The "dreadful" transport situation - a poll

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

On saturday they were sending half empty trains to brighton again, this was at about 17:45 and they were holding loads of people back

Yup, I got caught up in that also. Trains were indeed leaving half-empty. I complained to the bloke on the platform and he directed me to his big boss on the bridge. I asked him why they were letting half-empty trains leave the station and he said the trains had to run on time. Which is fair enough. And, yes, it was partially due to people not moving to the back of the train. But the railway staff could do much more to say where the back end of the next train in will actually be, have a bloke with a big GolfSale-type sign indicating where the last carriage of the train will be. Then allow sufficient people on to the platform to spread out the length of the train. not rocket science. as is too often the case with the railways, the problems are exacerbated by lack of joined-up information. On the whole they're doing pretty good on matchdays IMHO, but there's room for significant improvement.

 

[JBizzle]

I do Park & Ride at Mill Road (well Ride as I live close to the top of Mill Rd), and it's very good. One minor change I would make is to set the left-lane on the slip road to Falmer as a "Right-turn for buses" lane. Otherwise it's hard to criticise

Spot on. Mill Road is a very easy P&R route for me. Can be slow, but left at the final whistle on Monday and got back by 17:45 which I was quite happy with!

 

[dazzer6666]

As usual on Monday stayed till the end, queued to get out, wandered rather than pegged it down to the station, went straight down the ramp onto the platform and caught the 17.10 to Lewes. This has been the norm since Christmas. Tends to take a bit longer for evening games but always back in Burgess Hill well within an hour, often 35-40 mins. No complaints at all.

 

[withdeanwombat]

For the trains, needs that queue jumping system that happens in theme parks and the like. You know, rich bar stewards pay extra and walk past the commoners to the front and are guaranteed a nice seat in a seating only coach into Brighton and first dibs on the trains heading west from there. A winner.

 

[Jim D]

For the trains, needs that queue jumping system that happens in theme parks and the like. You know, rich bar stewards pay extra and walk past the commoners to the front and are guaranteed a nice seat in a seating only coach into Brighton and first dibs on the trains heading west from there. A winner.

They already have such a system. All you need is a wheelchair and a friend. You (or friend) sits in wheelchair and the other pushes right around the train queue to the far end of the bridge underpass. They will let you through and straight onto the platform - where they will get you on the train first.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

At the end of the day, however well things may operate, people being what they are, there will always be a small minority who will complain about absolutely anything.

Even if there were direct trains 24/7 departing every five minutes from Falmer going as far north as Glasgow, someone will always complain, why isn't it extended to Aberdeen?

That's way OTT of course ... but you get my drift. You will never please all of the people all of the time.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I can only speak about the trains to and from Brighton Station but this season there have been no problems whatsoever. I've found the stewarding at Brighton to be superb, normally get a train within a few minutes and even on midweek games only have to let one train go before getting the next one.

I normally leave 45-60 minutes after the game depending on what mood I'm in but have pretty much walked straight on to a train every time, and no queues to get on either platform.

No idea what the buses and P&R are like but the train situation is a vast improvement on seasons 1 + 2. No complaints from me at all.

There's only been one cock up all season and that was QPR - presumably due to the fact that they laid on a special for them a very long time after most of them had left, because of the score.

Saturday was revelatory. I stayed longer than normal because I'm probably not going to make Yeovil and still got home only 10 minutes later than normal. Straight on to a train and straight on a connection. I will have my boy with me for most games next season so I'm going to try to train him to have a burger or something after the game while I have one slow pint. Leaving with 5 minutes left with all the other stressed parents seems like madness.

 

[marshy68]

not sure what people expect when 27K leave an area at roughly the same time? I have been to lots of away games and you are always going to get delays - west ham is terrible for queuing for the tube after a game. I bought a scooter £900 and I can park for free at the amex - lovely job. When i have used the park and rides they have been great. I dont see a problem when attending any event with a large crowd there will be inevitable queues for food, drink, transport and traffic jams... i am afraid its part of the deal.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

That is completely and utterly untrue.

I stayed for one pint and walked out of the Amex before 5.30pm. There was no queue at all for Mithras (there was for Mill Road) and I walked straight onto one of the three waiting double deckers.

