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. That is why the parking issue has more significance than it would otherwise have.
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
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?
Fighting the current proposals. Pressuring Greenwich council on the negative impact extending the current scheme even further into Charlton will have on the club and reminding the council of the positiveness the club brings to the borough. If Plumstead groups can do it, so could Charlton.
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?
Fighting the current proposals. Pressuring Greenwich council on the negative impact extending the current scheme even further into Charlton will have on the club and reminding the council of the positiveness the club brings to the borough. If Plumstead groups can do it, so could Charlton.
The council "folded" in part after around 100 Plumstead residents demonstrated outside the Town Hall. In the photo I saw the majority were middle age or older women. I'm confident we could put up a far better demonstration.
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.
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?
Fighting the current proposals. Pressuring Greenwich council on the negative impact extending the current scheme even further into Charlton will have on the club and reminding the council of the positiveness the club brings to the borough. If Plumstead groups can do it, so could Charlton.
The council "folded" in part after around 100 Plumstead residents demonstrated outside the Town Hall. In the photo I saw the majority were middle age or older women. I'm confident we could put up a far better demonstration.
The people in Plumstead/ Shooters Hill have an excellent local Facebook forum [Plumstead People] which is very good at informing residents of current developments, Planning/ HMO's/ crime etc, things that the council & Local MP's seem not to care about. This forum is similar, all the resident socialists seem to very quiet & avoid commenting on this parking concern, they put politics before the future of CAFC.
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?
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?
Fighting the current proposals. Pressuring Greenwich council on the negative impact extending the current scheme even further into Charlton will have on the club and reminding the council of the positiveness the club brings to the borough. If Plumstead groups can do it, so could Charlton.
The council "folded" in part after around 100 Plumstead residents demonstrated outside the Town Hall. In the photo I saw the majority were middle age or older women. I'm confident we could put up a far better demonstration.
They didn’t fold because of the poorly turned out initial demo outside the town hall. That was just one tiny part.
Plumstead people fb page has 57000 members. There was a new post on there every 20 mins with outraged people complaining which built momentum for everyone to complain by email, separate meetings and a petition. Printed leaflets were posted through doors letting all those not on fb what was happening and how to complain directly. It really took off.
By comparison I look on the Charlton Residents fb page… there is one lone woman on there banging the drum to garner support for people to complain. I fear she’s fighting a losing battle.
There is no way the council will ever rip out the bike lanes to restore the bus service on the lower road. IMHO, there are far more people at Charlton station travelling up rather than down (which probably reinforces Airman’s statement that fans can’t use public transport to get to Kent as that platform is quieter), maybe we should canvas for the return of a more organised queue and better service from southeastern including specials direct to London Bridge and/or Dartford etc
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?
Fighting the current proposals. Pressuring Greenwich council on the negative impact extending the current scheme even further into Charlton will have on the club and reminding the council of the positiveness the club brings to the borough. If Plumstead groups can do it, so could Charlton.
The council "folded" in part after around 100 Plumstead residents demonstrated outside the Town Hall. In the photo I saw the majority were middle age or older women. I'm confident we could put up a far better demonstration.
The people in Plumstead/ Shooters Hill have an excellent local Facebook forum [Plumstead People] which is very good at informing residents of current developments, Planning/ HMO's/ crime etc, things that the council & Local MP's seem not to care about. This forum is similar, all the resident socialists seem to very quiet & avoid commenting on this parking concern, they put politics before the future of CAFC.
I was writing about the looming parking issue in VOTV in 2022, but few were taking any notice.
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?
This is a good idea. A park and ride somewhere training ground sorta way would be useful as well for those who drive.
There is no way the council will ever rip out the bike lanes to restore the bus service on the lower road. IMHO, there are far more people at Charlton station travelling up rather than down (which probably reinforces Airman’s statement that fans can’t use public transport to get to Kent as that platform is quieter), maybe we should canvas for the return of a more organised queue and better service from southeastern including specials direct to London Bridge and/or Dartford etc
A lot of people have to travel west on the train in order to change and go east or south. Either way it would take me at least two hours and potentially up to three to get home by train, if they are running to schedule.
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.
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.
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
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?
Fighting the current proposals. Pressuring Greenwich council on the negative impact extending the current scheme even further into Charlton will have on the club and reminding the council of the positiveness the club brings to the borough. If Plumstead groups can do it, so could Charlton.
The council "folded" in part after around 100 Plumstead residents demonstrated outside the Town Hall. In the photo I saw the majority were middle age or older women. I'm confident we could put up a far better demonstration.
They didn’t fold because of the poorly turned out initial demo outside the town hall. That was just one tiny part.
Plumstead people fb page has 57000 members. There was a new post on there every 20 mins with outraged people complaining which built momentum for everyone to complain by email, separate meetings and a petition. Printed leaflets were posted through doors letting all those not on fb what was happening and how to complain directly. It really took off.
By comparison I look on the Charlton Residents fb page… there is one lone woman on there banging the drum to garner support for people to complain. I fear she’s fighting a losing battle.
