[Albion] Mill road P&R

[Bozza]

I was home in Eastbourne by 4.20. Good old Seagulls Travel.

Likewise in Worthing.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Today was the first time I've ever used the bridge car park, and only because my Saints fan friends picked me up on the way.
Stopped for a couple of beers in Dicks and then walked down there and saw the queues. We were amazed we were out really quickly.
Wouldn't want that to be my mode of transport every week though

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Mill Road P + R is great. But then I arrive within 10 or 15 minutes of it opening. Last season they had a 'Queue Nazi' who managed it like the Stalag 13 queue for breakfast! Luckily the smiley girls are back with their usual organiser and the 'Queue Nazi' has been relegated to the Walk and Riders at the top. She still delays the bus for 10 minutes as she stalks up and down trying to force one more on board. Mind you, I didn't realise it is the Walk and Riders who are now clogging up the system for the car users.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Mill road was really, really poor today, over an hour and a half from parking there to the stadium.

I was told by the very nice lady who has been working there since the Withdean days it was because there were only 5 busses instead if 8

After the game, I asked about this to the steward at the stadium who said they had the full compliment of busses.

So many people now walking to and using the Park and ride,and joining the queues both top and bottom, that the system needslooking at.

So many little things could be implemented to improve the transport system, but I'm afraid the club aren't interested.

 

[Jam The Man]

I would say I’ve used Mill Rd for all bar about 10 of the matches we’ve played since we started using it...1999.
Today was the first time ever that I couldn’t get in, due to it being full at 1135ish.

Fair do’s it being full early due to whatever reason, but the absolute carnage from the A23 roundabout right up the hill to the flyover was horrendous. It’s a shame there isn’t some sort of electronic signage along the way that could’ve stopped a lot of the traffic trying to get through when there was no hope. It took me another hour to get to the race course and claim one of the last spaces there. Tremendous fun!

 

[spence]

I would say I’ve used Mill Rd for all bar about 10 of the matches we’ve played since we started using it...1999.
Today was the first time ever that I couldn’t get in, due to it being full at 1135ish.

Fair do’s it being full early due to whatever reason, but the absolute carnage from the A23 roundabout right up the hill to the flyover was horrendous. It’s a shame there isn’t some sort of electronic signage along the way that could’ve stopped a lot of the traffic trying to get through when there was no hope. It took me another hour to get to the race course and claim one of the last spaces there. Tremendous fun!

Wow. that must have been fun. Mill Road was full up for me also. and so i simply parked elsewhere . Only a minute away

 

[tubby]

I park in King George VI Avenue and walk across to Mill Road and being there at 11am had no problems. However having had a beer and waiting my customary 30 minutes after the game before leaving I had to queue for40 minutes to get the bus when I am normally on a bus within 10 minutes. I don't believe it was due to more people using it. I am more inclined to believe there were less buses.

 

[Driver8]

Mill road was really, really poor today, over an hour and a half from parking there to the stadium.

I was told by the very nice lady who has been working there since the Withdean days it was because there were only 5 busses instead if 8

After the game, I asked about this to the steward at the stadium who said they had the full compliment of busses.

So many people now walking to and using the Park and ride,and joining the queues both top and bottom, that the system needslooking at.

So many little things could be implemented to improve the transport system, but I'm afraid the club aren't interested.

I would have thought ticketing the Mill Road P&R like the Sainsbury’s one to limit numbers would help. Loads of people now seem to park elsewhere and walk to Mill Road which isn’t what it was designed for.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

I park in King George VI Avenue and walk across to Mill Road and being there at 11am had no problems. However having had a beer and waiting my customary 30 minutes after the game before leaving I had to queue for40 minutes to get the bus when I am normally on a bus within 10 minutes. I don't believe it was due to more people using it. I am more inclined to believe there were less buses.

fewer buses

 

[portlock seagull]

I would have thought ticketing the Mill Road P&R like the Sainsbury’s one to limit numbers would help. Loads of people now seem to park elsewhere and walk to Mill Road which isn’t what it was designed for.

