| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Gunnersbury Park - parking charges | |
| Posted by: | Francis Rowe | |
| Date/Time: | 16/06/21 13:33:00 |
| Unfortunately for you Paul Anita has very succinctly characterised your contributions to this forum. Your approach may get you a few likes on social media from like-minded people who follow you because you endorse their views but it doesn't really help provide practical solutions to the problems we face. If your starting point is that every car journey is unnecessary except the ones that you make, you aren't going to convince many people that you have anything worthwhile to add. I've volunteered with a sports clubs locally and have been responsible for arranging fixtures and transport to matches for both adult and kids teams. The configuration at Gunnersbury Park makes it highly likely that serious problems will emerge once a fuller calendar of games is taking place. Adult teams generally car pool as far as possible. Very few people cycle to matches because half are away fixtures and for football and rugby at least there is always a chance of getting a knock which will deprive you of your means of getting home. As there are few spectators adult teams are likely to generate less use of the car park but kids teams are different. Car pooling is arranged particularly for disadvantaged kids who don't have parents to bring them but a large number of parents want to come to games themselves so you'll get a far higher number of cars. When communicating with other clubs about match day arrangements it is expected that some guidance will be given about parking. I'd anticipate that the word will go out to avoid the car park in the grounds and park instead on local residential streets which, I think, is not controlled at the weekend. This will particularly be the case if players are getting fined while waiting in a queue to get out and their allotted time expires. The congestion won't just impact participants in matches and the problem for Gunnersbury will become that the park exists to give people an opportunity for a bit of relaxation. If getting in and out of the park proves to be a highly stressful experience, people won't come back and all the projections of rising footfall won't be met. |