[Albion] Special Buses: Negotiations Ongoing with Alternative Bus Co + "supporter contributiion"

[Guinness Boy]

You know why I have not been an active fan longer, it was not by choice, f'off about that. You enjoy seeing fans bitching constantly? People have a valid reason to complain about extra money to pay but this thing about PR is total bollocks.

No it isn't. This came a day after the club ninja edited, without consultation, their own charter to match what they were doing for the Newport game. If you're comfortable with that fine but having seen what happened when club articles were changed in the 90s I'm not. This one incident would be unremarkable on it's own but the club's communication has been woeful since GP first talked about 'hitting the roof'. Season tickets have also been sold under false information.

And the fact you don't go is relevant no matter what the reason - it means these decisions affect you less and you are far less likely to get annoyed over them.

 

[Dave the OAP]

I'm sure in the next couple of years it will end up something like this:

- Travel costs removed from the Season Ticket completely and match day tickets.
- P&R - You pay in cash for a return ticket to get onto the Bus
- Rail - Pay for your own ticket
- Special matchday Buses - You pay a return ticket when getting on the Bus.

I agree the travel costs will be removed, but the st I think will not go down.

I think that a lot of what is happening now will be reviewed as the season goes on...the trouble is that it will possibly be a catch 22... In that if it's a season like last year and we are up there, then finances will be good extra beer etc, but customer expectation will be we need to push on by buying players....but if we are not doing brilliantly, crowds will drop off and therefore income will do too...leading to people wanting spending on new players.

It will be a very interesting season and I am looking forward to it immensely.

 

[supaseagull]

Season tickets have also been sold under false information.

and that is the crux of the matter.

 

[Hillian1]

and that is the crux of the matter.

It's OK, they'll alter the Club Charter to suit.

 

[Gazwag]

I've said it before but the train should only be free between Brighton and Falmer as that is the part that is impossible to check tickets. The TOCs can protect their own revenue outwith that area.

Why, because the uber fans live in Brighton so they deserve free travel

 

[Gazwag]

Fair to say Seagull Travel have done pretty well out of the move to the Amex!

Same it true for Piglets and Harveys though, right place at the right time to make their fortune

 

[Hillian1]

Why, because the uber fans live in Brighton so they deserve free travel

I have to say, the subsidised travel for me is a winner, it would cost me 121 quid by train for 23 games from Burgess Hill so it's under half price.

I wish they'd get rid of it altogether, I'd buy a season ticket on the coach and save the aggro of the rattler.

 

[El Turi]

Special Buses: Negotiations Ongoing with Alternative Bus Co + "supporter contri

I think one thing this will cause is a massive increase in the number of people getting a lift to the ground. It's what I'll be looking to do more most games now as I'm not prepared to pay an extra £75 to get the R bus replacement.

 

[8ace]

Special Buses: Negotiations Ongoing with Alternative Bus Co + "supporter contri

In terms of the mechanics of checking tickets I totally agree. But then you're up against the whole 'sustainable transport' idea which said that if train tickets from Haywards Heath etc are 'free' then people will use the train as opposed to driving. Is it time to revisit that, or is that an inalienable part of the Planning Permission?

Would everyone drive if there is nowhere to park and major traffic jams

 

[The Large One]

EXACTLY what I was about to post in response to Martin and TLO.

It doesn't answer my question at all. In fact, it misses the point.

The club is not responsible for information given out by a separate party - irrespective of whether they have a working business arrangement.

 

[ROSM]

I think one thing this will cause is a massive increase in the number of people getting a lift to the ground. It's what I'll be looking to do more most games now as I'm not prepared to pay an extra £75 to get the R bus replacement.

What people may be missing in the rush to discuss having a defined seat is that there were 4 buses doing the r route last year. They did two circuits each and the biggest was a 90 seater and the smallest was a 58 seater. This means that if coaches are used by seagull travel at 50 seats each it will need 10 of them or 5 doing 2 routes. If its buses, do you book on the 5.15 or 5.55 one if they still do 2 routes.

I cant wait to see the detail!

