Met The Directors Online 14/08/25

DOUCHER

Crusty54 said:

DOUCHER said:

valleynick66 said:

Airman Brown said:

Redrobo said:

Airman Brown said:

DubaiCAFC said:

Airman Brown said:

On transport issues, it was commented how good the public transport in the area is now. While this is true, it is not very good in the direction that most fans wish to travel, which is away from London. I’m not really convinced the board grasps this.

With all great respects, what do actually expect the board to do? The new bike and bus lanes and been put in for every day use and not for football days.. of course will have a big effect as the roads are more narrow.. Same with the parking, the council don’t care, and why should they. Unless the club put in a park and ride system away from the ground, which we don’t have the regular numbers.. in my opinion, very little the club can actually do.. apart from a park and ride system away from the area at the club’s expense and the fans will hate that 

The club runs an overpriced, badly marketed and neglected coach service to games from areas with poor public transport connections to The Valley. So there’s that. But more broadly it shouldn’t avoid the issue by talking about the DLR and the tube, which are irrelevant to the fans coming from Kent.

The council offices at Dartford station are empty at weekends and you can park there for free.
Perhaps the Club could come to a formal arrangement covering weekday evening and weekend kick offs?

Don’t know if that would work but it’s the kind of thing the club should be looking at, which is why I get frustrated by glib references to the DLR etc. 

Woolwich Common feels the obvious solution to me. 

100% - as i've said before, must be the most under utilised / useless open space in London

As I've said before it's owned by the Ministry of Defence. They have stated that no further parking will be allowed beyond the existing arrangements.

It's common land not a car park.

times change - maybe they should think about releasing or selling the land  

fenlandaddick

Lincoln council use common land to allow match goers to park , for a fee, on match days. Not really beyond the stretch of authorities to make adjustments so the great and good can enjoy a part of their weekend?

Covered End

The negatives to the above car park options are that they are in Woolwich and Greenwich.

valleynick66

Rothko said:

valleynick66 said:

Crusty54 said:

DOUCHER said:

valleynick66 said:

Airman Brown said:

Redrobo said:

Airman Brown said:

DubaiCAFC said:

Airman Brown said:

On transport issues, it was commented how good the public transport in the area is now. While this is true, it is not very good in the direction that most fans wish to travel, which is away from London. I’m not really convinced the board grasps this.

With all great respects, what do actually expect the board to do? The new bike and bus lanes and been put in for every day use and not for football days.. of course will have a big effect as the roads are more narrow.. Same with the parking, the council don’t care, and why should they. Unless the club put in a park and ride system away from the ground, which we don’t have the regular numbers.. in my opinion, very little the club can actually do.. apart from a park and ride system away from the area at the club’s expense and the fans will hate that 

The club runs an overpriced, badly marketed and neglected coach service to games from areas with poor public transport connections to The Valley. So there’s that. But more broadly it shouldn’t avoid the issue by talking about the DLR and the tube, which are irrelevant to the fans coming from Kent.

The council offices at Dartford station are empty at weekends and you can park there for free.
Perhaps the Club could come to a formal arrangement covering weekday evening and weekend kick offs?

Don’t know if that would work but it’s the kind of thing the club should be looking at, which is why I get frustrated by glib references to the DLR etc. 

Woolwich Common feels the obvious solution to me. 

100% - as i've said before, must be the most under utilised / useless open space in London

As I've said before it's owned by the Ministry of Defence. They have stated that no further parking will be allowed beyond the existing arrangements.

It's common land not a car park.

Stated to who though? The club and the council following a request? 

Or was this a more general observation?

QE hospital has wanted to extend its car parking onto the common for about 25 years, and has been constantly refused. If the hospital can’t get permission, then a car park for football is a non starter.

there’s loads of paid for parking in Woolwich town centre, Calderwood Street, Monk Street and Powis Street, and then walk, bus or train. Even better when Superloop 11 starts and it’ll be non stop from Woolwich to Charlton.

plus the IKEA car park allows 5
hours of free parking, treat yourself to some meat balls as well

Thanks. I wasn’t aware of that. 

Strange that they can’t agree on that. 

An example I guess of our flawed planning processes when a logical application is according to your information blocked given there is obvious demand at QE and no obvious downside  to approving. 

Rothko

Metropolitan Open Land, which the common is designated, has the same planning restrictions as Green Belt land, so no chance of permission being given 

AFKABartram

Rothko said:

valleynick66 said:

Crusty54 said:

DOUCHER said:

valleynick66 said:

Airman Brown said:

Redrobo said:

Airman Brown said:

DubaiCAFC said:

Airman Brown said:

On transport issues, it was commented how good the public transport in the area is now. While this is true, it is not very good in the direction that most fans wish to travel, which is away from London. I’m not really convinced the board grasps this.

