Bus Services to Mad Stad Axed-Reinstated 1st 2 games see p8

[weybridgewanderer]

They are now investigating to see the exact figures for these routes to see if the two routes which are better supported (but still not full) can be cost-justified, and also if the contractual terms will allow them to keep on just the two routes.

If contractually they can get out of all 4 routes then in theory can get out 2 of them. effectively you terminate the contract for 4 of the routes and have a new contract for 2 of them

Maybe they can also explore with First if they would be interested in running a bus from Bracknell

[weybridgewanderer]

perhaps some sort of consultation with what the fans would be willing to pay 1st, rather than just scrapping it cos you dont think people will use it if its pricier

I guess the problem with that is that the buses already run at less than capacity, and presumably there is no way of identifying who uses them - so you can't easily consult.
They could ask generally (set up a poll on HNA perhaps !!) and get some kind of indication that some people would pay a bit more. If they then go ahead and sign the contracts for another season and people don;t actually use the buses they are stuffed.
If they announced the buses would be presales only and you had to buy a ticket for the whole season it would be an interesting test of commitment.
There was also an idea that the match ST could include an element to cover transport (ie we all pay £5 extra on our ST and the buses are effectively paid for out of that) but I'm not sure how popular that would be amongst the majority of fans, or how they would gauge how many buses to run.

well if they had thought of this prior to the end of the season they could have asked us on the bus

[weybridgewanderer]

So two routes *may* stay (but no promises) and two are definitely not cost-justifiable because so few people use them. The club is working on putting together family tickets and similar deals, etc, but the worry is that once the family price gets over £8 people will just go by car instead. We are in the area with the highest proportion of car ownership in the UK, after all.

What other service providers has the club approached eg First Bus? Or can Reading Buses can provide a service from Bracknell? It can't be any further from Reading to Bracknell than it was from Aldershot/Farnborough to Bracknell which is the depot I believe the service came from.

Were other alternatives explored such as could the Bracknell service have additional pick up points in Wokingham and perhaps not have as long a route through Bracknell?

[Sun Tzu]

They are now investigating to see the exact figures for these routes to see if the two routes which are better supported (but still not full) can be cost-justified, and also if the contractual terms will allow them to keep on just the two routes.

If contractually they can get out of all 4 routes then in theory can get out 2 of them. effectively you terminate the contract for 4 of the routes and have a new contract for 2 of them

The provider could decline to renew the two routes though.
By the phrasing that would appear to be the case. The contract provides for all or nothing and the provider isn;t interested in a half way house compromise.

[weybridgewanderer]

They are now investigating to see the exact figures for these routes to see if the two routes which are better supported (but still not full) can be cost-justified, and also if the contractual terms will allow them to keep on just the two routes.

If contractually they can get out of all 4 routes then in theory can get out 2 of them. effectively you terminate the contract for 4 of the routes and have a new contract for 2 of them

The provider could decline to renew the two routes though.
By the phrasing that would appear to be the case. The contract provides for all or nothing and the provider isn;t interested in a half way house compromise.

the provider could yes, what star have said uis the club haven't explored that possibility, nor looked at other providers for the 2 better supported routes.

[Sarah Star]

I assume you've all read this:

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDet ... 63,00.html

[working class hero]

Could STAR travel include local coaches and benefit from the association with Horseman? With careful costings and use of direct debit agreements to cover the season this could be a winner....

And yes, I would be willing to organise it before everyone says 'if you have ideas why not get off your arse...'

I suspect that it could be made to work.

[Dirk Gently]

Maybe, but it would be a real leap of faith. If the club, who are prepared to subsidise it to a certain extent, can't make find enough people to make it viable, why would anyone else be able to?

[Sarah Star]

Nothing to stop you making enquiries though, WCH.

[Sun Tzu]

Maybe, but it would be a real leap of faith. If the club, who are prepared to subsidise it to a certain extent, can't make find enough people to make it viable, why would anyone else be able to?

Because someone else might approach it from a different angle and find a way ? Perhaps if it was run from a fan's perspective rather than a club's it may be operated differently ?

As WCH suggests, something more subscription based, and therefore with a reliable income, might be better than on ethat has varied and unpredictable income.

Given that WCH has offered to investigate I would think STAR should at least allow him to come up with proposals. If they are too risky then don;t take them up. If they have merit (and can be managed !) then why not. It may not be STAR who runs them, but the STAR backing may make a difference in terms of getting companies to tender and the fans to use them.

[PieEater]

These bus routes were started in the PL when demand was much higher and also we needed a transport plan for the planning purposes. Now that the demand is much lower the number of people actually using these services just makes it completely uneconomic - and putting the price up so the club are subsidising it less is likely only to reduce the number of people using it even more.

I don't use these services, but this is a very cynically timed move by the club that could affect STHs who've bought tickets planning to use these services. Surely if the services were that uneconomical the club would have know that at the end of last season. What was their reason not to announce it sooner?

It also makes a joke of their planning application that requires a "modal shift" of transport to the ground. What hope have they of changing peoples behaviour when they are cancelling services that they hope people might use in the future. If I were in the planning department I'd make a note to self that any transport plans from RFC cannot be trusted.

A good point from WCH, I'm not sure how much STAR subside coaches, but if local trips to QPR are £10 then Horseman might be able to do something.

[Wycombe Royal]

It also makes a joke of their planning application that requires a "modal shift" of transport to the ground. What hope have they of changing peoples behaviour when they are cancelling services that they hope people might use in the future. If I were in the planning department I'd make a note to self that any transport plans from RFC cannot be trusted.

It is actually dead in line with the planning proposal. The approval for the planning application was given on the 17th July 2007 and aspartof that approval work must begin within 3 years of that date, ie 17th July 2010. No work has begun and therefore we no longer have any planning permission in place and therefore no transport requirements.

[havoc]

Basingstoke, Farnborough, Bracknell and Wokingham all have their own teams tbf

[havoc]

Er, campaign on behalf of fans and not just regurgitate the club's statements?

been saying this forever and am now hearing it more and more on here. STAR need to buck their ideas up

[Sarah Star]

Er, campaign on behalf of fans and not just regurgitate the club's statements?

been saying this forever and am now hearing it more and more on here. STAR need to buck their ideas up

...or people need to get in touch with STAR and tell them what they want instead of just coming on here to complain that nothing's being done when it is.

[havoc]

same old excuse trotted out every time sarah

STAR does NOTHING for supporters and has no option but to carry the clubs party line for fear 'the select few' will lose their enamel badge and Access All Areas privileges.


it's disgusting tbh

[Sarah Star]

LOL!

You know nothing!

But I know you like to stir things up and sometimes that's a good thing. It keeps everyone on their toes.

[havoc]

It keeps everyone on their toes.

except STAR

who seem to spend all their time on their knees

[Sarah Star]

havoc, are you a member? If so, you would be updated regularly about what they are doing and what is going on behind the scenes.

[havoc]

lol

thats not how it works

They do something to show their worth, then I contribute. I'm not handing out my hard earned to get an email every month finding out who's been given a pass to get from the north stand to the east stand, who won the shiniest badge competition and who got to bang out sicknote at the latest STAR gathering