On Echo site, there is a suggestion that free bus travel to matches be reintroduced. I have no axe to grind as i get free travel from the ferry to SMS as a pensioner anyway. Apparently free travel was part of the planning agreement when SMS was built, but was lifted when the club was struggling as it cost 150K a year!! It was supposed to be reintroduced if the average gate exceeded 23,000 or we were in the PL...so should have been introduced last season. An interpreter is explaining the word 'free' to Nicola as we speak.
It used to be fairly useful, but in all honesty I'm fine with the walk from the ferry terminal to the Stadium. So I'm not fussed.
Why anyone would take a car into the centre of Southampton on a match day I do not know. The streets are always gridlocked after the game and it must take ages for some people to get out of the car parks. No wonder we have an early exodus at most matches. Perhaps the club should run some buses to the major suburbs or even better Southampton has an abundance of railway stations which we should exploit and extend.
The Council have just conducted a travel survey...the forms were handed out at the ground...so their suggestions may differ from the previous system. Free park and ride could be useful as well as the present train/ferry travel. I'm equally certain that Nicola will try and weasel his way out of it, but the council have the whip hand with any future planning agreements. Of course, 150-200K was a lot when we were rock bottom...just a drop in the ocean of Sky money.
Whilst I don't mind the walk from the ferry to the stadium, I would much prefer to get the bus coming back, get there before the crowd, especially when the 2 queue's merge into one. Very annoying.
I take a car sometimes, but do not go anywhere near the city centre. I park around 20 minutes walk away and it works fine. Most of the time I get the train which is fine as well, although would like to see a station built on the line running next to St Mary's.
I drive to Southampton and we park in a free car park just this side of the Itchen Bridge, so only have to walk an extra 20-30 minutes to SMS. We only leave after the final whistle and never have to que that long to get back on the motorway.
Problem with that at the minute is that there is no direct link from Southampton Central to St Marys line, trains would have to go past, stop and reverse back again. It would be possible for trains coming from the other direction (Soton Parkway, Winchester, Basingstoke etc.), I guess if they did it as a shuttle service from Parkway?
I'm too fussed with the walk from Southampton Central to be honest. The plus side to the walk is that there is a Subway and a KFC en route to St Mary's.
It's handy on the way back though when you have to hurry to catch the fast train (I have run down that slope numerous times!)
This is true. However, I normally have my lunch on the train and then walk towards the ground. Not so good!
Same here, although I tend to veer off course slightly to hit Burger King. Would be good if train companies put on slightly bigger trains on a matchday, the train to/from Salisbury often barely has room to move. (Also, if you get that train and are one of the people who want to get off at Redbridge - you'd do yourself a big favour if you got on the train LAST so as to not have to push past everyone to then get off!)
There's only 1 pub that I remember seeing en route and it's near to St Mary's. Can't remember what it's called though.
Never been to any of then en route, there's one really near the stadium, and also Yates' which is an away pub so not much help! There's one down by the waterfront that I've always liked.