Well it is what a steward told me, thought it was a bit odd but since i dont actually use Mithras House, i assumed that the wait was twice as long due to their being twice the amount of people.

 

[catfish]

I remember the chaos at Upton Park station. Falmer is a dream by comparison.

 

[Luke93]

At the end of the day, however well things may operate, people being what they are, there will always be a small minority who will complain about absolutely anything.

Even if there were direct trains 24/7 departing every five minutes from Falmer going as far north as Glasgow, someone will always complain, why isn't it extended to Aberdeen?

That's way OTT of course ... but you get my drift. You will never please all of the people all of the time.

...And 25,000+ people are going to our games. Of course some of them are going to be unhappy! Even if it's just 5%, that's still 1,250+ people!

 

[Goring-by-Seagull]

I will have my boy with me for most games next season so I'm going to try to train him to have a burger or something after the game while I have one slow pint. Leaving with 5 minutes left with all the other stressed parents seems like madness.

Is the correct answer! We do this every Saturday game. Walk straight on to a train, no running, no rushing, staying late is the new leaving early.

 

[Commander]

Always fine, probably partly due to all the weirdos who feel the need to leave ten minutes before the game finishes. Evening games I'm always back in my house in North London by midnight. Can't argue with that.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Were people standing in the doorways and/or refusing to get on the back of the train by any chance?

Yup, I got caught up in that also. Trains were indeed leaving half-empty. I complained to the bloke on the platform and he directed me to his big boss on the bridge. I asked him why they were letting half-empty trains leave the station and he said the trains had to run on time. Which is fair enough. And, yes, it was partially due to people not moving to the back of the train. But the railway staff could do much more to say where the back end of the next train in will actually be, have a bloke with a big GolfSale-type sign indicating where the last carriage of the train will be. Then allow sufficient people on to the platform to spread out the length of the train. not rocket science. as is too often the case with the railways, the problems are exacerbated by lack of joined-up information. On the whole they're doing pretty good on matchdays IMHO, but there's room for significant improvement.

Absolutely caused by not letting enough people on the platform in the first place. Thinking about it, the train I caught may have been slightly later because I walked to the end and about 10 people boarded that carriage. The busy part in the middle wasn't particularly busy either. When we went past the ramp I saw out the window there were probably 100 ish people waiting to be let on the platform so they must've been there for a good few minutes before the train left. It's ridiculous to force people to miss trains when there's ample time and space to get them on

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Absolutely caused by not letting enough people on the platform in the first place.

Absolutely. How come we can see this and the train bods can't? They've had enough matches at Falmer by now to up their game shirley?

 

[Joe Gatting's Dad]

Since they have put on longer trains, the system is much better. On Monday left the central block of WSU after he final whistle and boarded the 17:15 train. Arrived too early at Brighton Station for the 17:49 to Victoria!

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

Generally fine for me. I normally park in Lewes near the prison and take the bus or train and the train back. It's brilliant on Saturdays, as I stay for a drink. The only time it's a pain for me is weekday games, as it's a rush to get down from London to Lewes in time, and the bus is rarely on time, either turning up late (or even more annoying, early). Getting the 28 or 29 back after an evening game is a complete pain, so I've gone back to using the train. Sure, there is sometimes a queue on the bridge, but it doesn't usually take much time to get to the platform. I voted satisfied - it would have been very satisfied, apart from the fact that the bus on the way back for evening games does not work for me, and on one occasion we had a jobsworth driver, who wouldn't go anywhere until the police turned up. Seagulls Travel is not an option, as I wouldn't get to the pick up point in time.

 

[GolfingGull]

45 mins on the train from Worthing to Amex on a Saturday afternoon is pretty good I reckon, an hour or so to get home.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

So if it's so great, why does a good 20% of the crowd leave before the final whistle?

Or maybe that's why the waiting times are much shorter now as such a lot of people leave early?

Not really an ideal solution is it?

 

[dazzer6666]

Based on comments I get from occasional visitors, I think a lot of people still have a perception that the transport is bad.....anyway, good on 'em I suppose. The early leavers make travel better for the rest of us who prefer to see the chance of a late goal (not a very good chance, admittedly)