[Albion] Transport to/from The Amex

[Blue Valkyrie]

Getting away from a game is the biggest pain.Usually I go by train and have used Seagulls travel a few times.

Would like to see coach travel subsidised in the same way as train travel is otherwise give me the option to buy a ticket without train travel so I can use that money to pay part of the coach travel.

I thought Seagulls Travel coaches were subsidised out of the ticket travel levy ?

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I do wonder if it would be worthwhile for the club liaise with the council and B&H Buses to see if it's possible to extend the 49 bus on match days down Lucraft Road and into the Bridge car park and building a bus stop and turning circle for them there. This might make it a more attractive option.

It's a frequent bus (6 an hour I think) so this could provide a fair amount of extra capacity. At the moment the nearest stop to the Amex is probably too far to make many people consider using this route. I appreciate it's still a fair walk from the Bridge but if people are prepared to park and walk from there, then surely people would be prepared to walk there and get the bus, especially if it meant a smoother get-away. I expect the main problem with this might be the narrowness of Lucraft Road. Obviously there's little point in doing this if the 49 is already full of fans, but I suspect it isn't.

I think the long term transport strategy should be to get as many people as possible cycling and walking to the ground, as it would reduce the club's transport subsidy commitments. Maybe some sort of health campaign with AITC extolling the virtues of active travel would help. I do wonder if engaging with the people who do currently cycle to see what improvements could be made to encourage higher uptake might be beneficial. For instance, I don't cycle, but I'd imagine cycle storage in more convenient locations for those approaching from Lewes and Woodingdean might be an idea.

I wouldn't normally criticise as this is a views and opinions thread. But to talk about getting as many people cycling and walking to the ground is just bonkers. Oh, I can't even be bothered to explain....

 

[BensGrandad]

I am not totally anti cyclists but if 100 extra people took up the idea of cycling to the games how much space would the parking for 100 bikes take up.

 

[Bob!]

I am not totally anti cyclists but if 100 extra people took up the idea of cycling to the games how much space would the parking for 100 bikes take up.

A lot less than the parking of 100 cars?

 

[BensGrandad]

A lot less than the parking of 100 cars?

If it was insisted on a minimum 4 people in a car it would only be 25 but still more than 100 bikes but car parking isnt an option.

 

[Uter]

I wouldn't normally criticise as this is a views and opinions thread. But to talk about getting as many people cycling and walking to the ground is just bonkers. Oh, I can't even be bothered to explain....

Ok, well, I am not really sure why having an objective of increasing the number of people coming to the Amex using efficient, healthy, sustainable means that saves the club money and frees up capacity on other modes of transport is “bonkers” and I guess I’ll never know as you can’t be bothered to tell me.

 

[Uter]

I am not totally anti cyclists but if 100 extra people took up the idea of cycling to the games how much space would the parking for 100 bikes take up.

Probably less than you might imagine. There are some innovative solutions around. e.g.

http://www.southernrailway.com/sout.../hove-station-gets-double-deck-cycle-parking/

I think there's plenty of space dotted about the Amex where more cycle storage could go if needed. I think we'd have to get hundreds of extra people cycling before space for storage became an issue. They don't necessarily need to take up parking spaces of course.

 

[Brovion]

The loading issue is paradoxical one though. There's a certain amount of time to load the trains or there is an impact on availability of carriages , return trains, late trains etc.
Its better to clear both North and South travellers by sticking to the timetable with some spaces, rather than overrun the timetable waiting for everyone to get on the trains, and trying to fill em up regardless of how long it takes.

I agree they can't be left waiting while the stewards double-check that every last space is filled, but they're not as frequent as underground trains where there's another one along in thirty seconds or so and any delay immediately impacts the service.

 

[Gwylan]

Ok, well, I am not really sure why having an objective of increasing the number of people coming to the Amex using efficient, healthy, sustainable means that saves the club money and frees up capacity on other modes of transport is “bonkers” and I guess I’ll never know as you can’t be bothered to tell me.

Yes, that was bizarre. It strikes me as obvious that getting more people to cycle or work would solve many transport problems. How it's "bonkers" beats me,

 

[BNthree]

Yes, that was bizarre. It strikes me as obvious that getting more people to cycle or work would solve many transport problems. How it's "bonkers" beats me,

Whilst I'm all for more people walking or cycling I'm assuming they are alluding to the fact that most fans travel more than a few miles to get to the Amex making such modes of transport unviable for them. I'd happily cycle from Hove but go with my young son who'd struggle to cycle that far with heavy traffic.

 

[Brovion]

Whilst I'm all for more people walking or cycling I'm assuming they are alluding to the fact that most fans travel more than a few miles to get to the Amex making such modes of transport unviable for them. I'd happily cycle from Hove but go with my young son who'd struggle to cycle that far with heavy traffic.

Indeed. I often walk, but cycling or walking simply isn't viable for the majority of fans for any number of reasons. (I never walk if I'm late, coming from work or it's pissing down with rain for example). However I am surprised at how few cycle racks there are at the Amex given the supposed 'sustainable transport' schtick that was given out during the planning process. Obviously they will only ever be of use to a minority, but 'every little helps' as they say - especially given the cycle improvements to Lewes Road which are under-utilised.

