bottle, why has The Albion been subsidising Seagull Travel out of my season ticket money and allowing them not to do door to door from my village. I've paid a double subsidy and want a refund.

 

[Weststander]

Now the genie is out of the bottle, why has The Albion been subsidising Seagull Travel out of my season ticket money and allowing them not to do door to door from my village. I've paid a double subsidy and want a refund.

The club’s made a rod for its own back by subsidising ST in the first place. There was no obligation to, the subsidising of trains, regular buses and providing park n ride kept BHCC happy.

Take something away and some will always be disgruntled.

 

[RexCathedra]

Falmer Stadium in 20 years.



Dodger Stadium in Chavez Ravine by The City Project, on Flickr

Thank God. I'm not paying that ****ing travel subsidy via my season ticket any more

 

[Official Old Man]

I wonder what other clubs do in respect of coach parking charges. I suspect most don't have the capacity, eg Chelsea and, I believe, Liverpool, coaches park on closed off streets or specially created laybys.

COACH PARKING
Man City - forget
Man Utd - on site, secure as well.
Liverpool - on street. Not connected to club.
Burnley - forget
Spurs - on street. Not connected to club. Wembley charged £80
Arsenal - On street next to ground.
B'muf - club car park.
Palace - On street next to ground.
Everton - same as Liverpool.
Leicester - On street next to ground.
Norwich - coach park away from ground.
Villa - On street next to ground.
Chelsea - On street not connected to club.
West Ham - somewhere in Kent!

Should also mention Birmingham who have secure park and Millwall who lock you in.
But none that I can recall, can get 50 coaches on the road and moving within 30 minutes.

 

[timbha]

The club’s made a rod for its own back by subsidising ST in the first place. There was no obligation to, the subsidising of trains, regular buses and providing park n ride kept BHCC happy.

Take something away and some will always be disgruntled.

I wonder if the Albion gave ST the subsidiary because it was a “start up” business, ok it ran coach to theatres but nothing on this scale, and needed to be able to price competitively. NOw it’s established it should be able to stand on its own two feet.

 

[drew]

Falmer Stadium in 20 years.



Dodger Stadium in Chavez Ravine by The City Project, on Flickr

Thank God. I'm not paying that ****ing travel subsidy via my season ticket any more

I can only assume everyone turns up on their own in their own car!

 

[The Oldman]

In these days of combating climate change it does seem odd that BHA does not encourage folk to arrive by coaches and buses (Seagull travel uses both), whilst it subsidises people to drive in cars to P & R sites. Surely they should back coach and bus travel to the Amex rather than cars?

Also PB seemed to justify the removal of the subsidy to ST because it was a commercial business. So what are Southern rail, B & H buses, Stagecoach?

 

[RexCathedra]

This is America, dammit.

One man, one car.
One hour each way.
Burning hydrocarbons.
All as God intended

 

[drew]

COACH PARKING
Man City - forget
Man Utd - on site, secure as well.
Liverpool - on street. Not connected to club.
Burnley - forget
Spurs - on street. Not connected to club. Wembley charged £80
Arsenal - On street next to ground.
B'muf - club car park.
Palace - On street next to ground.
Everton - same as Liverpool.
Leicester - On street next to ground.
Norwich - coach park away from ground.
Villa - On street next to ground.
Chelsea - On street not connected to club.
West Ham - somewhere in Kent!

Should also mention Birmingham who have secure park and Millwall who lock you in.
But none that I can recall, can get 50 coaches on the road and moving within 30 minutes.

Thanks for the list. However, those where there is street parking, I assume you can't just roll up in your coach and park. You must have to register somewhere and I wonder if the local authority make a charge?

 

[amexer]

Thanks for the list. However, those where there is street parking, I assume you can't just roll up in your coach and park. You must have to register somewhere and I wonder if the local authority make a charge?

The Goldstone and Withdean had like above list had dozens of roads where one could be dropped off and collected. This is near on impossible at Amex so club has to to do everything to assist supporters to get there. Hence £50pa added to tickets

 

[Springal]

In these days of combating climate change it does seem odd that BHA does not encourage folk to arrive by coaches and buses (Seagull travel uses both), whilst it subsidises people to drive in cars to P & R sites. Surely they should back coach and bus travel to the Amex rather than cars?

I really don’t see the argument for the club giving money’s to a private, profit making organisation that runs coaches? Why can’t ST subsidise it? Or why can’t passengers pay a fair rate for their transport?

