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Valley Express to continue 25/26

AFKABartram
AFKABartram Posts: 59,324
in General Charlton

This time last year the decision was taken to review the club’s Valley Express service, with the service costing the club more than £20,000 per season.

Working with supporters, the decision was taken to keep the service going for the 2024/25 season, with minor adjustments made and supporters encouraged to bring friends and family along. 

With the changes made, the service has experienced increased numbers during the 2024/25 campaign and will be close to break even by the end of the campaign. 

Therefore Valley Express, which gives supporters the opportunity to travel to home games by coach, will continue for the 2025/26 season. The club would like to thank all the supporters involved in the consultation process last season and those who have helped get more people using the service this season. 

Priced at £299, during Phase One, a season pass equates to just £13 per fixture with dozens of convenient pick-up points for supporters based in Kent and Sussex.

Comments

  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 34,555
    very good news for those of us exiled in East Sussex.
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 22,449
    In other news, the Larkfield coach for the 1st away game of the 2025/2026 season leaves in 10 minutes.
  • Redrobo
    Redrobo Posts: 11,543
    Excellent news.
  • Airman Brown
    Airman Brown Posts: 15,959
    edited March 2025
    AFKABartram said:

    This time last year the decision was taken to review the club’s Valley Express service, with the service costing the club more than £20,000 per season.

    Working with supporters, the decision was taken to keep the service going for the 2024/25 season, with minor adjustments made and supporters encouraged to bring friends and family along. 

    With the changes made, the service has experienced increased numbers during the 2024/25 campaign and will be close to break even by the end of the campaign. 

    Therefore Valley Express, which gives supporters the opportunity to travel to home games by coach, will continue for the 2025/26 season. The club would like to thank all the supporters involved in the consultation process last season and those who have helped get more people using the service this season. 

    Priced at £299, during Phase One, a season pass equates to just £13 per fixture with dozens of convenient pick-up points for supporters based in Kent and Sussex.

    The assertion that the service was “costing the club more than £20,000” relies on the assumption that all of the people using it would otherwise have continued to attend without it and therefore it had no impact on ticket revenue.

    This is an unreasonable assumption that has dogged VEX for all its 21 years. In reality, some would, some wouldn’t, but the whole point of it was to bring people to the ground who would not otherwise come because of poor and expensive public transport routes, and particularly to introduce new people.

    Breaking even on coach fares wasn’t ever supposed to be the point. VEX is not an end in itself. The club is not a travel agency.

    For context, £20k revenue will be 50-75 attendances per match, just on tickets. It is unlikely even on the very low numbers being carried compared to the past that it was ever losing the club money at all. 

    On the same basis it is now making a small profit, but how much better to use it for its original purpose of bringing extra people to matches more effectively instead of obsessing about the cost in isolation of the overall revenue? 
  • Er_Be_Ab_Pl_Wo_Wo_Ch
    Er_Be_Ab_Pl_Wo_Wo_Ch Posts: 2,353
    All 6 coach routes for the Home leg against Wycombe are showing good availability, which suggests multiple coaches on routes where there would normally be one coach running?

    I wonder whether the club are planning to supply as many coaches as demand dictates - if so, good stuff.
  • Crusty54
    Crusty54 Posts: 3,539
    The cycle lane works on Woolwich Road mean that the set down, coach parking and pick up points will not be available for this season.
  • Weegie Addick
    Weegie Addick Posts: 17,732
    Crusty54 said:
    The cycle lane works on Woolwich Road mean that the set down, coach parking and pick up points will not be available for this season.
    So what’s the plan? I have a good friend with mobility challenges who relies on VEX to get to games.
  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 34,555
    Weegie Addick said:
    Crusty54 said:
    The cycle lane works on Woolwich Road mean that the set down, coach parking and pick up points will not be available for this season.
    So what’s the plan? I have a good friend with mobility challenges who relies on VEX to get to games.
    She’s on my coach I believe. Well, if the Club have anything to do with it and considering, in my opinion, they are just paying lip service to VEX then I very much doubt there is a plan. Last season it seemed to be a park where the hell you can sort of system, blocking bus stops, moving cones, parking amongst the roadworks etc. Sadly I don’t know what the answer is.
  • AFKABartram
    AFKABartram Posts: 59,324
    I suspect a plan will now be formed now it’s just been highlighted 
  • Crusty54
    Crusty54 Posts: 3,539
    AFKABartram said:
    I suspect a plan will now be formed now it’s just been highlighted 
    I did email the club this morning to ask.

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  • mrbligh
    mrbligh Posts: 3,060
    edited August 12
    I know it used to go via monks farm in lancing - from the look of it that doesn’t happen anymore? Dies anyone that gets the coach know if  it still passes this way? 
  • Crusty54
    Crusty54 Posts: 3,539
    Just got a reply from the club.

    Yes we are aware of this and have made necessary arrangements with both the coach company and construction team.

    This looks like the coaches will be allowed to pull into the middle of the work site. Lots of scope for trips and falls.

    Once the works are complete an alternative will be needed as the road will be much narrower.
  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 34,555
    Shit show on the Woolwich Road. Going to be carnage after the game with the crossing opposite Ransom Walk blocked off. Also nowhere for the coaches to park. Our driver dropped us off amongst the away coaches and then was having to go elsewhere to find somewhere to park. Once the works have finished there will be nowhere to park. The club needs to address this asap.
  • Crusty54
    Crusty54 Posts: 3,539
    LargeAddick said:
    Shit show on the Woolwich Road. Going to be carnage after the game with the crossing opposite Ransom Walk blocked off. Also nowhere for the coaches to park. Our driver dropped us off amongst the away coaches and then was having to go elsewhere to find somewhere to park. Once the works have finished there will be nowhere to park. The club needs to address this asap.
    I did warn the club that there would be nowhere to set down/park on Woolwich Road.

    The reply was that arrangements were in hand with the construction team. It clearly wasn't (and never will be again).
  • fenaddick
    fenaddick Posts: 22,812
    You shouldn't need to as it's the kind of thing the club should pick up on but I'd send an email to fans@cafc.co.uk because at least then it's been raised and the club can't claim to not know.

    How was it post match @LargeAddick?
  • Crusty54
    Crusty54 Posts: 3,539
    fenaddick said:
    You shouldn't need to as it's the kind of thing the club should pick up on but I'd send an email to fans@cafc.co.uk because at least then it's been raised and the club can't claim to not know.

    How was it post match @LargeAddick?
    I sent 2 emails last week. They stated that arrangements were in hand with the coach operator and the the construction team. I didn't see any workers on site in this area.

    I've emailed the photo this morning.

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