[Travel] Train disruption Tonight (Cup versus Liverpool)

[tedebear]

Southern, the railways and this idiotic assumption that our public transport is capable, is the problem here. Sporting events and organisations across the south coast continually rely on the railways and the misleading statements that there is quick and reliable public transport. We (including the club) need to focus our efforts on that, and we may actually get somewhere. The chaos last night is like the snotty nose being treated of a cold or flu. Its the cold or flu that needs treating... and that is public transport. Why are so many of us in our cars? Well geeez I have no idea gromit...

Everywhere someone advertises local and RELIABLE public transport in and around the city, is just bonkers. It needs challenging and the price increases for incompetence need challenging. Our son just started at Sussex Uni, they won't give him a parking permit as his commute time is less than 1 hour and 15 mins, and his advertised journey time on the train is around 45-54 mins dependant on fast or all stopping train. He has tried it several times, and has not, gotten home in the advertised time once.

You cannot build a stadium under the premise that it has "reliable public transport links" and stick your head in the sand to the reality of that statement.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Today, I am going to Ditchling Beacon and walking to Lewes. Google maps reckons its 2 hours which will be quicker - and far more enjoyable - than the 2hr 30 minutes it took to get to Lewes from the Amex yesterday.

Hopefully those plastic scouse kids I got lumbered next to were stuck in that shit as well.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I really do think he cares. But there's definitely a part of me who wants to have PB as a guest with me on a rainy midweek game travelling to/from Portslade. "Can't leave until 5 Paul I don't finish work until then. Nah don't worry about dinner we'll get something at the ground (lol)."

I know it's childish and I'm not bitter, but it's a bit grating hearing "we're really sorry but there's just nothing that can be done" when you know the people saying it get to sail in and out of the ground in their BMW X5s with M sport trim and harmon kardon stereo.

Ok I am bitter.

Do you happen to drive an X5 in the Xsport trim the standard BMW sound system? The rant is very specific!

 

[Hometownglory]

The trains have always been shit. Last night it felt particularly bad. Seeing a 3 carriage train turn up at falmer is beyond taking the piss. We all pay a subsidy for the travel, or lack of after all.

Over the years, I've heard countless away fans saying 'I'm glad I don't have to do this every week'. Is it really that bad compared to other grounds...? Or are us BHA fans far to accepting of PBOBEs line of 'nothing we can do, stay behind for a drink' answer. Who knows.

 

[Napper]

there needs to be an alternative bus shuttle service from the stadium to Brighton station.

Would take some pressure off the trains pre and post match.

It only needs a fleet for 1.5 hours either side of the start / finish

Surely there is a way

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Only second time I’ve seen that car park.

The obvious issue is that the traffic light sequence lets out bugger all cars at a time, then stays red for minutes.

Can these things be manually adjusted for events?

Once or twice (a long time ago) the police manually controlled the traffic flow. It was MUCH quicker. Another problem which is pretty much impossible to counteract, is that the sheer volume of pedestrians walking down from the ground overwhelms the exit through the bridge further delaying egress. This means frequently the queue for the cars going either way down the A27 is reduced and fewer cars leave the area as they are stuck in the jam before going through the Bridge itself. It's annoying but without a footbridge (not going to happen) that bottleneck will always occur.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

View attachment 191526
View attachment 191527

Grateful I’m not there

These pictures are simply mad.

I obviously don't know the cost and availability, but imho the EDF and Pyecombe extra park and ride sites should both be open every single midweek fixture to alleviate some of the pressure on the trains. Absolutely crazy

 

[The red pepper kid]

I got home from Wembley having left on the final whislte of England v Greece a couple of weeks ago quicker than it has taken to get back from the Amex tonight

Never doing a midweek game again when there are no extra trains

There are no extra trains because the club hasn't paid for it .................they should build it into future cup games mid week --if we play big clubs

 

[Arkwright]

We did our normal postmatch and stayed for a couple of pints (no food left). The queue to Lewes was longer than I had ever seen in the Falmer years.
We weren't ever going to get on the next four scheduled trains so the five of us made an executive decision and walked to Lewes.
Pleasant evening for a nice walk.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

I almost always get the train from / back to Brighton. This only happens mid week but it happens almost every mid week game.

