Paul Barber speaks out on bus price increase etc

[brightn'ove]

So if you join up to this extra service, you are essentially paying £5.40 per game to travel. That is more expensive than any train ticket or bus saver from the local area. So you aren't just paying a bigger contribution, you are paying more than the cost.

 

[Simster]

Clearly it is totally unacceptable to increase travel costs AFTER selling season tickets on the basis that those people thought their transport costs were paid for.

And the club don't want to "subsidise" fans transport costs any more? Well that doesn't wash with me. It's as short sighted as Dr Beeching and his branch line cuts. Fans understand the need to pay for travel, but won't stomach persistent increases all the while players are being paid silly money.

People may well start cancelling season tickets if they feel they are being fleeced, and any businessman will tell you that it is much harder to get pissed-off customers to come back than to look after your existing customers.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

So if you join up to this extra service, you are essentially paying £5.40 per game to travel. That is more expensive than any train ticket or bus saver from the local area. So you aren't just paying a bigger contribution, you are paying more than the cost.

Then you should use an existing service.If that is inconvenient then use one of the Seagull travel buses. It'll cost more but then you are paying for the convenience.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

So if you join up to this extra service, you are essentially paying £5.40 per game to travel. That is more expensive than any train ticket or bus saver from the local area. So you aren't just paying a bigger contribution, you are paying more than the cost.

You are paying the actual cost to use the service because the club are not stumping up the shortfall , you still have the choice to use alternatives which are covered by the transport levy or purchase your own bus/train ticket if it works out cheaper.

 

[Driver8]

Surely the simplest thing is to scrap the travel subsidy, knock a couple if quid off the ticket price, and everyone pays their own way.

I'm sure P&R season tickets, train "matchday only" season tickets etc aren't beyond the various suppliers. Seagulls Travel and NWSS already do either season passes or per match tickets.

If people are going to try and get the train without a ticket then that is for the train company to police. Whenever I have been to Old Trafford they check tickets for the tram station without too much difficulty.

 

[supaseagull]

Surely the simplest thing is to scrap the travel subsidy, knock a couple if quid off the ticket price, and everyone pays their own way.

I'm sure P&R season tickets, train "matchday only" season tickets etc aren't beyond the various suppliers. Seagulls Travel and NWSS already do either season passes or per match tickets.

If people are going to try and get the train without a ticket then that is for the train company to police. Whenever I have been to Old Trafford they check tickets for the tram station without too much difficulty.

Yes, completely agree...

 

[Giraffe]

You can't argue with the measures that are being taken, but the transparency is questionable. The club obviously had these measures under consideration, if not in place, when they were selling season ticket holders so should have made that clear. The pricing should reflect that.

I think Barber is doing exactly what needs to be done, because his predecessor was clearly pissing money up the wall, but the communication of this is pretty poorly managed.

 

[Rugrat]

Surely the simplest thing is to scrap the travel subsidy, knock a couple if quid off the ticket price, and everyone pays their own way.

I'm sure P&R season tickets, train "matchday only" season tickets etc aren't beyond the various suppliers. Seagulls Travel and NWSS already do either season passes or per match tickets.

If people are going to try and get the train without a ticket then that is for the train company to police. Whenever I have been to Old Trafford they check tickets for the tram station without too much difficulty.

I agree that the travel subsidy should be scrapped but definitely NWSS get a contribution back from the club as I assume Seagulls travel do. That said I still can't understand why those who don't take advantage of the subsidy (nearby, walkers, car parks .... and now those just getting a bus from within Brighton) should be subsidising others

I've paid my ST in advance .. won't be doing so any more and will take a view next season .. any more increases will lead me to canx and do a match by match thing

 

[Syph]

Interesting read from NWT. Out of interest, how many special buses are put on for fans and how many fans need the special buses over normal travel?

 

[Driver8]

I agree that the travel subsidy should be scrapped but definitely NWSS get a contribution back from the club as I assume Seagulls travel do.

So they (Albion) drop the ticket prices by a couple of quid in lieu of the loss of travel subsidy and NWSS put theirs up by the same amount to make up for the loss of subsidy.

 

[Dave the OAP]

So they (Albion) drop the ticket prices by a couple of quid in lieu of the loss of travel subsidy and NWSS put theirs up by the same amount to make up for the loss of subsidy.