Dynamics in Charlton are different to Plumstead, although I think there wrong in Plumstead on this.
Would it be best to focus on one email address to maximise impact?
Would it be better to send them all at once, or just whenever people can? (Don't want to pi55 them off before anythings started)
Do you think they’ll take as much notice of supporters coming in from outside - at most around 33 times a season if we went all the way to Wembley in both cups and drew every round at home 😆 - as they do of the borough’s residents?
Would it be best to focus on one email address to maximise impact?
Would it be better to send them all at once, or just whenever people can? (Don't want to pi55 them off before anythings started)
Do you think they’ll take as much notice of supporters coming in from outside - at most around 33 times a season if we went all the way to Wembley in both cups and drew every round at home 😆 - as they do of the borough’s residents?
Anyway -
parking@royalgreenwich.gov.uk
contact-centre@royalgreenwich.gov.uk
It's a good question. And the answer should be "yes". Because that's (up to) 33 times that local residents are affected. Also, if people drive to Charlton at the weekend and find that it's easier to park, then they're more likely to drive to the area when there's no game, thereby increasing revenues for Greenwich businesses.
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 when walking was uncomfortable while awaiting an op. 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. On paper slow, but had a seat all the way, watching the Charlton TV preview on my phone.
Increasing trains on that route would require major surgery on the network timetable which won't happen just for a football club which cannot tell them what day or time they are playing from one month to the next. But we could piggy-back on to a much better reason: connectivity with Liz line at Abbey Wood. For commuting they would be utilising spare capacity in the rush hours. As for me, coming from Heathrow (or City, if I'm lucky) I'm using the Liz line to Woolwich, but then what, with a suitcase, to Eltham? A bus? Fuck off. But train to Eltham, yep, quite happy with that.
For urban public transport the heirachy for efficiently shifting the max number of people is: 1 metro/Tube. 2. Train. 3. Tram. 4. Bus. 5. (big gap) private cars. The club can't of course create big changes, but it can support wider changes, which it would be part of. Charlton Station is a long underused ace card.
A question I've asked the club, and also mentioned before the meeting (though it wasn't raised) is for them to pressure Southeastern trains/GBR to increase the number of Oyster readers at Charlton station, as there are only 2 on each side, and the queue to tap in and out really slows down the entrance and exit, and effectively limits the number of people the station can process.
If they want more people to use the train, these things matter.
Another feather in the cap for the club. These people don’t have to do these Q&A’s full respect to them for giving up their time.
Also on the CL pod tonight the guy from the river ale house said he had spent the afternoon today with Gavin Carter at the valley at the clubs request to give advice on what they need to do to improve the offering on matchdays
Technically you're right, but if they care about the club's relationship with the fans they really do. I think there's a tendency to be too deferential, and I'd have liked to hear follow ups. It's not always enough just to ask the question. But overall we're in so much better a place than we've been in for years.
He also said EFL rules require a programme to be produced and he was wrong on that too. But no reason he would know either.
I thought the minimum was an online version.
The discussion was about a printed programme.
Watford have stopped their programme, claiming they were selling as few as 450 copies and a maximum of 1,000 against Luton.
Rather than stop making a programme altogether I'd rather they'd give up on the glossy, brochure style programmes (that are presumably quite costly to make), and go back to an old school non glossy, informative retro job that they could sell for a much lower price. It would certainly be better than not producing a programme at all. They could make a retro version, or a modern take, whatever they think would sell.
I always buy the handbook, but when I buy a programme and flick through it, I do sometimes wonder why I bothered buying it, as most of the content isn't new to me. The best bits are the detailed player interview and the museum section.
The away team section is especially bad now, with hardly any information on the opponents.
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.
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?
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
Comments
I'm confident we could put up a far better demonstration.
This forum is similar, all the resident socialists seem to very quiet & avoid commenting on this parking concern,
they put politics before the future of CAFC.
Perhaps the Club could come to a formal arrangement covering weekday evening and weekend kick offs?
By comparison I look on the Charlton Residents fb page… there is one lone woman on there banging the drum to garner support for people to complain. I fear she’s fighting a losing battle.
Would it be better to send them all at once, or just whenever people can? (Don't want to pi55 them off before anythings started)
Do you think they’ll take as much notice of supporters coming in from outside - at most around 33 times a season if we went all the way to Wembley in both cups and drew every round at home 😆 - as they do of the borough’s residents?
Anyway -
parking@royalgreenwich.gov.uk
contact-centre@royalgreenwich.gov.uk
For urban public transport the heirachy for efficiently shifting the max number of people is: 1 metro/Tube. 2. Train. 3. Tram. 4. Bus. 5. (big gap) private cars. The club can't of course create big changes, but it can support wider changes, which it would be part of. Charlton Station is a long underused ace card.
If they want more people to use the train, these things matter.
I think there's a tendency to be too deferential, and I'd have liked to hear follow ups. It's not always enough just to ask the question.
But overall we're in so much better a place than we've been in for years.
The away team section is especially bad now, with hardly any information on the opponents.
It's common land not a car park.
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