And this is why the club needs to review and not keep burying head in the sand - fans should not need to turn up 2hrs before KO to make a 3 mile ‘last leg’ journey. Or 3hrs if you want to be absolutely sure of a car parking place. Its not “park and ride” these days, it’s “hope & screwed”. The vast majority of fans travelling by car because they have no other realistic means of getting to game come from the north or west of Falmer, and Mill Road is just inadequate. Has been since we opened but even more now.

 

[tigertim68]

I would have thought ticketing the Mill Road P&R like the Sainsbury’s one to limit numbers would help. Loads of people now seem to park elsewhere and walk to Mill Road which isn’t what it was designed for.

Who said people could not walk to the Mill Road And use it ? What they need is more buses and to ease the congestion on the A27 on match days ,

 

[trueblue]

Presumably Mill Road wasn’t helped by a larger number of away fans than usual driving to the game? Who’d want to trust the trains along the coast on a Sunday when it’s such an easy trip. And as away fans arrive early, that’d explain it filling up so quickly. It does feel currently that for all the club’s efforts, the park and rides particularly are not sufficient. The number of buses has always been inadequate I think

 

[tinx]

Having parked in Bridge car park for the past few years, we have learnt that spending an hour at the ground after the final whistle is the best way, time for a drink watch the highlights have a wander round the club shop and then stroll down to the car park. By then the car park is usually clear and normally pretty much drive straight out. yesterday it took quite a bit longer and we drove out under the bridge at 4:40, an hour and 20 minutes after the game.

Thats pretty poor TBH but we're used to it by now.

 

[studio150]

I don't use Mill Road P+R as I travel on a match day bus.
However passing the top of Mill Road just after noon I was surprised by the much larger queue which would have been mostly walk ups.
I suspect this was a combination of Sunday game, lunchtime kick off, replacement bus service from Three Bridges down and dry weather. Plus fewer buses given comments earlier in the thread.

I would suggest that this combination is the main reason particularly the lack of trains from the north.

 

[Driver8]

Who said people could not walk to the Mill Road And use it ? What they need is more buses and to ease the congestion on the A27 on match days ,

I said it wasn’t what it was designed for. The number of buses provided are presumably based on car spaces available and average car occupancy. Others turning up who either live locally or park elsewhere then walk are putting additional pressure on the buses and leads to bigger queues, especially after the game.

The answer is either more busses or limit users by ticketing.

 

[BNthree]

I would have thought ticketing the Mill Road P&R like the Sainsbury’s one to limit numbers would help. Loads of people now seem to park elsewhere and walk to Mill Road which isn’t what it was designed for.

Also locals use it as walk & ride service so a lot more people riding in the buses than turn up in the cars. Don't think that is a bad thing just think the transport planners for the club need to take it into account.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I told lots of people from Southampton about Mill Road being the best option, but that it also filled up early.

We were camping in Brighton this weekend, so we drove up to the Racecourse for P&R. Usually I would drive to Sompting and then travel in with Seagulls Travel with my brother. He used Seagulls Travel yesterday and was home before we got on a bus back to the Racecourse..... having failed to leave early to get on the first round of busses.

Seagulls Travel Coaches work!

 

[RandyWanger]

Seemed to full up a lot earlier yesterday. I arrived just about midday. Some signs before you get under the train bridge and up to the barrier would be nice. No dramas though, managed to get up to the racecourse and down tot he Amex for 1.

 

[Bozza]

It does feel currently that for all the club’s efforts, the park and rides particularly are not sufficient. The number of buses has always been inadequate I think

Isn't it more that the location and capacity of each site doesn't marry up with demand?

Mill Road seems to be full every game and often very early whilst the racecourse rarely, if ever, seems to get full.

It does feel as though something more permanent to the West is required. I know those who used Sainsbury, when it operated, seemed happy with that option.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Used Mill Road a few times and yesterday was the 'worst', but still not TOO bad. I overheard stewards apologising about the delays when we arrived, so figured something had gone wrong – that and the fact the queue was bigger than normal. Waited about 30 mins from parking to bus, which seemed OK to me. Left at the full-time whistle, ran up to the P&R queue and on a bus within about 10 minutes.

I don't think any system is going to be perfect – not just at the football, but any time you are trying to 'evacuate' more than 30,000 people from one place.