 

[Hillian1]

What people may be missing in the rush to discuss having a defined seat is that there were 4 buses doing the r route last year. They did two circuits each and the biggest was a 90 seater and the smallest was a 58 seater. This means that if coaches are used by seagull travel at 50 seats each it will need 10 of them or 5 doing 2 routes. If its buses, do you book on the 5.15 or 5.55 one if they still do 2 routes.

I cant wait to see the detail!

But it won't have to, because I doubt hardly anyone will pay the £75.00 extra.

 

[studio150]

Announced but as yet no details on times or full list of pick up points or cost. But from £75 (or £125 if you include the £50 on the ST) which is at least £5.43 per league game, against no additional cost (?) on the train, and still no cost(?) on B&H scheduled services or P&R. so it seems to come down to a guaranteed seat and time against lower cost and the need to queue.

Will wait and see what the full routes are, if we can get a bus which goes start over the by-pass rather than round the houses as the H & S did on return journeys may be worth the extra.

 

[ROSM]

But it won't have to, because I doubt hardly anyone will pay the £75.00 extra.

You may well be right. There was already a service that went from peacehaven, saltdean, rottingdean and woodingdean. I caught it a few times. I also used to decide on the morning whether to use the r bus or park and ride. How easy is it to book seagull travel on the morning (rhetorical question!).

So unless I plan in advance and pay for it, I will likely use the less environmentally friendly park and ride.

 

[Guinness Boy]

It doesn't answer my question at all. In fact, it misses the point.

The club is not responsible for information given out by a separate party - irrespective of whether they have a working business arrangement.

I think if you are in negotiations with another party then almost the first thing you do is ask them not to release the results until the entire matter was resolved. It's amateurish.

 

[ROSM]

It doesn't answer my question at all. In fact, it misses the point.

The club is not responsible for information given out by a separate party - irrespective of whether they have a working business arrangement.

But the club should have a 'what if' plan in their comms approach. All too often they don't.

 

[Rookie]

Same it true for Piglets and Harveys though, right place at the right time to make their fortune

Absolutely, not having a go at them (use their service for some away games) was just commenting how they have done very well out of the stadium. Good luck to them

 

[CheeseRolls]

Delighted there is a proposed new service starting from Shoreham Beach.

Overjoyed that a whole host of people have lost their justification for leaving the game early. (This will even benefit those who genuinely need to leave early)

I am expecting the pre booked service to be organised so that us Shoreham folk don't have to tour every housing estate from Patcham through to Mile Oak and that folk in Hangleton don't have to watch full buses sailing past.

I am waiting to see the full details before deciding on bus or train or a combination for next season.

 

[Brovion]

Would everyone drive if there is nowhere to park and major traffic jams

Some would definitely. If nothing else people might drive to Brighton and take their chances, maybe to get on your 'free' train. One thing though - if the team struggle people will think "Stuff that, I'm not doing this shit journey to watch that load of rubbish"

 

[thony]

I think one thing this will cause is a massive increase in the number of people getting a lift to the ground. It's what I'll be looking to do more most games now as I'm not prepared to pay an extra £75 to get the R bus replacement.

If you mean getting a lift with someone who'll be going anyway: Result!
Car-sharing means less traffic. So this must be a fantastic decision by the club, then!

If you mean getting your wife to make a special trip just to drop you off (as my wife used to do before the ground capacity was increased and the traffic became less manageable): Problem.
More people doing this means more matchday traffic. So this must be a terrible decision by the club, then!

I also suspect more people will put up with the regular buses, even if it means a slightly longer journey time or a little bit of a walk.
In my case, travelling from Hollingbury, I already gave up on the Special Buses (due to inconsistency and long wait times after the match), and stuck with the 26/24 (ie, no. 26 goes past my door, then the bus changes its number to 24 at Asda and carries on down to Lewes Road). This will still be free according to the B&H Buses website. So that's a single bus down to Hikers Rest then a 15-minute walk to the ground (shorter than I'd originally feared before trying the 24), as opposed to a 10-minute walk to the special bus stop and going direct to the ground in that (if/when it eventually turns up) and concerns about the long queues after the match when I reverse the journey.

Of course, those with a significant difference in journey times might have more of a gripe. In their situation, I would have hoped for more of a token "contribution", such as £1 per match or £10-£15 per season, to deter those that could use other buses (or walk) from filling up the service.