Do we not have a supporters club/group that would be willing to organise coach travel like in the past?, is this something that has already been looked at? Is it doable? I travel by train so coaches doesn’t affect me, but surly it would be better run by fans?
It was run by fans until 2005 when 1) the people who had taken it on from CASC got in a bit of a mess trying to run it too cheap and didn’t pay the coach company and 2) the club had just started running home coaches and the people involved had run the CASC away service, Wendy Perfect in particular, so it made sense to bring it in house. It’s always been a hybrid though - the club doesn’t pay the stewards, who are fans, it just handles the money and books the coaches. I think the club would rather not run it.
The worst thing about running it, as Wendy has always said to me, is having the responsibility for getting people to the game and knowing that if you get it wrong you ruin everyone’s day. The flip side is that there is currently no one with that responsibility. It’s not that no one cares but there is no ownership of it. That’s ultimately why the fact the time was wrong wasn’t challenged.
However, it’s not the full story. I reckon the coaches had lost two hours by the time they stopped for the driver’s break. There’s no way the club would have planned for that. Sometimes you just have to accept that the traffic is impossible.
Yes appreciate the difficulty in organising this but it must be better having a fan lead leadership in this having the knowledge of away travel
This is a coach firm we are talking about they have more knowledge about traveling to places they called it well wrong for this one but overall they get it right the last thing you need is fans getting involved ffs You can hire a coach yourself & pick the route & time that suits but you will not get it anywhere near as cheap guaranteed
Where are the details of what happened? did they not make it at all or were very late?
Both coaches got as far as Hook just off the M3 and turned back with less than 2 hours before kick off
That's ridiculous! How/why? I feel for those on board
My mate who was on the coach got told they were turning around as the ETA was showing at 14:20 at that stage, so there was literally no point in continuing
Please can anyone explain why Coach 2, starting at Larkfield and picking up at Gravesend before heading directly to Charlton, then backtracks to Bexleyheath and Dartford before heading west towards Bristol? Charlton to Bristol via Dartford is not a logical route and perhaps wasted an hour of travelling time. Noticed that the Larkfield starter always does this pick up order for away matches to the north and west of London. Strange...
This is a problem caused by doing too many pick-ups for the number of people travelling.
Coaches to the west and south have traditionally started at Charlton and run outwards, so I disagree that it isn’t logical. It is on the way to the M25. Ditto Bromley. It makes no sense to pick up in Bromley and then head east to Charlton. However there is no practical way of dealing with the small numbers at Larkfield and Gravesend in this situation.
The coaches could run through town from Charlton and follow the normal pick-up sequence, but not to Portsmouth or the south coast. It is not true they run this way to the north.
I don’t have any visibility on the numbers using the pick-ups but I assume that by running passengers round from Dartford to Bexleyheath to Bromley and then to Charlton (which was ridiculous) the club has pushed most people to get on at Charlton to avoid the nonsense.
In the past Bexleyheath was the busier pick-up and a third coach or fourth would not need to go to Charlton at all, which removed the problem.
Of course Charlton people would rather the Bexleyheath and Dartford passengers doubled back on themselves but that’s not really sensible.
Went by train and had to stand in the aisle the whole way there. They blamed it on something wrong with the Oxford line, so people having to get our train to get to Didcot and then a bus replacement service, but don't explain why others had duplicate tickets for our seats
That line is literally sinking, I’ve been watching tweets about it this week. Doesnt look like a quick fix to me, so I’d keep an eye on that if you plan on going Cheltenham by train.
First time I’ve heard of coaches turning back. Late, yes. But not turning back. you can bet your bottom dollar that if in future they err on the side of caution and have an enforced hour and half or 2 hour stop en route, fans would moan.
I'd just like to say it's a shame. From next season I expect the number of away games I go to go down. Not a case of me not wanting to go , but with train prices rising and the coaches as they currently stand my attendance will decline
didn't affect me, however this situation is inexcusable .. fans have bought tickets, given up their time and most importantly were looking forward to watching and cheering on their team .. we all know that traffic all over the country is getting more congested by the day .. I hope that all those affected can claim some compensation, and not just a ticket money refund .. just disgraceful whatever/whoever is at fault
First time I’ve heard of coaches turning back. Late, yes. But not turning back. you can bet your bottom dollar that if in future they err on the side of caution and have an enforced hour and half or 2 hour stop en route, fans would moan.
