Travel subsidy [NOT] being scrapped for next season?

[Barham's tash]

If they did exactly that I would tell them to do one out of principal. I can accept reasonable increases but that would be underhand and taking the piss.

Why is it underhand? We knew this day might arrive ever since moving to the Amex. Why the damn sense of entitlement? It royally pisses me off.

Where does it say the purchaser of a season ticket will have FREE travel included in perpetuity so long as they choose to purchase a season ticket.

Perhaps if the club are removing it then Southern/Go Ahead could sell a travel season ticket themselves? They would then provide a service fit for purpose on the basis of the expected demand and remove the club from the scenario all together. Might be win win.

 

[drew]

Not sure about anyone else but have you seen this graph?

Does this add anything to the debate because it is, currently, meaningless with out details as to what the numbers or colours actually mean!

 

[Barham's tash]

What sense of entitlement is that then?

I am merely saying that I cannot afford the extra £160 per season to watch us play.

If they remove the travel, I won't renew.

Apologies, as a I said I did apologise for singling out your post, but it seemed to be made on the basis of an expectation that travel costs continue to be met by the club to thank supporters for going to games.

It may be that the fixed costs that the club pays to Southern/Brighton and Hove Buses have risen extortionately and that it is not sustainable for them to continue paying.
Go through the maths of the extra £160 a season?

 

[Hillian1]

Apologies, as a I said I did apologise for singling out your post, but it seemed to be made on the basis of an expectation that travel costs continue to be met by the club to thank supporters for going to games.

It may be that the fixed costs that the club pays to Southern/Brighton and Hove Buses have risen extortionately and that it is not sustainable for them to continue paying.
Go through the maths of the extra £160 a season?

£6.80 return x 23 = £156.40.

So not quite £160, but near enough.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

£160 for me, which would be a dealbreaker.

Some have the travel subsidy, never use it and pay £260 for the car park
Pays yer money and takes your choice.
Remove

 

[Hillian1]

Some have the travel subsidy, never use it and pay £260 for the car park
Pays yer money and takes your choice.
Remove

If people can afford it, fine.

I can't.

 

[Barham's tash]

£6.80 return x 23 = £156.40.

So not quite £160, but near enough.

Ok, you could pay £30 get a network card, that entitles you to a 1/3 off so your £6.80 return becomes £4.48 or £103.24, which even with the £30 represents a significant saving and if you get the train any other time throughout the year as far north as Oxford. Chin up and hope it doesn't come to that for you.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Why is it underhand? We knew this day might arrive ever since moving to the Amex. Why the damn sense of entitlement? It royally pisses me off.

Where does it say the purchaser of a season ticket will have FREE travel included in perpetuity so long as they choose to purchase a season ticket.

Perhaps if the club are removing it then Southern/Go Ahead could sell a travel season ticket themselves? They would then provide a service fit for purpose on the basis of the expected demand and remove the club from the scenario all together. Might be win win.

LB's post on this cuts to the core here. It's not about any feeling of entitlement but ensuring that all stakeholders feel that what is on offer is reasonable and allows a decent match day travel experience to and from the ground. If you really think that Southern service will be a thing but worse if the subsidy is removed then refer again to LBs post, there's nothing but grief for them in this so the special trains to Falmer will go.

 

[Eggmundo]

The travel arrangements based on the subsidy are a joke anyway. Being herded around and made to queue for the dregs of a travel service is an annoying trait you have to endure at present. Buying your own ticket would at least allow you to compete with everyone else for the train you want, rather than the one you're allowed.

 

[Superphil]

I reckon they have signed a pretty crap contact with the travel companies then.

A return from Shoreham (furthest from west you can travel) cost £3.35 (with railcard which most will have?). Based on the £50 supplement, I contribute £2.17 a game, so a £1.18shortfall . This is £27.14 a season, so £687k a season based on ave 25000 attendance's

Given that many don't use the transport, only travel from Brighton or already have rail season tickets, the figures don't seem to stack up?

What sort of railcard can you use on that journey? Certainly not my Network Railcard as I believe the original ticket has to be more than £13 for it to be used.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The travel arrangements based on the subsidy are a joke anyway. Being herded around and made to queue for the dregs of a travel service is an annoying trait you have to endure at present. Buying your own ticket would at least allow you to compete with everyone else for the train you want, rather than the one you're allowed.

You may think that the current arrangements are "a joke". They are nowhere near as funny as they could be, if the travel subsidy goes.