 

[Gwylan]

Whilst I'm all for more people walking or cycling I'm assuming they are alluding to the fact that most fans travel more than a few miles to get to the Amex making such modes of transport unviable for them. I'd happily cycle from Hove but go with my young son who'd struggle to cycle that far with heavy traffic.

But that's not what Uter said, he was encouraging more fans to walk or cycle - he didn't say that most fans should walk or cycle,

BTW, I don't know the exact percentages but I doubt whether it's true that most fans live more than a few miles from the Amex. I know that we have fans all over Sussex (and outside) but I reckon the vast majority live in Brighton and Hove.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Availability of rolling stock and drivers is the hindrance as well as not having too many trains between signals I guess. The trains are already about 10-15 minutes apart already (when they run on time)

I think your right, the frequency of service that we have now, (when trains run to schedule of course), is as good as we are going to get for the reasons that you state.

Any further extension of station platforms, and new underground walkways, is likely to cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, if not more. With them only likely to be used once a fornight in the football season, that isn't ever going to happen in my opinion.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

But that's not what Uter said, he was encouraging more fans to walk or cycle - he didn't say that most fans should walk or cycle,

BTW, I don't know the exact percentages but I doubt whether it's true that most fans live more than a few miles from the Amex. I know that we have fans all over Sussex (and outside) but I reckon the vast majority live in Brighton and Hove.

You make an interesting point in your second paragraph. Obviously records exist of where all our season ticket holders live, (in fact anyone with a purchase history at the club). So in theory, it should be possible to find this out. It would certainly make interesting reading.

 

[Brovion]

You make an interesting point in your second paragraph. Obviously records exist of where all our season ticket holders live, (in fact anyone with a purchase history at the club). So in theory, it should be possible to find this out. It would certainly make interesting reading.

Yeah, I'd be interested to know as well as I'd have said the exact opposite to Gwylan - especially as the stadium is right on the eastern edge of the conurbation and a large part of the land within a few miles radius is simply fields.

 

[perseus]

Indeed. I often walk, but cycling or walking simply isn't viable for the majority of fans for any number of reasons. (I never walk if I'm late, coming from work or it's pissing down with rain for example). However I am surprised at how few cycle racks there are at the Amex given the supposed 'sustainable transport' schtick that was given out during the planning process. Obviously they will only ever be of use to a minority, but 'every little helps' as they say - especially given the cycle improvements to Lewes Road which are under-utilised.

It is a rotten route for cycling. Brighton as a whole is pretty awful for cycling, hills, and too many motor vehicles and buses, and pedestrians stepping out. And potholes and hazards.

I have cycled to the Amex from Shoreham on a few occasions and time wise is comparable to the train (one hour and a bit). Aggravation on the roads and paths is actually worse than Southern Rail. That's why I go by train. Train from Brighton to Falmer is tolerable. It is the West Coastway bit that is the aggravation.


Despite that, I would say up to 3 miles away it is a valid best choice and I'm surprised more people don't cycle.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Availability of rolling stock and drivers is the hindrance as well as not having too many trains between signals I guess. The trains are already about 10-15 minutes apart already (when they run on time)

As with Wembley Park though, on match days they have a few trains on the upline ready to roll into the station and take people into Central London? Can't be beyond the schedulers to have a match element they drop into the timetable. If it's drivers that's the issue then surely they can get someone in on OT 23 times a year? Surely more rolling stock around Sat & Suns?

 

[Springal]

As with Wembley Park though, on match days they have a few trains on the upline ready to roll into the station and take people into Central London? Can't be beyond the schedulers to have a match element they drop into the timetable. If it's drivers that's the issue then surely they can get someone in on OT 23 times a year? Surely more rolling stock around Sat & Suns?

Where would the trains go though? Not enough spare platforms at Brighton

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Where would the trains go though? Not enough spare platforms at Brighton

Oh, I see. So longer trains is the answer then?

 

[Uter]

But that's not what Uter said, he was encouraging more fans to walk or cycle - he didn't say that most fans should walk or cycle,

BTW, I don't know the exact percentages but I doubt whether it's true that most fans live more than a few miles from the Amex. I know that we have fans all over Sussex (and outside) but I reckon the vast majority live in Brighton and Hove.

Well, yeah, that's what I was trying to say, but having reread my original post I can see how it might be construed I was suggesting getting most people to walk or cycle, which is clearly not possible. I don't know how many currently cycle, but I'd hazard a guess at 100-200 per match. Increasing this to 500-600 say would be a challenging, but realistic target IMO. Fans living along the Lewes Road corridor you'd think would be the most logical ones to target.

Having read some responses it looks like the patchy nature of cycling infrastructure around the city is a big factor, rather than facilities around the stadium itself, and so largely out of the direct control of the club. Disappointing but not surprising. Even so I think the current levels could surely be improved on.