You're probably right but then if you're taken to a pub or a half decent service station for that duration and then guaranteed to get to the game on time there's not too much to moan about, people have far more ways to make use of spare time these days than they did back in the 1990's. To me if you're going to an away game outside of London you're pretty much committing the whole day to the game and getting on a coach at 10:30am, 9:30am or even 8:30am shouldn't ought to make too much difference to your day especially in the morning.
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
You should get your coach and ticket costs refunded as a minimum
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
You should get your coach and ticket costs refunded as a minimum
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
You should get your coach and ticket costs refunded as a minimum
Would be nice but not holding my breath!
Neither am I think I’ll wait until Tuesday and if nothing happens I’ll fire off an email
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
You should get your coach and ticket costs refunded as a minimum
Agree. It’s up to the club to sort this out with the coach company. Complete mess all round. I often joke about the the coaches, but this is a pathetic mistake that ruined a lot of honest supporters’ day, and as AFKA said, a lot of them are people that go to every game.
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
You should get your coach and ticket costs refunded as a minimum
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
if the club can sort out some youngster at the club their heating bill cos they stupidly left their under floor heating on for two years then surely they could reimburse the fans on those coaches their ticket prices plus coach travel. throw in a free coach travel somewhere else and then maybe you could say they have done ok by the fans. not great still but at least its something.
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
if the club can sort out some youngster at the club their heating bill cos they stupidly left their under floor heating on for two years then surely they could reimburse the fans on those coaches their ticket prices plus coach travel. throw in a free coach travel somewhere else and then maybe you could say they have done ok by the fans. not great still but at least its something.
btw i can see this being my a grip whenever the club fucks over the fans for whatever reason. should of kept that in-house Holden. gives some cynic like me ammunition.
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
You should get your coach and ticket costs refunded as a minimum
Would be nice but not holding my breath!
Or learn how to drive.
I can drive thanks and do to some aways - Oxford, Wycombe, Cheltenham. But as I said, when taking my two sons with me, sometimes it’s nice not to have to worry about driving as well.
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
You should get your coach and ticket costs refunded as a minimum
Would be nice but not holding my breath!
Or learn how to drive.
What? Not helpful & quite frankly rude. Her reply was a lot more polite than mine would have been 🤔
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
You should get your coach and ticket costs refunded as a minimum
Would be nice but not holding my breath!
Or learn how to drive.
What? Not helpful & quite frankly rude. Her reply was a lot more polite than mine would have been 🤔
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
if the club can sort out some youngster at the club their heating bill cos they stupidly left their under floor heating on for two years then surely they could reimburse the fans on those coaches their ticket prices plus coach travel. throw in a free coach travel somewhere else and then maybe you could say they have done ok by the fans. not great still but at least its something.
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
if the club can sort out some youngster at the club their heating bill cos they stupidly left their under floor heating on for two years then surely they could reimburse the fans on those coaches their ticket prices plus coach travel. throw in a free coach travel somewhere else and then maybe you could say they have done ok by the fans. not great still but at least its something.
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
if the club can sort out some youngster at the club their heating bill cos they stupidly left their under floor heating on for two years then surely they could reimburse the fans on those coaches their ticket prices plus coach travel. throw in a free coach travel somewhere else and then maybe you could say they have done ok by the fans. not great still but at least its something.
That wasn't Charlton...
well, that's ruined it.
the article sounded like it was.
“At a previous club, this player trained badly for a couple of days....
I don't think there is any doubt the club will refund coach fares - no business could defend retaining them. Hopefully they will go further, but realistically there is no one with that authority on top of it over the Easter weekend. It's a horrible thing to happen to those affected but let's see how the club actually responds to the situation, before assuming the worst.
