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Post by taylov on Nov 5, 2017 10:24:04 GMT
Unlike the last couple of seasons when we only had one Saturday clash of fixtures with Saints, I gather that this season has thrown up no less than 5 such dates. Yesterday was one. Jill and I waited in the old clubhouse to let the traffic go in the lane - big mistake. More than half an hour after the end of our game we were still stuck at the traffic lights at the junction of Stoneham Lane and Bassett Green Road in a complete gridlock. It took another 15 minutes to travel the few hundred yards down to the A27. I am having serious doubts about coming to watch EFC on future days when Saints are at home, the only other option being to leave 15 minutes before the end of the match. Rock and hard place?
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Post by grumpy on Nov 5, 2017 10:46:04 GMT
I think part of last night was caused by a number 2 bus forgetting about the road closure!! As we came out he was sat there working out how to turn around...
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Post by hantslondoner on Nov 5, 2017 11:10:11 GMT
I know that all Southampton/Eastleigh traffic light systems are designed by complete morons, but would it be worth asking if the timing on the lights for vehicles coming out of Stoneham Lane could be changed slightly for, say, half an hour after each home game to try and improve traffic flow?
It's doubly frustrating waiting for a while to get out of the club car park, but then it takes yet more time to get out of Stoneham Lane.
We badly need another entrance/exit to the ground!!! And we do lose spectators because of it.
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Post by taylov on Nov 5, 2017 11:44:15 GMT
Yes londoner, I'm sure we do lose spectators because of it. It took us over an hour to get back to Hedge End and that was on top another delay at J7 on the way TO the match because of the chaos caused by all the saints fans going up the hill from J7 towards Bitterne. We've been season ticket holders for 10 seasons so we will always try and get to games, but this would have really put off new or more casual potential fans. The problem certainly wasn't the number of Eastleigh fans, as yesterday's gate was one of the lowest Saturday turnouts for a couple of seasons. It didn't take us that long to get back from the Bolton game !!!  |
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Post by willk on Nov 5, 2017 12:08:24 GMT
Just can’t understand why anybody ever parks at a venue. You know the queue in and out is going to be horrendous. I’ll take the 10 minutes exercise by walking back to the cricketers and having no traffic at all.
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Post by hantslondoner on Nov 5, 2017 12:19:38 GMT
When the new houses are built in Stoneham Lane then that will add to the problems further. May even make parking around the Cricketers more difficult!
I think this is the number one 'ground improvement' we should be looking at.
Otherwise (apart from entertainment/success) it's another reason we won't be able to fill the new stands that are planned.
Would love to know what progress we're making on this.
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Post by willk on Nov 5, 2017 12:32:39 GMT
Absolutely, and it seems to be the consideration that’s been overlooked. For most people you can keep your prawn sandwich facilities, fancy scorecard cover and all seated stands if you’re stuck in traffic for an hour it ruins the event anyway
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Post by westendspitfire on Nov 5, 2017 15:25:55 GMT
Oh no i agree with Will on his first comment 😕
I park and walk as well.
however do think your error was not leaving straight away Taylov once the traffic coming out of soton had a chance to catch up you were doomed.
surely if you leave on the whistle you will be ok no need to miss out!
The real issue is reliance on individual ownership of transport being the only way to get anywhere in this part of the world.
Nationalise public transport and join it all together so people can move around easily and clear out the polluting overcrowded roads at the same time
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Post by hantslondoner on Nov 5, 2017 16:12:09 GMT
Agree with your last comment re public transport, westendspitfire. Maybe we need more of it going to the Silverlake on match days - another option!
Personally I don't have a problem with a 10-15 minute walk to the ground, if I can find parking within that range (which I can). But not everyone is able to walk that far.
Some may also be unable to rush out of the ground on the full-time whistle (without being able to show their appreciation to the team) to get to their car, to beat the rush, too.
As I've said before - we also need a way of separating pedestrians and cars in the ground, for safety reasons as well as to minimise delays.
And if we're trying to get new fans - some of them won't even walk that far to the ground, especially for non-league. I can park within 20 minutes' walk of St.Mary's, if I wanted to.
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Post by taylov on Nov 5, 2017 16:40:19 GMT
Alas, as far as public transport is concerned we are going backwards. Almost every council regardless of political persuasion is cutting support for local services outside of the 5 day rush hour services. Weekend and evening services outside of the city routes are becoming almost non-existent.
For most of Eastleigh's fans using public transport is not an viable option so we are stuck with our cars, but as londoner points out, the new build to the north of the ground will have a real impact on the presently available parking.
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Post by willk on Nov 5, 2017 16:42:45 GMT
There’s always space at the cricketers. If ppl are too bone idle to walk 10 minutes they deserve no sympathy
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Post by bomber on Nov 5, 2017 18:38:27 GMT
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Post by hantslondoner on Nov 5, 2017 19:42:31 GMT
Thanks for posting that, bomber - so the bus companies are not interested, and subsidising/paying for transport is not high on Stewart's list, until we get more fans? But elsewhere he's talking about building more stands..... different priorities.
Mind you, it was 18 months ago that he posted that.
taylov, you also say 'yesterday's gate was one of the lowest Saturday turnouts for a couple of seasons'. And that was with the benefit of the voucher deal for S/T holders.
And no way there was 1868 in the ground anyway :-)
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Post by tenacres on Nov 5, 2017 20:27:13 GMT
If/when the new stands come along part and parcel of that will be access to the motorway side of the ground (not just stoneham lane as is currently). That should - fingers crossed - ease traffic congestion pre/post match.
Hopefully it will also make it easier to park at the ground, currently coming in from the Eastleigh side and having to go the long way round is a bit of faff, although appreciate it has to be that way at the moment.
As for parking around the ground, am sure that will significantly change in the next few years with the changes going on, housing development etc. Hopefully for better rather than worse.
The council are now very aware of Eastleigh FC so would be daft not to give us thought in future road layout and such. We can but hope!
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Post by unknownquantity on Nov 5, 2017 20:57:12 GMT
Yesterday I travelled on the number 2 bus from Eastleigh and got off at the Concorde, and there were a reasonable number of other people who did the same.
I actually think that bus 2 service is fairly good and I found that when I used the buses when they were nationalised during the 1970's I did not find the service at all good.
I like to stay behind after the game and usually by the time I leave Stoneham Lane is no longer closed so I would be unlikely to notice the delays other people experience, although I do wonder whether there could be other factors involved,
Actually I do find the scoreboard showing how long has elapsed a valuable addition to the matchday experience and am sure that improving access to the ground is very much on the agenda although I expect it will involve careful negotiation with the council.
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