Park & Ride Advice

[Munchkin]

After the nightmare of the trains after the Gillingham game I have opted to try the park and ride tonight.

A couple of questions which I would really appreciate answers on:

1, Which park and ride site has proved the best in terms of getting away following the game ?

2, I have a book of travel vouchers, but 2 of the guys coming with me have bought there tickets on general sale and don't have vouchers, how will this work with the park and ride ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Hunting 784561]

Mithras House in the Lewes Road is shortest journey time, and not too busy either.

 

[Gordon Bennett]

Getting back to Mithras House was a bit of a shambles on Saturday - the bus stewards didn't seem to have a clue and at one point there seemed to be several different queues who all thought they were the right one! One minute we were in the middle of a queue and the next moment we were at the end of an even longer queue.

I think a lot of the problem was down to the fact that people who had used Mill Road previously and having experienced problems with that P&R decided to try an alternative option and so all tried Mithras House on Saturday!! No doubt the Race Course P&R which seemed to have minimal queues on Saturday will be mobbed this coming Saturday!!

As far as not having travel vouchers is concerned, I saw a few people being let on who didn't have vouchers and just pleaded ignorance but I expect the stewards will not allow this to happen for too much longer.

 

[Pondicherry]

Also tried Mithras on Saturday. Getting there fine - getting back was a shambles.

1. Out of stadium @ 5.00 - back to Mithras @ 5.45 - probably the same as walking.
2. When we joined the queue there were 2 double deckers sat waiting pointing in the wrong direction - steward then moved the queue to encircle the buses so they couldn't move even if they had wanted to - still no-one allowed on these buses.
3. 10 mins later steward move queue to alongside Mill Road queue so bus can turn around. Bus does 64 point turn killing several fans in the process DESPITE there being a ready built turning circle.
4. Buses are then loaded one at a time - so wasting more time. These 2 then leave - still not on bus at this point.
5. Third bus arrives pointing in wrong direction - steward uses initiative and gets bus loaded where it is and bus leaves by doing a neat turn at near the entrance to ground.
6. Fourth bus arrives - directed to near the start of the racecourse queue. This is also the back of the Mithras queue - these people are allowed on so making joining the back of the queue faster than the front.
5. Fifth bus arrives - goes for a 8 point turn in amongst the queue - despite having to remove the Mithras sign post to allow the bus around, several chidren killed duing the turn.
6. Get on this bus and leave for Mithras with a fairly big queue behind us.

I have no real problem with the number of buses or waiting but the stewards and club MUST have a plan for where people should queue and how the buses should come in, turn, load and leave.

 

[The Oldman]

Agrre with above. Mithras House P & R after game on Saturday was shambles. Thought they would have learnt lessons from the Gillingham match. Let's hope tonight they have a plan, maybe even a cunning plan like pointiing buses in the right direction.

 

[upthealbion1970]

Left wsu on final whistle on Saturday got on the bus without a queue and arrived at the racehill 5.20

 

[arewethereyet?]

Mithras defiantely the best for getting to the stadiumm but I have to agree with the previous comments that getting back on Saturday was a total shambles, the two busiest P&R with the queue's next to each other needs to be addressed. I heard all the moans and groans about the chaos going on around us which fortunately due to the gloriously sunny afternoon was tolerated, but come the cold & rain and Im sure that patience will be severly tested. With the vast amount of supporters using the travel schemes, the club needs to look at the after match dispersal of supporters urgently.

 

[Goldie0]

It would be much easier if the Mithras House P&R pick up/drop off point was near Southern Water, it would mean a short walk past Falmer school, under the bridge but the buses wouldn't have to get caught up with the traffic leaving the stadium meaning that they would be quicker.

 

[Gordon Bennett]

It would be much easier if the Mithras House P&R pick up/drop off point was near Southern Water, it would mean a short walk past Falmer school, under the bridge but the buses wouldn't have to get caught up with the traffic leaving the stadium meaning that they would be quicker.