With all great respects, what do actually expect the board to do? The new bike and bus lanes and been put in for every day use and not for football days.. of course will have a big effect as the roads are more narrow.. Same with the parking, the council don’t care, and why should they. Unless the club put in a park and ride system away from the ground, which we don’t have the regular numbers.. in my opinion, very little the club can actually do.. apart from a park and ride system away from the area at the club’s expense and the fans will hate that 

The club runs an overpriced, badly marketed and neglected coach service to games from areas with poor public transport connections to The Valley. So there’s that. But more broadly it shouldn’t avoid the issue by talking about the DLR and the tube, which are irrelevant to the fans coming from Kent.

The council offices at Dartford station are empty at weekends and you can park there for free.
Perhaps the Club could come to a formal arrangement covering weekday evening and weekend kick offs?

Don’t know if that would work but it’s the kind of thing the club should be looking at, which is why I get frustrated by glib references to the DLR etc. 

Woolwich Common feels the obvious solution to me. 

100% - as i've said before, must be the most under utilised / useless open space in London

As I've said before it's owned by the Ministry of Defence. They have stated that no further parking will be allowed beyond the existing arrangements.

It's common land not a car park.

Stated to who though? The club and the council following a request? 

Or was this a more general observation?

plus the IKEA car park allows 5
hours of free parking, treat yourself to some meat balls as well

Soon to be reduced in size to build flats on some of the car park and the to-be bulldozed B&Q

iainment

Why is football parking - a few hours for not many times a year- so important? Greenwich has many more pressing problems than allowing out of Borough drivers easy parking.

EveshamAddick

Watched last night, it was a reassuring watch that the club is now in the hands of intelligent and compassionate people who have the club’s best interests at heart and want Charlton to be successful. Gavin is particularly impressive.

paulbaconsarnie

Not sure if the parade ground is MOL or part of the common land but it’s probably 3 x football pitches in size and already facilitates parking so assume no major hurdles re planning. Ideal for a park and ride. 

Only thing is, if that ground isn’t designated, then it’s almost certainly going to be developed for housing in the not too distant future.

clive

The Meridian Ground promoted by CAST as alternative parking solution early last season, did anybody on here use this option & is it still available this season?
https://hireapitch.com/MERIDIAN-SPORTS-AND-SOCIAL-CLUB-
Charlton Park Lane, London
SE7 8QS

letthegoodtimesroll

iainment said:

Why is football parking - a few hours for not many times a year- so important? Greenwich has many more pressing problems than allowing out of Borough drivers easy parking.

Out of borough drivers, their passengers and other out of borough people coming in to the borough spend money, support Greenwich businesses and Greenwich jobs that in turn pay a big chunk of the taxes that Greenwich gathers and spends. Maybe that should be somewhere near the top of Greenwich borough’s list of pressing problems to tackle…more money coming in = more money to solve the other issues and means they don’t have to follow the Rachel Reeves approach of thinking increasing taxation of its citizens and businesses is a no consequences game.

Hex

PragueAddick said:

It isn't just people coming from North Kent who are badly served by public transport, as I discovered last season trying to get to a match from Eltham

 ..... One way to improve it would be for more trains to do the loop thing, coming out from London on BXH or Sidcup lines then going back to Charlton via Slade Green. I have done that once for a match recently from Eltham, it was great. ....

But that is the conundrum.  Currently we pick our grandsons up in Dartford and catch the train from there to Charlton.  But it is quite likely we will soon be travelling from Gravesend.  

Gravesend to London trains, (apart from Thameslink) which used to go via Woolwich, have already been diverted via the loops so if you want more loop trains via Slade Green to Charlton the inevitable consequence will be cutting more direct trains from Gravesend and the rest of NW Kent. 

Rothko

letthegoodtimesroll said:

iainment said:

Why is football parking - a few hours for not many times a year- so important? Greenwich has many more pressing problems than allowing out of Borough drivers easy parking.

Out of borough drivers, their passengers and other out of borough people coming in to the borough spend money, support Greenwich businesses and Greenwich jobs that in turn pay a big chunk of the taxes that Greenwich gathers and spends. Maybe that should be somewhere near the top of Greenwich borough’s list of pressing problems to tackle…more money coming in = more money to solve the other issues and means they don’t have to follow the Rachel Reeves approach of thinking increasing taxation of its citizens and businesses is a no consequences game.

Same argument can and probably be made for The O2 which is then biggest employer and tax paying business in the borough. But AEG price car parking at a ridiculously high price, and push public transport as the main way to go there.