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Coaches not making it to game today
AFKABartram
Posts: 57,825
Mentioned in the post match thread but needs its own thread I think.
Joking aside about them being saved, hugely disappointing for those impacted. Whole thing sounded a disaster from leaving too late to enforced driver brakes. Never even made it to the M4.
Know some on the coach who lost their 100% attendance record this season through this.
Joking aside about them being saved, hugely disappointing for those impacted. Whole thing sounded a disaster from leaving too late to enforced driver brakes. Never even made it to the M4.
Know some on the coach who lost their 100% attendance record this season through this.
Just seems like all aspects relating to the club are failing.
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Comments
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How is this the club's fault?5
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I said ‘relating to the club’. Not saying it’s specifically the clubs fault but it negotiates suppliers and contracts, for a service carrying its supporters, it effectively runs the service (which I think from the outside it seems to do poorly), and along with determining pricing it must negotiate or (at least influence) coach departure times.killerjerrylee said:How is this the club's fault?Coaches not leaving until 10.30 to the West Country on a Bank Holiday getaway day, when the drivers have to take an enforced 45 min stop, looked to me like they had very little leeway for trouble, don’t you think? And so it proved.24 -
I assume when you book a coach from a coach company you say when you want the coach from. Clearly whoever decided that leaving at 10.30 on a Bank Holiday for Bristol was badly wrong and that is not being wise after the eventkillerjerrylee said:How is this the club's fault?11 -
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Far be it from me to suggest that a 1 driver gig is cheaper than having 2. Naivety, cluelessness or just plain disregard13
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Bin the coach company. They know what is required and failed.3
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Is it not also the case the old bill don't want the coaches down there too early?0
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Yes 1 driver is cheaper than 2. Normally only need 1 driver if trip is less than 4 hours. Part of the problem is the coaches come from Dover area so driver has already done 1 hour before 1st pick up, that’s without 4 or 5 pickups before leaving.When we used to run the casc coaches we would agree the pick up times along with the coach company after considering approx journey time plus about 30 minutes for traffic, 45 minute break and aiming to arrive for 2 pm as police do not like you arriving more than an hour before game (this also gave extra hour for traffic jams)
based on the above and Google maps estimated journey time of 2 1/2 hours I would have suggested to the coach company leaving at the last pick up at 10. We would have then discussed extra traffic due to bank holiday and adjusted accordingly.
The club as the service provider should refund cost of coach and tickets for game as they have provided the service to get supporters to the game on time.
I have never known coach not making it to the game apart from due to coach breaking down. I have known coaches to arrive late (Grimsby 99/00 season arrived about half time due to traffic on Friday afternoon and Everton on a Saturday arrived shortly after ko)3 -
I've used the coaches quite regularly too since the mid 90's and never known one to not arrive either.
At worst we once arrived about 5-10 mins late for a 2-2 draw at Tranmere (mid 90's) and earlier this season we arrived right on kick off for Stevenage. Can also remember getting to Wycombe right on kick off when we won 2-1 (think was 11/12)
The fans affected should definitely get a full refund and some accountability for the coach pick up times so fans can have future confidence in using the service.4 -
Bromley to Bristol 2 hrs 47 m, so I'd leave 3 hours travel time on a NORMAL Saturday.
Add 1 hour as bank Holiday = 4 hours.
Add 45 mins for driver stop.
4 hr 45 mins to arrive at 2pm = leave at 9.15am not 10.30am.
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The route taken by the coach is decided by the drivers / coach company.In the past they have consulted the coach stewards if they know road works / traffic issues
looks like today they took the m3 to cut off the m25/m4 section but turned back before reaching the m4
other than going through the city rather than going around the m25 I can’t see what the drivers could have done differently on the day once they had left.0 -
Going through the city wouldn't have been much help, as the M4 was absolutely solid from Brentford back to Earl's Court by noon today. Luckily I was going in the other direction.
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Having driven to the game today you are correct in.taking the M3 to cut out the m25/m4 part, that is the route waze took me. The traffic was heavy but totally expected with the day we were travelling.SE9toDA2 said:The route taken by the coach is decided by the drivers / coach company.In the past they have consulted the coach stewards if they know road works / traffic issues
looks like today they took the m3 to cut off the m25/m4 section but turned back before reaching the m4
other than going through the city rather than going around the m25 I can’t see what the drivers could have done differently on the day once they had left.
