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

[martyn20]

Albion vs Millwall - Two adults in West Lower with special bus = £95.50

No thanks.

How much of that is the special bus, sorry I don't understand the figure

 

[Ernest]

Southern Railway run an extra shuttle train between Brighton & Lewes on match days but don't charge extra for it. There were extra buses laid on when we played at Withdean but weren't charged for them.

Exactly, buses parked up on London Road and several shuttle trains at Preston Park in the Withdean years. Just smacks of the club trying to make money out of it.

 

[BensGrandad]

It seems a little hard on some but I have been paying to get to all Brighton games since 1946 or my parents did so cannot realy understand the problem now. It is still less in cost and quicker than I paid to go to Gillingham.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Exactly, buses parked up on London Road and several shuttle trains at Preston Park in the Withdean years. Just smacks of the club trying to make money out of it.

Even though the losses on subsidising the transport is north of £1M per season ?

 

[supaseagull]

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

Basically you've got it in one. The Special buses will still run but the club is not prepared to prop up the shortfall between the transport levy and actual cost of providing the service. What is currently unknown is the number of former passengers migrating to regular buses serving Falmer , using the train or P&R instead , using their own vehicle , car sharing , staying at home etc etc.

If that's the case, the fans shouldn't be expected to cover the shortfall of what it could have earnt on the basis that the club didn't maximise it's profitability when first opening the stadium?

We were told that to run effectively, the club would need to have gates of over 15,000 to break even....

We were also told that the volumes of alcohol, pies and other merchandise sold by the club and its partners exceeded all expectations by over 200%

Therefore would someone mind telling me, that on the basis we have far exceeded all sales of all items, why the f@@@ are we ring expected to cover a shortfall on transport costs, when the CLUB have made a mistake ?

 

[fosters headband]

It seems a little hard on some but I have been paying to get to all Brighton games since 1946 or my parents did so cannot realy understand the problem now. It is still less in cost and quicker than I paid to go to Gillingham.

Did we pay the club a transport levy during all that time on top of your costs?

 

[APACHE]

So really the club is saying you've got the travel zone services, the same as everyone else, but not the extra that they were paying for as a goodwill gesture and now can't afford. So if you want it you'll have to pay for it as it's really an extra service.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It seems a little hard on some but I have been paying to get to all Brighton games since 1946 or my parents did so cannot realy understand the problem now. It is still less in cost and quicker than I paid to go to Gillingham.

Not everybody is well off. I'm at my limit with finances now, in the cheap area of the north stand, cutting back on away games. I just wonder how many more seasons I can go if prices continue to rise. Football is great but when it boils down to it, it's just a great hobby.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

So really the club is saying you've got the travel zone services, the same as everyone else, but not the extra that they were paying for as a goodwill gesture and now can't afford. So if you want it you'll have to pay for it as it's really an extra service.

Public transport and extra bus services are part of the planning permission. There were extra buses at Withdean (as stated above) now the club want us to pay extra for it, on top of the £50 travel levy already on the season tickets.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

How much of that is the special bus, sorry I don't understand the figure

£9.50 for two. Millwall is a category A game so tickets in WSL are £42 a head according to ticket site.

Obviously that is the maximum price payable.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

If that's the case, the fans shouldn't be expected to cover the shortfall of what it could have earnt on the basis that the club didn't maximise it's profitability when first opening the stadium?

We were told that to run effectively, the club would need to have gates of over 15,000 to break even....

We were also told that the volumes of alcohol, pies and other merchandise sold by the club and its partners exceeded all expectations by over 200%

Therefore would someone mind telling me, that on the basis we have far exceeded all sales of all items, why the f@@@ are we ring expected to cover a shortfall on transport costs, when the CLUB have made a mistake ?

I understand the break even figure of 15,000 attendances was based on the stadium only costing £54M to build , what nobody knew at the time was the price of steel going through the roof and construction costs rocketing. Shall we ask Tony to demolish The Amex so we can build a 8,000 capacity stadium at Withdean ?

 

[Bra]

It seems a little hard on some but I have been paying to get to all Brighton games since 1946 or my parents did so cannot realy understand the problem now. It is still less in cost and quicker than I paid to go to Gillingham.

Like most I have been paying to get to games for longer than I care to remember and currently pay the transport levy and for parking at the uni since my father is disabled. The club are now asking for some to pay a reduced cost for transport outside the free area. Previously it cost the club circa 1.3m according to this thread to meet transport costs. As unpopular as view is I dont think thd club had much choice.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Ok give those fans their transport levy back.

But the transport levy is for the park and ride Shirley?

 

[fosters headband]

Even though the losses on subsidising the transport is north of £1M per season ?

How about we make people travelling by train from places like Haywards Heath, Worthing and Eastbourne pay a little more then, other than the transport levy, compared with with someone who comes a stones throw away in Woodingdean, who's costs now are £76 a season, plus a transport levy. That seems wrong to me.

 

[martyn20]

But the transport levy is for the park and ride Shirley?

The levy covers buses, trains and Seagulls Travel coaches

 

[fosters headband]

But the transport levy is for the park and ride Shirley?

Where was that stated?

 

[Dave the OAP]

I understand the break even figure of 15,000 attendances was based on the stadium only costing £54M to build , what nobody knew at the time was the price of steel going through the roof and construction costs rocketing. Shall we ask Tony to demolish The Amex so we can build a 8,000 capacity stadium at Withdean ?

What are you on about? Tb has said he has covered the cost of the stadium in a share issue...so as we are not paying any payback fees, interest etc, then the 15,000 should e the same...ok we have extra seats to steward etc but our on costs would remain about the same, especially as we have just made 18 staff redundant in the offices.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Where was that stated?

It isn't, it just seems logical that it would be!

 

[Spun Cuppa]

The levy covers buses, trains and Seagulls Travel coaches

The club are obviously arguing otherwise...

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

How about we make people travelling by train from places like Haywards Heath, Worthing and Eastbourne pay a little more then, other than the transport levy, compared with with someone who comes a stones throw away in Woodingdean, who's costs now are £76 a season, plus a transport levy. That seems wrong to me.

I agree with you , fans travelling down from HH are being subsidised the most , those travelling over from Eastbourne still have to pay for the journey between EB and Lewes.