Don't know how feasible that would be but anything that helps sort out the mess has got to be worth looking at.

The bus I was on from Mithras House on Saturday went all the way to the Lewes roundabout rather than sit in the queue at Falmer - not sure it was any quicker than sitting in the queue but it gave us all something to talk about! I don't know why they don't allow the P&R buses to use the left lane on the slip road off the A27 and then turn right at the roundabout so speeding things up on the journey to the ground - guess it needs a policeman rather than a steward to allow that to happen and to avoid chaos breaking out?

 

[arewethereyet?]

Don't know how feasible that would be but anything that helps sort out the mess has got to be worth looking at.

The bus I was on from Mithras House on Saturday went all the way to the Lewes roundabout rather than sit in the queue at Falmer - not sure it was any quicker than sitting in the queue but it gave us all something to talk about! I don't know why they don't allow the P&R buses to use the left lane on the slip road off the A27 and then turn right at the roundabout so speeding things up on the journey to the ground - guess it needs a policeman rather than a steward to allow that to happen and to avoid chaos breaking out?

Mine did to from Mithras, maybe it was the same bus ! however the slip road was unusually quiet on Saturday. However whilst on the bus for the Gillingham game waiting patiently in the right hand lane, I did notice a certain Mr LuaLua drive up the left hand lane, turn left and then wait patiently for someone to to let him go across !

 

[Rookie]

and there was me going to give Mithras a go tonight to try and avoid the queue for Mill Rd (and getting there silly early to ensure actually get to park)

 

[Badger]

1. Out of stadium @ 5.00 - back to Mithras @ 5.45 - probably the same as walking.

It's less than that if you walk, I walked all the way from near Preston Circus to the stadium on Saturday, purely to see how long it would take, and it took me just under an hour, Mithras was probably about half way.

 

[Munchkin]

So is Brighton Racecourse maybe a better option tonight ?

 

[Lush]

Park at Mithras House. If they are being tricky about vouchers on the park and ride, your mates can get a normal Brighton bus from there and pay.

Walk back to Mithras House after (about 30 mins?) unless pissing down.

 

[fozzie's headband]

I found Mithras House extremely good on Saturday - no problems whatsoever.
Left after the final whistle and was on a bus virtually straight away and back to my car at MH at 5.15pm!!

 

[The Oldman]

I found Mithras House extremely good on Saturday - no problems whatsoever.
Left after the final whistle and was on a bus virtually straight away and back to my car at MH at 5.15pm!!

Guess you were on one of the first buses to leave. It was after that the problems started. If you can get from your seat to be at the front of the q it's ok but if it takes you 5 - 10 munutes to get out of your stand you will not be at the front of the bus q.

Anyway, hopefully they will have sorted out the problems. But to have 3 buses there as on Saturday but not loading any of them for over 10 minutes then getting the 3 buses to do 3 point turns meant the q had built up which then caused chaos with the Mill Road q. If the same happens tonight then be prepared for a wait of up to 45 minutes.

 

[upthealbion1970]

So is Brighton Racecourse maybe a better option tonight ?

I have had no problems at all with the racehill p&r. My only advice is to walk up the slope next to Bennetts field car park and go up the left lane on the stairs as it's much easier than trying to cut through the masses.

 

[Colossal Squid]

I did the Racecourse P&R on Saturday and had to wait for a fair while after the game for the bus to take us back. On the plus side nobody was interested in the travel vouchers. I've been to three games at the ground so far and not paid for my travel once.

Cheeky

 

[minnieme]

I have used the Racecourse for all the games, never had a problem & got away nice & quick.

 

[virtual22]

We parked at Mithras on Saturday and would recommend getting the 25 to the stadium as it drops you off in the uni rather than having to wait on the slip road - which took ages for Gillingham. As for getting back, it was dire on Saturday, standing around because no bus is there is one thing but standing there with 3 buses waiting to be loaded and nothing happening is pretty annoying when you have the kids there as well. Really hope they sort it out soon.