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Buses To Away Games


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Do not agree he has answered his own question or do I agree other modes of transport have become cheaper. For instance I looked at options for Inverness, train £60+ and does not ensure return same day after the match. Car? If you are in area where share is an option then £10 / 12 each should cover. Many of us are not and I for one in the borders area travel to meet the supporters bus and I believe charges are very attractive. On the car share years ago the Club asked those from outlying areas to advise if interested but I believe the response was poor. I enjoy my away days to Inverness etc. bot there are other reasons why a 450 / 500 mile round trip does not appeal. What might do tho is a car share to the nearest supporter bus pick up point. I know supporter bus sometime struggle to fill them.

 

Eh? Car share when they can number over 50 on a regular basis? Belter.

 

My post was made in relation to how The Bois & those loosely attached arrange travel to the match 'on most occasions' in recent years. I'm well aware that train prices were inflated at the weekend... given the fixture release date - a music festival in the area meant increased passenger footfall & demand for saver 'type' tickets forcing prices up long before any of our support could check for potential purchase.

 

Where it's viable, coaches are hired - at less cost to those aboard than those travelling by supporter association bookings & without being restricted to the association 'do's & don'ts.

 

Letting the train take the strain? Again less restrictive in what people want to do & most probably adding to the matchday experience, it's been found to be cheaper & in many ways quicker to travel to than by coach given the links we enjoy. Where creativity is required, normally on trips further afield, other saver type tickets are sourced well in advance & again cheaper. If not? Next step on the hierarchy is followed...

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I would have loved to be at the game yesterday but the train fare to Inverness meant it was too expensive. I went to the Ayr Utd game instead and it cost me less than the admission at Inverness.

 

The SPFL should certainly trying to get a deal going with the train companies. Would it be a big deal to have some rail ticket discount vouchers at the back of the season ticket?

 

You'd think it would be a worthwhile market for everyone involved if say if even a 1000 extra people get on a train on match day that otherwise would stay in the house, the bookies or the pub.

 

 

It's a nice thought but outwith Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Utd and Dundee none of the other teams would take anywhere near an extra 1000 to these games unless they were important (relegation decider, cup quarter final etc).Even a 50% off voucher which I doubt the club could afford long term would likely only add an extra 100-200 to away crowds.

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Do not agree he has answered his own question or do I agree other modes of transport have become cheaper. For instance I looked at options for Inverness, train £60+ and does not ensure return same day after the match. Car? If you are in area where share is an option then £10 / 12 each should cover. Many of us are not and I for one in the borders area travel to meet the supporters bus and I believe charges are very attractive. On the car share years ago the Club asked those from outlying areas to advise if interested but I believe the response was poor. I enjoy my away days to Inverness etc. bot there are other reasons why a 450 / 500 mile round trip does not appeal. What might do tho is a car share to the nearest supporter bus pick up point. I know supporter bus sometime struggle to fill them.

 

 

Eh? Car share when they can number over 50 on a regular basis? Belter.

 

My post was made in relation to how The Bois & those loosely attached arrange travel to the match 'on most occasions' in recent years. I'm well aware that train prices were inflated at the weekend... given the fixture release date - a music festival in the area meant increased passenger footfall & demand for saver 'type' tickets forcing prices up long before any of our support could check for potential purchase.

 

Where it's viable, coaches are hired - at less cost to those aboard than those travelling by supporter association bookings & without being restricted to the association 'do's & don'ts.

 

Letting the train take the strain? Again less restrictive in what people want to do & most probably adding to the matchday experience, it's been found to be cheaper & in many ways quicker to travel to than by coach given the links we enjoy. Where creativity is required, normally on trips further afield, other saver type tickets are sourced well in advance & again cheaper. If not? Next step on the hierarchy is followed...

My post regarding car share was not in relation to the bois travel arrangements. I was trying to do two things 1) Understand like Dewell why more people do not use a supporters bus. Yes I know there are restrictions. 2) Encourage fans to use them also there must many fans on the outskirts of the North / South Lanarkshire borders like me that could maybe tempted. Back to Saturday I did not hear any announcement of the number of visiting fans but did read 400 quoted elsewhere, Two supporters buses around 60 fans, So 340 fans made other arrangements. I am also curious to understand Ya Bezzer whose location is given as north lodge, Motherwell? when I lived there chose to go to Ayr when train admittedly was too expensive could have used the Central supporters bus which was not. Not a criticism in any way.

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Personally, I just don't fancy a supporters bus. Prefer to keep to my own timetable I suppose.

 

I go to most away games except the Highland ones and we usually drive 2 or 4 in a car. It's not the cost that stops me going up there it's just the time involved unfortunately.

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I suppose the rise of the car is in large part responsible for the demise of the supporters bus. Cars provide more flexibility and are faster. Apart from that you can choose who you want to travel with. Coaches are now much more expensive than they used to be and in many cases fans are being ripped off. Finally many folk have to have a drink on the way to the match. No doubt there are other reasons.

 

If you are running an organised bus you have to factor in reduced priced for juveniles and charge adults more or subsidise fares..

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Yes I agree cars are more flexible but could give you an argument on time. We left the football car park at 5.05 was back in Carluke at 8.30 via stops at Motherwell and Wishaw. A journey of around 185 miles.Inverness may be a poor example for comparison because all vehicles are restricted to average speed of 50mph on A9. There are concessions on the buses mentioned to which I am entitled.

As also mentioned earlier I live in a village on outskirts of the Borders and when I drive to home games mostly on my own the the cost petrol exceeds the cost of the bus to Inverness.

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Does anyone else remember the old Motherwell Travel Club? It was sponsored by Edenvale Financial Services and you paid a small joining fee, phoned the Club by the Thursday to book your seat and got cheaper travel to away games sure it was something like of £3 to St Johnstone, £5 to Hibs/Hearts etc. Wonder if that's something worth investigating/considering by the Club again?

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To be honest I think travelling to games on organised buses has had its day. At one time we had 6 supporters clubs running buses to every away game, wishaw, central, muirhouse,shotts, EK, and Belshill now I think we are down to just 3 and that may not be every game.

Times have changed re peoples working times, family commitments etc so the vast majority of fans who regularly travel to away games probably drive .

That said I think there may be opportunities for organised travel for certain games, cup games, semi or finals, playoffs etc (hope we are never in another one) which the club could look at.

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Looks a decent scheme but when you have the potential for several thousand travelling supporters buying tickets each week these initiatives are financially attractive for the transport companies that's why they set them up. However when you scale it down to the level of the average travelling Motherwell support, a couple of hundred at best then it may not be worth their while.

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