If all that Southern chose to run were four trains an hour from Brighton or Lewes to Falmer (two four coach trains and two three coach trains) your "competition with everyone else for the train you want" would almost certainly consist of you joining the back of a slow-moving queue that wouldn't get you on to a train until well after the match had kicked off.

Unless, of course, you arrived at the station four hours before kick off.

 

[Superphil]

I can hear it now... GOOD NEWS for albion fans! No ST price increases!

... But travel subsidy removed, so effective £50 price rise.

Not if you didn't use the service previously.

 

[chimneys]

How many cars have two or more occupants and park at a P&R?
From that total, how many pass by the Amex?
From that total how many are going to stop, drop off their passengers, and proceed to the P&R with one paying person.
Or worse they now get Wife to drop them off.
Either scenario will mean a minimum 500 cars dropping off and collecting, arguments with the police and disgruntled fans.

Completely agree. Will be absolute chaos unless they rigorously enforce a no drop off anywhere near ground, and how could they do that? With Bennetts Field possibly back in action plus this next season, doesn't bear thinking about for anyone using P&R or coaches.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

You may think that the current arrangements are "a joke". They are nowhere near as funny as they could be, if the travel subsidy goes.



If all that Southern chose to run were four trains an hour from Brighton or Lewes to Falmer (two four coach trains and two three coach trains) your "competition with everyone else for the train you want" would almost certainly consist of you joining the back of a slow-moving queue that wouldn't get you on to a train until well after the match had kicked off.

Unless, of course, you arrived at the station four hours before kick off.

And for midweek evening ko's?

 

[gripper stebson]

As long as any extra money they charge me goes straight into the pockets of bang average footballlers 'earning' £15,000 a WEEK I'll be happy.

 

[TomandJerry]

As long as any extra money they charge me goes straight into the pockets of bang average footballlers 'earning' £15,000 a WEEK I'll be happy.

You might be mistaken, I am sure some earn over £15,000 a week!

 

[Cosmic Joker]

Ok, you could pay £30 get a network card, that entitles you to a 1/3 off so your £6.80 return becomes £4.48 or £103.24, which even with the £30 represents a significant saving and if you get the train any other time throughout the year as far north as Oxford. Chin up and hope it doesn't come to that for you.

What sort of railcard can you use on that journey? Certainly not my Network Railcard as I believe the original ticket has to be more than £13 for it to be used.

£13 minimum fare applies on weekdays, but not on weekends and public holidays. So you can't use a Network Card for local journeys to mid-week evening games, but you can for Saturdays and any games on Sundays or holidays
http://www.network-railcard.co.uk/tickets-types-min-fares/

I don't think there are minimum fares for other types of railcards, for those who are entitled to buy them:
Two Together, Family & Friends, Senior, Young Persons, Disabled

 

[Superphil]

£13 minimum fare applies on weekdays, but not on weekends and public holidays. So you can't use a Network Card for local journeys to mid-week evening games, but you can for Saturdays and any games on Sundays or holidays
http://www.network-railcard.co.uk/tickets-types-min-fares/

I don't think there are minimum fares for other types of railcards, for those who are entitled to buy them:
Two Together, Family & Friends, Senior, Young Persons, Disabled

I didn't know that about weekend use. Still not sure how it would work out in place of the travel subsidy, quite a percentage of home games are on a Tuesday or Friday and even Monday evenings. Furthermore, the Railcard costs £30 a year to buy, I just can't see it being a money saver in this instance. And I don't believe the point made previously that 'most' people have one either.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

What sense of entitlement is that then?

I am merely saying that I cannot afford the extra £160 per season to watch us play.

If they remove the travel, I won't renew.

Sell your ticket for £20 for 4 games & you'll save £20 on beer etc = £160 & you can go to 19 of the 23
(or work in Macdonalds for 4 days a year & see the lot)

 

[reigate]

Why is it underhand? We knew this day might arrive ever since moving to the Amex. Why the damn sense of entitlement? It royally pisses me off.

Where does it say the purchaser of a season ticket will have FREE travel included in perpetuity so long as they choose to purchase a season ticket.

Perhaps if the club are removing it then Southern/Go Ahead could sell a travel season ticket themselves? They would then provide a service fit for purpose on the basis of the expected demand and remove the club from the scenario all together. Might be win win.

No sense of entitlement. It would be underhand because the club are currently charging us a £50 supplement for travel. If travel was no longer included with a match ticket and the £50 was still charged we would now be paying more but the club would be marketing it as a price freeze.