Villa Park Redevelopment

[VILLA MOLE]

The aerial view of Edgbaston shows a line of buses ready to take everyone back into Town, I used this service during the last Ashes test there.
I can't fathom out why this cannot or will not work at the Villa. It also happens for the big meetings at Cheltenham Races.
The demand is there, the infrastructure is there as witnessed today, there's money to be made so why is it not in place. I know there has to be a will on both parts but there is between WCCC and NE so why not for us?

Absolutely this. I’d love to hear a rational explanation why this can’t be put in place this season.

Surely someone has suggested this ?

[Risso]

I guess it's much easier to get away from Edgbaston though. You've got the Bristol and Pershore Roads right next to the ground, and far less in the way of old, narrow terraced streets hemming everything in. The problem with having a load of coaches at Villa Park is first of all where would they wait, and secondly they're just going to sit in all of the traffic like everybody else. Edgbaston only holds 20 odd thousand as well.

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

Surely the point of all the bus/coaches is to negate the need for the cars.

[Chris Smith]

I guess it's much easier to get away from Edgbaston though. You've got the Bristol and Pershore Roads right next to the ground, and far less in the way of old, narrow terraced streets hemming everything in. The problem with having a load of coaches at Villa Park is first of all where would they wait, and secondly they're just going to sit in all of the traffic like everybody else. Edgbaston only holds 20 odd thousand as well.

There used to be a shuttle service of double deckers back in the 80s between Priory Queensway and Sycamore Road which was always busy before and after the game. Not sure when it stopped running but suspect the Cross City trains took up a lot of that custom. With the size crowds now and in the future there is probably an argument for having both.

[VILLA MOLE]

Do they still shut roads to allow away coaches out onto the Express way ?

[Nev]

Of course there are challenges with our location, the buses certainly don't need to be waiting next to the ground. The Lichfield Rd side has more room and a more or less direct route into town. As for traffic, of course they get stuck in it, 10 minute journeys can take 3 times as long, or more at the Festival. I just see it as a viable option to add to the trains and make the journey away from the ground in our case that much easier.

[Des Little]

I’d have thought most people could walk up to the Lichfield Road, then it’s a straight road into town?

[AV82EC]

Yep line them up either outside Aston Church or actually out on the bus Lane by where the Vine pub used to be, £1 fare straight to the road outside Moor Street. This ain’t fucking rocket science is it.

[Nev]

That's more or less what I thinking, a pound is rather optimistic though!

[PeterWithe]

I’d have thought most people could walk up to the Lichfield Road, then it’s a straight road into town?

And or, Birchfield Rd

I must say I’ve always wondered exactly how big these ‘unique transport challenges’ actually are for anyone with a bit of ‘can do’ spirit.

[Mister E]

I’d have thought most people could walk up to the Lichfield Road, then it’s a straight road into town?

And or, Birchfield Rd
I must say I’ve always wondered exactly how big these ‘unique transport challenges’ actually are for anyone with a bit of ‘can do’ spirit.

Leeds run buses to Elland Road from the City centre on match days. Their road system is pretty ugly on match days but the bus service certainly takes up some of the slack.
For some reason BCC (or some other authority) seems remarkably dense on the matter, viewed from afar.

[exigo]

Line them up in the bus sprinter lane opposite Aston station. Plenty of room, and straight into town in 10 mins.

[cdbearsfan]

They need to be near the ground, not everyone is mobile and can easily walk far. They used to line them up by the North Stand. WM ones take forever as they sit in traffic but the other companies were able to get to town fairly quickly by going on a different route. No reason they couldn't do that again. Police could assist by preventing car traffic entering the island for a couple of minutes while all the buses and coaches get out.

[Risso]

Police could assist by preventing car traffic entering the island for a couple of minutes while all the buses and coaches get out.

The last point is a good one. Any solution needs to involve traffic planning and control from the police. They could temporarily shut some of the side roads and make sure that for say twenty minutes, everything is going in the two main directions that cars take to get away from the ground.

[astonvilla82]

I’d have thought most people could walk up to the Lichfield Road, then it’s a straight road into town?

And or, Birchfield Rd
I must say I’ve always wondered exactly how big these ‘unique transport challenges’ actually are for anyone with a bit of ‘can do’ spirit.

Leeds run buses to Elland Road from the City centre on match days. Their road system is pretty ugly on match days but the bus service certainly takes up some of the slack.
For some reason BCC (or some other authority) seems remarkably dense on the matter, viewed from afar.

BCC would prefer you to use the cycle lanes