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
if the club can sort out some youngster at the club their heating bill cos they stupidly left their under floor heating on for two years then surely they could reimburse the fans on those coaches their ticket prices plus coach travel. throw in a free coach travel somewhere else and then maybe you could say they have done ok by the fans. not great still but at least its something.
That wasn't Charlton...
well, that's ruined it.
the article sounded like it was.
“At a previous club, this player trained badly for a couple of days....
alright, sorry. give it a few months and my version will become fact.
I don't think there is any doubt the club will refund coach fares - no business could defend retaining them. Hopefully they will go further, but realistically there is no one with that authority on top of it over the Easter weekend. It's a horrible thing to happen to those affected but let's see how the club actually responds to the situation, before assuming the worst.
As one of the affected, that’s my take on it. I would like to think I will be contacted/automatically refunded. Let’s wait and see……….
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
You should get your coach and ticket costs refunded as a minimum
Would be nice but not holding my breath!
Or learn how to drive.
FFS, it was meant to be tongue in cheek. Let’s not get too precious. I get it was a sorry afternoon for all involved, but come on, if I was on the A21 at Bromley at 11:15, I think I would have called it a day. Very noble of you Brownie that you take your kids on these away events. Genuinely no malice intended. Wish you and your children well for forthcoming events.
My two boys and I were on the coach. 10:15 pick up from Eltham. When we were still coming along the A21 Bromley common at 11:15, the writing was on the wall. In hindsight the pick up times should have been much earlier but the convoluted route to Bromley didn’t help. Really disappointing. We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress! The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!! I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
Booked for the Ipswich match so fingers crossed.
You should get your coach and ticket costs refunded as a minimum
Would be nice but not holding my breath!
Or learn how to drive.
FFS, it was meant to be tongue in cheek. Let’s not get too precious. I get it was a sorry afternoon for all involved, but come on, if I was on the A21 at Bromley at 11:15, I think I would have called it a day. Very noble of you Brownie that you take your kids on these away events. Genuinely no malice intended. Wish you and your children well for forthcoming events.
Suggest you use this 😜 afterwards otherwise people will take it on face value.
Comments
they called it well wrong for this one but overall they get it right the last thing you need is fans getting involved ffs
You can hire a coach yourself & pick the route & time that suits but you will not get it anywhere near as cheap guaranteed
In the past Bexleyheath was the busier pick-up and a third coach or fourth would not need to go to Charlton at all, which removed the problem.
Of course Charlton people would rather the Bexleyheath and Dartford passengers doubled back on themselves but that’s not really sensible.
you can bet your bottom dollar that if in future they err on the side of caution and have an enforced hour and half or 2 hour stop en route, fans would moan.
From next season I expect the number of away games I go to go down.
Not a case of me not wanting to go , but with train prices rising and the coaches as they currently stand my attendance will decline
we all know that traffic all over the country is getting more congested by the day .. I hope that all those affected can claim some compensation, and not just a ticket money refund .. just disgraceful whatever/whoever is at fault
We have been using the coaches for several years now without any problems to be fair. I go for the coach because as a woman travelling with my two (young as they were when I first started using the coaches) boys, it takes away some of the stress!
The joke is, I got a (presumably automated) email from the club the next day asking me to complete a survey on how my experience of the valley away service had been for my trip to Bristol!!
I don’t expect to get my money back for the match tickets but hope that the coach money is refunded.
if the club can sort out some youngster at the club their heating bill cos they stupidly left their under floor heating on for two years then surely they could reimburse the fans on those coaches their ticket prices plus coach travel. throw in a free coach travel somewhere else and then maybe you could say they have done ok by the fans. not great still but at least its something.
Not helpful & quite frankly rude.
Her reply was a lot more polite than mine would have been 🤔
the article sounded like it was.
Let’s not get too precious.
I get it was a sorry afternoon for all involved, but come on, if I was on the A21 at Bromley at 11:15, I think I would have called it a day.
Very noble of you Brownie that you take your kids on these away events.
Genuinely no malice intended.
Wish you and your children well for forthcoming events.