Once the queue gets past the barriers it’s a free for all. People spread out wider than the queue lane but also leave gaps. Always a few opportunists who notice when people aren’t moving up. People not moving up are normally tourists, off their nut or glued to their phone.

This would be a simple fix by using temporary railings to make the queuing lane longer. I agree it happens only at midweek and Sunday games, so should be easy to plan for.

 

[Wardy's twin]

PBOBE will just blame southern and say big crowd and not enough trains, the transport has been a disaster from day 1

It wasn't an unusually big crowd though - it was the normal 30-32k or so.

 

[Weststander]

Once or twice (a long time ago) the police manually controlled the traffic flow. It was MUCH quicker. Another problem which is pretty much impossible to counteract, is that the sheer volume of pedestrians walking down from the ground overwhelms the exit through the bridge further delaying egress. This means frequently the queue for the cars going either way down the A27 is reduced and fewer cars leave the area as they are stuck in the jam before going through the Bridge itself. It's annoying but without a footbridge (not going to happen) that bottleneck will always occur.

Would cost someone a bomb, it crossed my mind … a wider tunnel.

 

[Gwylan]

there needs to be an alternative bus shuttle service from the stadium to Brighton station.

Would take some pressure off the trains pre and post match.

... which used to be the case at the Goldstone. Caught the bus outside the Gaiety/Vogue and all the way to OSR.

There's a shortage of bus drivers at the moment, so it may be trickier to arrange.

Having said that, I'm not sure why more people don't use buses: a couple passed me on my way to the ground last night and neither was completely full. The 49 service runs from the Bridge car park to Portslade, there must be quite a few people on that route. And if the queue is too big at the ground, walk to Coldean Lane and pick up a 24 or 26.

 

[timbha]

These pictures are simply mad.

I obviously don't know the cost and availability, but imho the EDF and Pyecombe extra park and ride sites should both be open every single midweek fixture to alleviate some of the pressure on the trains. Absolutely crazy

Ideally yes but EDF car park is used by its staff on weekdays.

 

[studio150]

Still not as many games as championship

23 home games in Championship
19 home games in Premier League + in new European format 4 home games in league format = 23 home games.

Obviously more when we play in the knockout rounds.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

The trains have always been shit. Last night it felt particularly bad. Seeing a 3 carriage train turn up at falmer is beyond taking the piss. We all pay a subsidy for the travel, or lack of after all.

Over the years, I've heard countless away fans saying 'I'm glad I don't have to do this every week'. Is it really that bad compared to other grounds...? Or are us BHA fans far to accepting of PBOBEs line of 'nothing we can do, stay behind for a drink' answer. Who knows.

I don’t even use the train and it would seem I am getting as much out of my c£50 travel subsidy as those that do

 

[el punal]

On an unrelated note, Tony Bloom was on my train down from London.
Got off at Hassocks.

Did he walk the rest of the way?

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Ideally yes but EDF car park is used by its staff on weekdays.

I forgot about that. Bugger.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Owing to location and other Saturday commitments, I’ve been an infrequent visitor to home games over the years, maybe making it to a handful of fixtures each season, buying one-off match day tickets or utilsiing the Exchange. However, I didn’t come at all last season and have zero intention of coming this season, partly because the ticketing can feel like a right old faff (although I accept it probably isn’t) but mostly because the transport to and from the ground ruins the whole day for me and my kids. (The last time I suggested we go to the Amex for a game, they asked if it would mean taking the train and then looked at me like they were wondering what they’d done wrong).

Thing is, if the transport was even just a bit better, I’d be motivated to get my arse in gear with the ticketing and renewing memberships etc because the reward would be something fun to do. But each time I think of renewing my Albion+ status and getting along to a few games, the whole travel clusterfuck makes doing something else instead a very easy decision.

 

[Bozza]

On the plus side, when the club board next convene and the photos of utter CHAOS at Falmer Station are passed around, it can only lead to PBOBE heading to his filing cabinet and pulling out a file marked "MONORAIL" and slapping it down on the boardroom table.

"It is time", he will say.