[Albion] Seagull travel next season

[Ernest]

Have you watched a game on the red button

No I watch it on a TV

 

[drew]

If this does come in, how early will early leavers need to leave to beat the queue, as more people use park & ride or trains

Your assuming they won't start charging for the park and ride! If they remove the travel subsidy from ST then surely they are looking to remove it entirely. ST have been advised as they need to plan ahead but those that use P&R or rail don't need to be told until next season (or maybe when renewals are sent through!).

I can see the club announcing to a fanfare that season ticket prices are being frozen but, in the small print the travel subsidy is being removed

 

[studio150]

Your assuming they won't start charging for the park and ride! If they remove the travel subsidy from ST then surely they are looking to remove it entirely. ST have been advised as they need to plan ahead but those that use P&R or rail don't need to be told until next season (or maybe when renewals are sent through!).

I can see the club announcing to a fanfare that season ticket prices are being frozen but, in the small print the travel subsidy is being removed

Didn't think of that. Won't this mean much slower moving queues for trains and P&R , as Operators will want to check each individual ticket given they won't be getting any money directly from the club.

 

[dazzer6666]

Didn't think of that. Won't this mean much slower moving queues for trains and P&R , as Operators will want to check each individual ticket given they won't be getting any money directly from the club.

Yep....imagine every P&R car having to show their ticket or POTG, and what the stations will be like with everyone having to get a ticket and go through the barriers at Brighton and Falmer.

 

[drew]

Same for me. Very rarely use any of the included transport as I drive and then walk and not overly bothered about not getting any benefit from the options.....that’s my choice. By driving and walking I know pretty much what time I’ll get home (broadly similar to getting the train under normal circumstances as it happens).

ST seems like a bit of a ‘premium’ option for those not wanting to risk the train or P&R queues (or a good option for those that would struggle to get the train), in which case they should arguably should pay a bit more for it. I could be back at home maybe 20/30 mins earlier if I went with ST but really not bothered. I like to drive and I like the walk.

The match ticket, whether for individual match or season ticket, includes travel subsidy and ST provide a service that helps the club meet it's travel sustainability obligations so I don't see why the club should retain the subsidy element of the ticket price.

 

[father_and_son]

Brexit anticipatory increase

Let's get into Europe before we get out!

 

[catfish]

Are Seagulls Travel users the most loyal then?

There is a large travelzone with free transport available, courtesy of the club, between Eastbourne, Worthing and Haywards Heath.
Those that use Seagulls Travel do so for convenience,

I said very loyal fans, not most loyal. I live next to Worthing station so qualify for the free train travel but choose to use Seagull Travel purely for physical mobility reasons.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

The match ticket, whether for individual match or season ticket, includes travel subsidy and ST provide a service that helps the club meet it's travel sustainability obligations so I don't see why the club should retain the subsidy element of the ticket price.

All very true. But if the subsidy disappears, then I will expect a reduction in season ticket prices as we already pay way more than most.

 

[Bozza]

All very true. But if the subsidy disappears, then I will expect a reduction in season ticket prices as we already pay way more than most.

From the supporters' charter:

TRAVEL LEVY
A Travel Levy of £50 per season, per adult, for 19 league games will be applied to all season ticket holders.

The concession levy is £25 for under-21s, under-18s and over-65s. There will also be a levy added to 2018/19 league matchday ticket prices for both home and away fans.

The benefit to all ticket holders will be inclusive, subsidised bus or train travel within the dedicated zone, subsidised coach travel across all the various coach operators or use of the Club’s park & ride scheme. Subsidised travel for cup and friendly matches will be decided on a game by game basis.

 

[chaileyjem]

Put the coffee up 20p and people will go mad.

they reduced the coffee (and tea/bovril) by 30p earlier this season post flaskgate and i don't think anybody noticed.

 

[drew]

All very true. But if the subsidy disappears, then I will expect a reduction in season ticket prices as we already pay way more than most.

That would be nice but don't hold your breath.

 

[DavidRyder]

£2 per game sounds more like a modest inflation-linked increase ?

The email stated there would likely be an inflation increase on top, so about £50 a month.

£2 might not sound much extra per game, but when I pay up front, it will seem a big hit in the wallet. Not Seagull Travel's fault, I think they are a great service, and I'm sure I'll renew.

 

[Gazwag]

Maybe its a way to get those on the waiting list a better chance to get their ST as they will probably be the ones who will spend more on food and drink than those current STH's who use cheaper options nowadays.

 

[Official Old Man]

Is this the start of the end of the travel subsidy?
I'm a season ticket holder for both club and travel but live within the subsidy area (Uckfield) and so could catch the 29 bus in. To be honest, it's purely convenience that I use the coach. But £15 for a trip within the free travel zone?
But if I continue to use the coach can I claim back my travel subsidy that the club are charging me?
If anyone takes the time to watch who comes off the coaches they'll notice that the average age is about 55 and I'd guess 75% are season ticket holders and very loyal fans.
As for the coach park. The Amex is one of only a very few grounds with parking so close to the ground. Are they going to change this and do away with the parking which could make life fun?
Most of the stewards in the coach park have Seagulls Travel tops on, are their wages paid by the club or ST?
I've just got a bad feeling about this.
Will the time come when 30600 fans cant be found for every home game and the club start to think again about skimming every penny they can from us loyal fans?

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Are you sure?
Have you tried using Southern Fail? Or the park & ride when the buses break down?

There’s plenty of folk who make a big effort to get to games. Booking a single form of transport door to door is far from making an effort in my book.

I accept the cost bit, though. It’s the part that stops me “making the effort”!

Yep, both. I'm talking about making the effort to come from further away. We've tried the park and ride which is a shambles, all of the car parks which are an expensive shambles (particularly in weekday games), and we've tried finding local drives to park on. All of these caused an issue.

I can't knock the service of ST or NWS (I use NWS mainly), but it's a costly way to get to games. Putting the cost up, considering we're often amongst the groups who travel furthest to games, seems incredibly harsh.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Maybe its a way to get those on the waiting list a better chance to get their ST as they will probably be the ones who will spend more on food and drink than those current STH's who use cheaper options nowadays.

You mean the Chelsea and Man Utd fans in our supporter base?

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

You don't realise how lucky you are with the travelling aspect

Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk

Probably compared to coming from Devon...

 

[Thunder Bolt]

You mean the Chelsea and Man Utd fans in our supporter base?

What a strange thing to post. I've only seen that from Palace trolls previously. Please note, I am not accusing you of being a Palace troll.

 

[Weststander]

Are you sure?
Have you tried using Southern Fail? Or the park & ride when the buses break down?

There’s plenty of folk who make a big effort to get to games. Booking a single form of transport door to door is far from making an effort in my book.

I accept the cost bit, though. It’s the part that stops me “making the effort”!

Have used the park n rides since the Amex opened, without any bus breakdowns.

 

[Beanstalk]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but Seagull's Travel is the only subsidized way of getting to the ground that isn't free. Though it is mentioned (briefly) in the fan guide, it isn't mentioned in the club's access guide. https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/siteassets/201718-images/pdfs/access-guide-201718-sep17---print.pdf

Maybe it is as simple as the club streamlining their offer to avoid any confusion. If they want to explicitly say that the travel levy provides free transport, they cannot whilst subsidizing Seagull's travel. Perhaps, the club have simply decided to no longer have Seagull's Travel as an "official partner" thus excluding them from the subsidy.

On a personal note however, I would say that those who are travelling across Sussex to the game have it very lucky. My journey from London is relatively easy, but know and have met, many who come from further afield week in week out and the subsidy makes a real difference to the travel cost.