The bus + train travel we get is phenomenal and more than enough.

 

[Is it PotG?]

I only have a ST on the premise that I don't have to pay for travel.

Back in the morning, it's going back in the morning.

 

[dazzer6666]

I really don’t see the argument for the club giving money’s to a private, profit making organisation that runs coaches? Why can’t ST subsidise it? Or why can’t passengers pay a fair rate for their transport?

The bus + train travel we get is phenomenal and more than enough.

Exactly

 

[Bozza]

I really don’t see the argument for the club giving money’s to a private, profit making organisation that runs coaches? Why can’t ST subsidise it? Or why can’t passengers pay a fair rate for their transport?

The bus + train travel we get is phenomenal and more than enough.

My argument would be that our ticket price includes a compulsory levy for the transport system in place that allows us to all get to and from the Amex on matchdays. If a fan is not using public transport and is not using park and ride, why can't their portion of the subsidy be used to offset part of the price of using the relatively clean and sustainable transport option of Seagull Travel?

Every time I get on a Seagull Travel coach my name is checked off against a list of known passengers that are going to be using that service on that matchday, therefore ST will know exactly how many passengers are going to be using their network of coaches.

I'm in complete agreement with your other point though - to have train travel from Worthing included with my season ticket is fantastic, and I use it for most games.

 

[Invicta]

I am sorry that is not possible and if you can show me proof this statement came from club I will write them. My figures may not be accurate but assume ST take 4000 supporters and supporters club coaches 500. If club is saying this is costing them £1m this is crap. Over £200 per person you are joking.
If the £1m is what they pay out overall including train/buses thats not bad after collecting £1.5m from add ons to tickets. Do think we need some accurate figures from club because until they do I see it as just another income raiser. Sorry but income gone from £25 to £150m in 3 years there can be no justification for any supporter cost increases
The ground is in the sticks and should make it easier not harder for all supporters to get to. I feel strongly about this because heard last week elderly relatives from Hangleton say as they cannot afford the increase they are going to get bus into Hove and then get I think no 26.. Madness and feel I cant see this happen so a few of us will chip in to get there ST tickets.

Seagull travel coach from the Grenadier in Hangleton is £6.50 per game return, same as last season. Not sure if a season ticket price has gone up.

 

[Acker79]

My argument would be that our ticket price includes a compulsory levy for the transport system in place that allows us to all get to and from the Amex on matchdays. If a fan is not using public transport and is not using park and ride, why can't their portion of the subsidy be used to offset part of the price of using the relatively clean and sustainable transport option of Seagull Travel?

Every time I get on a Seagull Travel coach my name is checked off against a list of known passengers that are going to be using that service on that matchday, therefore ST will know exactly how many passengers are going to be using their network of coaches.

I'm in complete agreement with your other point though - to have train travel from Worthing included with my season ticket is fantastic, and I use it for most games.

Doesn't that open the door to people who walk or cycle demanding something for their contributions when they don't use the public transport option? Free shoes or contribution to new shoes due to the wear and tear of all that walking perhaps.

 

[Garage_Doors]

I live in the immediate catchment area and like many others pay a private firm £5 to take me to and from the ground, why? because the P&R bus does not have the flexibility it could have i.e. a simple stop in Woodingdean. I am sure same occurs for other locations.

ST have a bus that stop in several places in Woodingdean.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

But that is the problem. They cant determine who uses the travel subsidy or not, the users of the trains and buses are not counted or listed.
Its all or nothing.
I would imagine the club have agreed a set figure to pay to the train and bus operators, regardless of the numbers.

We pay in advance for season tickets on these external buses. There are lists out there, they just have to ask these companies. It's really not difficult. It just comes down to them not wanting to give such ticket holders a lower price when they're not using that subsidy. In simple terms, you get those lists, you issue those people with a different coloured ST and give them a reduced price. They then can't use the free subsidised transport.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Doesn't that open the door to people who walk or cycle demanding something for their contributions when they don't use the public transport option? Free shoes or contribution to new shoes due to the wear and tear of all that walking perhaps.

It does, but surely this should be an opt-in or opt-out situation. People opt-in for the subsidy in advance and get one colour of ST, or they opt-out in advance and get another. Really, in terms of logistics this is really, really simple to sort.

What it really opens the club up to is losing money (albeit a small amount proportionately) and that's what they're not keen to do.