Free buses ?

[The9]

Back when Lowe closed the corners of the ground, I remember some discussion on here about the removal of the free bus tickets from the Season Ticket booklets (I for one was kicking up about the ST cost staying the same, and the removal of the bus tickets after they already had my money).

 

IIRC, the reason the club provided the free bus tickets was that Southampton City Council insisted upon it as a condition of building the stadium in the City, as a measure to reduce traffic and presumably some kind of Green agenda.

 

Now, when Lowe got rid of the free bus tickets, the justification was something like the expectation of attendances not being over something like 24,000 for more than 10 matches. I seem to remember the council agreeing that if the club went back to having larger crowds, which didn't look likely whilst fielding a team of kids in what became the Championship relegation season, that the club would be required to provide free transport again.

 

So, the obvious questions :

 

Can anyone remember the exact attendance figures in question ?

Is this City Council requirement for free transport still in place or could it have been buried politically as potentially appearing anti-Saints in the new era ?

Is any Council requirement even still valid since the change of stadium ownership ?

Do the club even know about the possible requirement ?

If needed, how would they incorporate the bus tickets with the new smartcard ST ?

WHERE'S MY FREE BUS TICKET ?

 

Also, this is NOT, repeat NOT, about stadium expansion in any way, and I'd appreciate it if anyone wishing to discuss that takes it to one of the hundreds of existing arguments already buried in other threads.

[jawillwill]

Stop being lazy and just walk...

[CB Fry]

We'll need Olympic style Saints-Lanes to ferry in the 50,000 coming through the turnstiles next season. Southampton City Council pull your finger out.

[Thedelldays]

Walk,

There are too many unfit, lazy people in the UK

[Ziggy]

Walk,

There are too many unfit, lazy people in the UK

 

This.

[itchen]

It's a fair point. I'm pretty sure it was a planning condition which the council only relaxed because crowds were smaller and the club was clearly in difficulties. Both of those things no longer apply and I wonder if the council is thinking about reimposing the condition. It will probably take a couple of afternoons of traffic chaos to start the discussion.

 

I also wonder whether they will reintroduce the closure of Northam Road to traffic for the period immediately after full time.

[The9]

Just for the record, I've moved twice since the free bus tickets were withdrawn (and walked to every home match from then until 2011) and I no longer live Southampton-side of the M27, so it would be a bit of a walk.

 

I also note that 6 posts in and no-one has answered any of the questions yet...

[The9]

We'll need Olympic style Saints-Lanes to ferry in the 50,000 coming through the turnstiles next season. Southampton City Council pull your finger out.

 

50000/19 = not many though?

[dronskisaint]

Back when Lowe closed the corners of the ground, I remember some discussion on here about the removal of the free bus tickets from the Season Ticket booklets (I for one was kicking up about the ST cost staying the same, and the removal of the bus tickets after they already had my money).

 

IIRC, the reason the club provided the free bus tickets was that Southampton City Council insisted upon it as a condition of building the stadium in the City, as a measure to reduce traffic and presumably some kind of Green agenda.

 

Now, when Lowe got rid of the free bus tickets, the justification was something like the expectation of attendances not being over something like 24,000 for more than 10 matches. I seem to remember the council agreeing that if the club went back to having larger crowds, which didn't look likely whilst fielding a team of kids in what became the Championship relegation season, that the club would be required to provide free transport again.

 

So, the obvious questions :

 

Can anyone remember the exact attendance figures in question ?

Is this City Council requirement for free transport still in place or could it have been buried politically as potentially appearing anti-Saints in the new era ?

Is any Council requirement even still valid since the change of stadium ownership ?

Do the club even know about the possible requirement ?

If needed, how would they incorporate the bus tickets with the new smartcard ST ?

WHERE'S MY FREE BUS TICKET ?

 

Also, this is NOT, repeat NOT, about stadium expansion in any way, and I'd appreciate it if anyone wishing to discuss that takes it to one of the hundreds of existing arguments already buried in other threads.

 

As with phone contract 'free' minutes the word is 'inclusive' -I think it's great to include bus travel but does it not discriminate against those who don't use it?

 

Just asking...