The issue here is the coaches set off far too late16 -
Did anyone driving fail to get to the game, due to traffic?2
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The whole lot mate.Rock Spectacle said:Far be it from me to suggest that a 1 driver gig is cheaper than having 2. Naivety, cluelessness or just plain disregard1 -
Were both coaches late? I assume so.0
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SE9toDA2 said:Yes 1 driver is cheaper than 2. Normally only need 1 driver if trip is less than 4 hours. Part of the problem is the coaches come from Dover area so driver has already done 1 hour before 1st pick up, that’s without 4 or 5 pickups before leaving.When we used to run the casc coaches we would agree the pick up times along with the coach company after considering approx journey time plus about 30 minutes for traffic, 45 minute break and aiming to arrive for 2 pm as police do not like you arriving more than an hour before game (this also gave extra hour for traffic jams)
based on the above and Google maps estimated journey time of 2 1/2 hours I would have suggested to the coach company leaving at the last pick up at 10. We would have then discussed extra traffic due to bank holiday and adjusted accordingly.
The club as the service provider should refund cost of coach and tickets for game as they have provided the service to get supporters to the game on time.
I have never known coach not making it to the game apart from due to coach breaking down. I have known coaches to arrive late (Grimsby 99/00 season arrived about half time due to traffic on Friday afternoon and Everton on a Saturday arrived shortly after ko)SE9toDA2 said:Yes 1 driver is cheaper than 2. Normally only need 1 driver if trip is less than 4 hours. Part of the problem is the coaches come from Dover area so driver has already done 1 hour before 1st pick up, that’s without 4 or 5 pickups before leaving.When we used to run the casc coaches we would agree the pick up times along with the coach company after considering approx journey time plus about 30 minutes for traffic, 45 minute break and aiming to arrive for 2 pm as police do not like you arriving more than an hour before game (this also gave extra hour for traffic jams)
based on the above and Google maps estimated journey time of 2 1/2 hours I would have suggested to the coach company leaving at the last pick up at 10. We would have then discussed extra traffic due to bank holiday and adjusted accordingly.
The club as the service provider should refund cost of coach and tickets for game as they have provided the service to get supporters to the game on time.
I have never known coach not making it to the game apart from due to coach breaking down. I have known coaches to arrive late (Grimsby 99/00 season arrived about half time due to traffic on Friday afternoon and Everton Hour before kick off with a bar at the ground,0 -
We left E. Sussex at 7.15am, drivng to Bristol via the A21, M25 & M4 with a 15 minute stop for the loo & a quick coffee.Covered End said:Did anyone driving fail to get to the game, due to traffic?
As we left the Services on the M4, there was slow progress for a few miles but we arrived & parked up at 11.15.
Luckily no major holdups or incidents en route but forward & sensible planning was all that was required.
Just seen on FB that one of our most faithful Addicks missed the match due to the negligency of the coach driver/coach company, along with her 2 sons, the younger celebrating his birthday. The lads were distraught understandably and their Mum seething.
Not a great day, football wise for those of us in attendance but nothing compared to those who didn't make it.8 -
That Grimsby game was unreal, being phoned up left right and centre to get the kick off delayed was fun. Forest on yellow day with the shunt wasn't too clever either. More annoying that some 100 per cent records have gone than anything else due to ineptitude1
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Easy answer is to use a coach company a lot closer to home. If the coach driver has to use 1 hour of his allotted "hours" just getting to the 1st pick up point then thats bonkers. Must be a local coach company that could he used. We are only talking about a couple of coaches not 20 like we took to Old Trafford fgs.SE9toDA2 said:The route taken by the coach is decided by the drivers / coach company.In the past they have consulted the coach stewards if they know road works / traffic issues
looks like today they took the m3 to cut off the m25/m4 section but turned back before reaching the m4
other than going through the city rather than going around the m25 I can’t see what the drivers could have done differently on the day once they had left.8 - Sponsored links:
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Doesn't solve the problem that people need picking up all the way up the 'line' from larkfield to Dartford. Unless you make it less pick up points. I have used the coaches for away games in 20 years. Used to use the well hall pick up with my mates as a teenager.golfaddick said:
Easy answer is to use a coach company a lot closer to home. If the coach driver has to use 1 hour of his allotted "hours" just getting to the 1st pick up point then thats bonkers. Must be a local coach company that could he used. We are only talking about a couple of coaches not 20 like we took to Old Trafford fgs.SE9toDA2 said:The route taken by the coach is decided by the drivers / coach company.In the past they have consulted the coach stewards if they know road works / traffic issues
looks like today they took the m3 to cut off the m25/m4 section but turned back before reaching the m4
other than going through the city rather than going around the m25 I can’t see what the drivers could have done differently on the day once they had left.0 -
Surely the coaches should plan to arrive at least 3 hours before kick off at the grounds! Surely most would like to be in the pub by midday?2
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You would think as a minimum. My son drove to this from his Uni in Bournemouth and decided it was best to leave early as there were warnings.DubaiCAFC said:Surely the coaches should plan to arrive at least 3 hours before kick off at the grounds! Surely most would like to be in the pub by midday?0 -
I don’t think most people who travel by coach want to be in the pub at all - despite perception on here most people do not drink before football matches. They are making a different choice by using the coach. The away travellers are more likely to drink but people who do want to do so at away games tend to make their own arrangements. In addition the police would certainly not want coaches arriving three hours in advance, although they are less prescriptive than 10 or 15 years ago and in L1.DubaiCAFC said:Surely the coaches should plan to arrive at least 3 hours before kick off at the grounds! Surely most would like to be in the pub by midday?The only reason the coaches needed to stop for 45 minutes will be because they had one driver. A single driver can only do 3.5 hours in one stint. Obviously a second driver can just take over.