What about those of us who never use the p&r or the train/busses? We have a levy on our tickets for something we don't use!

Btw. If anyone here is a virgin member, they are clamping down on people parking there just to go to the football after member complaints. If you are not showing a valid membership badge, the stewards will not let you down the hill to the club.

 

[Buckley's Mad Eye]

Surely the simplest thing is to scrap the travel subsidy, knock a couple if quid off the ticket price, and everyone pays their own way.

I'm sure P&R season tickets, train "matchday only" season tickets etc aren't beyond the various suppliers. Seagulls Travel and NWSS already do either season passes or per match tickets.

If people are going to try and get the train without a ticket then that is for the train company to police. Whenever I have been to Old Trafford they check tickets for the tram station without too much difficulty.

This is the obvious answer, scrap the lot. We'll pay for our own buses and trains. The club could even make a couple of quid out of park and ride fares.

As for changing the club charter to suit itself....that is laughable.

 

[Driver8]

What about those of us who never use the p&r or the train/busses? We have a levy on our tickets for something we don't use!

.

See my earlier post. I'm suggesting scrapping the levy altogether so everyone pays for what they use.

 

[Rugrat]

See my earlier post. I'm suggesting scrapping the levy altogether so everyone pays for what they use.

Exactly .. as per my previous I can't think of anyone that really benefits by it now apart from Southern rail not needing to check tickets ... so pass the problem on to them, it's not for the club to worry about.

Oh and away supporters benefit by only having to buy tix to HH ... so I'm paying for them too.

Saying that, I very much doubt a return from Leeds or Brum to Falmer is any different to HH so Southern (or however rail operators work it) are getting that too

 

[Ernest]

It will be quite simple to check tickets at Falmer platform once they are extended as there will be more than one entrance, let each transport operator be responsible for collecting their own revenue and they would do it most diligently.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

What irks me (and I accept it's without any inside knowledge) is the way the club appear to be using a blunt instrument ... by that I mean go back to the same group of "customers" and load more cost on to them.

It's a very unsophisticated way of doing things ... I'm in business helping businesses manage the cost/revenue equation and there are so many more things I think the club can do.

I've seen statements such as "progressing on developing more Commercial relationships/deals" but apart from the main sponsor change (fairly obvious really) I've seen nothing much at all that suggests they are either trying too hard or have a great deal of nous about what they are doing

Rant over!!

I agree with your comment about the lack of sophistication. Barber came with a bit of a fanfare and much talk about his ability and commercial contacts. Surely it does not take much talent to increase prices and sign up an existing sponsor? My main concern though, is that goodwill, a valuable commodity which will help you through the lean times, is being eroded.

 

[Ernest]

I agree with your comment about the lack of sophistication. Barber came with a bit of a fanfare and much talk about his ability and commercial contacts. Surely it does not take much talent to increase prices and sign up an existing sponsor? My main concern though, is that goodwill, a valuable commodity which will help you through the lean times, is being eroded.

That is the thing, what has Barber done really ? Put up prices, made a pigs ear of sacking the manager and now starting to alienate the supporters. Not exactly a success

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Then you should use an existing service.If that is inconvenient then use one of the Seagull travel buses. It'll cost more but then you are paying for the convenience.

Or do as I will be doing ( and I suspect others ) - cut back on going to the football.

 

[Ernest]

Or do as I will be doing ( and I suspect others ) - cut back on going to the football.

Make it harder for people to get to the ground will make it harder to fill all those lovely new seats, not everyone is capable of catching 2/3 buses or the train and the special buses worked fine and were well used which is why Barber is now taxing the users

 

[Rugrat]

I agree with your comment about the lack of sophistication. Barber came with a bit of a fanfare and much talk about his ability and commercial contacts. Surely it does not take much talent to increase prices and sign up an existing sponsor? My main concern though, is that goodwill, a valuable commodity which will help you through the lean times, is being eroded.

That is the thing, what has Barber done really ? Put up prices, made a pigs ear of sacking the manager and now starting to alienate the supporters. Not exactly a success

If it were Sainsburys you'd be making the switch to Tesco now but it's not quite as easy and it's beginning to feel a little like exploitation. I suspect the ST sales next year could dip quite considerably assuming we don't make promotion.

I know Bloom is a gambler but I hope he's not letting Barber play his hand without understanding the risk ... something every good poker player knows in excruciating detail