New travel service

The price ain't right

It's worth viewing the full text of the article.  I thought the questionnaire was a sign that it was a concept the club was exploring, in response to the recent "focus-group". On the contrary: this is happening, from January 2020. 

(When I was filling in the questionnaire and put Macclesfield as a pick-up point, the system threw me out!).

The Club is pleased to announce a partnership with Event Travel Hub to provide transport services for supporters on home match fixtures.

Event Travel Hub organises transport for many sporting events, music festivals, corporate and private events.

Their biggest operation to date has been partnering with Premier League Club, Brighton & Hove Albion FC. They provide coach and bus travel to over 3,000 supporters from over 200 pick up points to get supporters to and from the American Express Community Stadium every home game using 55 vehicles. This is the biggest operation of its kind in the UK.

Event Travel Hub are now bringing their experience to Bristol Rovers, with the introduction of Gas Travel.

The service comes with many benefits, to help supporters enjoy their match day experience and take the stress out of travelling to and from the Memorial Stadium.

We can see by the findings of the fan's survey conducted over the summer that supporters are asking for a Park ‘n’ Ride service, or dedicated bus service; with the 'Gas Travel' scheme offering both options.

The benefits to supporters for using the service are outlined below;

• No more driving around looking for that parking space near the ground.
• No more changing buses or trains.
• No more long walks to the train station.
• No more queuing for buses in the wind and rain.
• No more travelling alone - we have seen through Seagull Travel many supporters travelled alone but on the coach you would have a chance to talk to fellow-minded fans and make new friends.
• No more leaving the match early - so many fans leave early to beat the queues, which you won't have to worry about if you take up their service.
• Guaranteed seat: make sure your journey to the ground is a comfortable one – coaches aim to be at the ground about an hour before KO on Saturdays and 45 minutes before the game begins at midweek fixtures.
• Enjoy the pre-match build up; relax and be in a position to secure your favourite spot on the terraces.
• Gas Travel coaches will park just outside the stadium giving fans easy access.

Unfortunately, as with all transport, it comes at a cost, but the intention is that the service will take all the stress out of the match day experience.

We are kindly asking supporters to complete an online survey by clicking the link here. This will allow us to see where the demand for travel is geographically located and to determine route capacity.

Gas Travel is looking to operate routes for the first EFL Sky Bet League One home fixture in January 2020 at the Mem, as Doncaster Rovers FC visit BS7 on Saturday, 11th Jan.

Gas Travel is proposing, as an introductory offer, to charge £8 per person per return trip for following the first five home fixtures. This gives supporters a chance to see how the system works in practice.

After the introductory games, there will be a slight increase in the price. The costs will be relevant to how far you have to travel with a return ticket from Weston Super Mere costing around £15 return and the same trip from Lawrence Hill priced at £10 return.

There will be discounts for children once the full fares are introduced. After the introductory offer, Gas Travel will provide a season ticket that will save you money on a match by match price. In addition, your place is guaranteed on the coach.

All bookings have to be made at least 48 hours in advance. Please note that this is offered on a first come first served basis, so do book early.

Gas Travel will have its own booking page within Event Travel Hub where all the pickup points will be listed. You can, if you wish, book over the phone.

Each transaction has a £1.50 booking fee; however, you can order your seat for more than one game at a time which will reduce the overall cost to you.

But the impression is that if enough people put Cheddar as a pick up point then it may happen.
Did not read it as WSM is only pick up point south of Bristol.

Sounds a bit like taking a supporters club coach to a home match. No beer allowed on board straight there and straight back. Good for some I suppose. If gorringe is involved then it is probably designed to get more people to drink in the bars at the stadium. It's just another way of getting more money into the club. Nothing wrong with that. First bus run extra buses for s**theads on a match day if you look at their app. Can't see it being feasible for 7,000 - 8,000 home crowds. Maybe one for the future.

Only silly people would ''Drive around looking for a parking space'', use JustPark, here you go, £4 reserves you off road parking on Jan 11th for 4 hours, just off of Horfield Common,

www.justpark.com/search/?ac_country=GB&arriving=2020-01-11T14%3A00%3A00.000Z&coords=51.48144689999999%2C-2.579745799999955&leaving=2020-01-11T18%3A00%3A00.000Z&location_name=BS7&place_id=ChIJ7Uw_luKNcUgRsxPGOOrFU8w&q=Bristol%20BS7%2C%20UK&source=autocomplete

Tom seems keen to copy what Brighton are doing, so no doubt he's just putting the finishing touches to a deal for free local bus travel, the same as Brighton have for anybody with a season ticket or match day ticket, details here,

www.buses.co.uk/football-buses

Anyway, if you don't drink alcohol, that would be around 21% of the adults in the country, why on earth would you want to arrive at the ground and be stuck there for a full hour before the game starts?

Shouldn't think they have any travel or parking issues if they get there that early then

Or maybe they are part of the 21% and find drunks rather tiresome?

Now, about these free busses...