Passengers generally want a stop on a trip of over three hours but with two drivers you can cut it out if there are severe delays.I think with hindsight the coaches should have left an hour earlier to allow for extra traffic, the extent of which is very unpredictable, even if the fact of it isn’t, but they should have had two drivers for the same reason. That is entirely about cost, unless the company was stretched.
I suspect they would still have been late.
if the time put forward by the club was wrong you would expect the coach company to flag that up, because they have the experience.
One reason the away coaches come from Deal is that it makes more sense for the home coaches. But when they don’t even pick up in East Kent for away games any more it makes no sense for away travel except that the people making the arrangements will find it easier to work with the same company, who of course will want the business.
The away coach demand was destroyed by Katrien Meire anyway, and has never recovered because there has never been anyone in authority who could care less about that, like many other things in recent years. I don’t include the ticket office staff in that, to be clear. It’s the culture above that.5 -
Haven't heard of anyone not making it. Despite us not having a 100 supporters from the coaches in the ground yesterday the terrace was crowded so i assume most did make itCovered End said:Did anyone driving fail to get to the game, due to traffic?0 -
!0.35 start was madness on a Bank Holiday. So I am inclined to agree with you.AFKABartram said:
I said ‘relating to the club’. Not saying it’s specifically the clubs fault but it negotiates suppliers and contracts, for a service carrying its supporters, it effectively runs the service (which I think from the outside it seems to do poorly), and along with determining pricing it must negotiate or (at least influence) coach departure times.killerjerrylee said:How is this the club's fault?Coaches not leaving until 10.30 to the West Country on a Bank Holiday getaway day, when the drivers have to take an enforced 45 min stop, looked to me like they had very little leeway for trouble, don’t you think? And so it proved.1 -
Anyone who leave less than about 8 hours to get anywhere in the south of England on a bank holiday weekend needs their head wobbled. For a professional transport business to schedule it is negligence on a very large scale. I have to say, as a paying fan, I’d have got a refund when told the departure time and made other arrangements. Not the fans fault of course, but surely the alarm bells must have been ringing?5
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How was the A21 Fanny? Where are you from?Fanny Fanackapan said:
We left E. Sussex at 7.15am, drivng to Bristol via the A21, M25 & M4 with a 15 minute stop for the loo & a quick coffee.Covered End said:Did anyone driving fail to get to the game, due to traffic?
As we left the Services on the M4, there was slow progress for a few miles but we arrived & parked up at 11.15.
Luckily no major holdups or incidents en route but forward & sensible planning was all that was required.
Just seen on FB that one of our most faithful Addicks missed the match due to the negligency of the coach driver/coach company, along with her 2 sons, the younger celebrating his birthday. The lads were distraught understandably and their Mum seething.
Not a great day, football wise for those of us in attendance but nothing compared to those who didn't make it.0 -
Isn't one of the usual standing jokes on CL about how early the coaches depart. The Larkfield coach leaving 2 days before the match etc, so this is surprising and disappointing scenario.
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When I worked in this area, we’d negotiate with the clubs re coach times.
The ‘old bill don’t like coaches being over an hour early’ certainly wasn’t our mantra.
There was always somewhere we could put the coaches safely if they turned up early. It’s part of any football policing plan (well it was).
I wouldn’t have been happy with these coach pick up times if I’d been at any planning meeting.
I really feel for the supporters here.1
