A suggestion for STAR - away days

[retired aggro]

WHY NOT - stagger the departing times of different coaches. Let the supporters choose which bus they catch. That way they can have no qualms if they miss kick off or if they don't arrive in time for a pint.
WHY NOT - contact a pub in close proximity to the ground and tell them that a coach or two of Reading fans will be arriving for some beer before the game. You never know the pub may even throw some food on.

[M4 Junction 11]

WHY NOT - stagger the departing times of different coaches. Let the supporters choose which bus they catch. That way they can have no qualms if they miss kick off or if they don't arrive in time for a pint.
WHY NOT - contact a pub in close proximity to the ground and tell them that a coach or two of Reading fans will be arriving for some beer before the game. You never know the pub may even throw some food on.

Don't the coaches need to stay together for the police escort ... don't think the beer bit would be legal though sounds like a sensible idea

[retired aggro]

Coaches do not have to stay together. Not sure even if they are official club coaches they'd have to stay together but seeing as they are not run by the club but independently STAR could run them what ever time they wanted. I think it's a police recommendation that the coaches run together, so STAR can easily go against this if they wish.

As for stopping at a pub, no way is that illegal. Plenty of coaches to football do that. Even the official Man United coaches often pull up at grounds early allowing fans to go for a pint.

[STAR TRAVEL]

Coaches do not have to stay together. Not sure even if they are official club coaches they'd have to stay together but seeing as they are not run by the club but independently STAR could run them what ever time they wanted. I think it's a police recommendation that the coaches run together, so STAR can easily go against this if they wish.

As for stopping at a pub, no way is that illegal. Plenty of coaches to football do that. Even the official Man United coaches often pull up at grounds early allowing fans to go for a pint.

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/hgvpsvdrive ... htm#P6_883



Carriage of passengers to designated Sporting Events Voluntary Guidelines – England and Wales
PSV operators are reminded of the terms of Section 1 (1) of the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol) Act 1985, as amended by the Public Order Act 1986, which prohibits the carriage of alcohol on a PSV that is being used for the principal purpose of carrying passengers for the whole or part of a journey to or from a designated sporting event.

A “designated sporting eventâ€

[retired aggro]

So it's voluntary then, those are only guidelines. WHY NOT ignore the guidelins for the benifit of the trevelling supporters?

[Wycombe Royal]

So it's voluntary then, those are only guidelines. WHY NOT ignore the guidelins for the benifit of the trevelling supporters?

Did you not read the last paragraph?

[STAR TRAVEL]

They are enforcable.They are the coach companies Terms & Conditions
STAR complies with the policy.

Travelling with STAR is not obligatory, people are free to choose how they get to a game. Coach travel is an alternative. If it does not suit then use other options.

[Warfield Royal]

d. Coaches are to arrive at the venue no earlier than two hours before and not later than one hour before the scheduled start of the game, unless otherwise directed by police.

Between 2 hours and 1 hour before kick-off.

I would like to plan to arrive at least 1 hour before kick-off which is exactly what the guidelines require.

The problem is judging how bad the traffic will be.

[STAR TRAVEL]

d. Coaches are to arrive at the venue no earlier than two hours before and not later than one hour before the scheduled start of the game, unless otherwise directed by police.

Between 2 hours and 1 hour before kick-off.

I would like to plan to arrive at least 1 hour before kick-off which is exactly what the guidelines require.

The problem is judging how bad the traffic will be.

the key phrase being" unless otherwise directed by the police"

[retired aggro]

Why then does the Boyle Bus leave first thing in the morning and allows drinking on board??

[STAR TRAVEL]

Why then does the Boyle Bus leave first thing in the morning and allows drinking on board??

Surely that's a question best directed at them

[retired aggro]

Why then does the Boyle Bus leave first thing in the morning and allows drinking on board??

Surely that's a question best directed at them

I know why. Because it's all done independently from the club so they can do what they want. STAR could do the same, you do not have to inform the police, STAR just seem to think they do, they are going out of the way making the trip less appealing to large numbers of supporters.

[RoyalBlue]

So it's voluntary then, those are only guidelines. WHY NOT ignore the guidelins for the benifit of the trevelling supporters?

Did you not read the last paragraph?

Yes and it says if the police report the coach company they might consider making the voluntary guidelines a condition of the operating licence. So not a foregone conclusion and even if it were to happen would only have the effect of making them mandatory going forward. Therefore no penalty/risk in deciding no to comply with the guidelines until told to do otherwise.

[STAR TRAVEL]

Why then does the Boyle Bus leave first thing in the morning and allows drinking on board??

Surely that's a question best directed at them

I know why. Because it's all done independently from the club so they can do what they want. STAR could do the same, you do not have to inform the police, STAR just seem to think they do, they are going out of the way making the trip less appealing to large numbers of supporters.

I think we will just have to agree to disagree on this. It is getting repetetive and boring.

[susieroyal]

So it's voluntary then, those are only guidelines. WHY NOT ignore the guidelins for the benifit of the trevelling supporters?

Did you not read the last paragraph?

Yes and it says if the police report the coach company they might consider making the voluntary guidelines a condition of the operating licence. So not a foregone conclusion and even if it were to happen would only have the effect of making them mandatory going forward. Therefore no penalty/risk in deciding no to comply with the guidelines until told to do otherwise.

RoyalBlue are you RA for a guess?

To be fair, I doubt you'll ever go on STAR travel. You could always arrange your own coach travel and call it the Doyle Bus.

I used to work at a Real Ale pub in a small village about 8 miles from Derby - remember a Man City coach stopping off there, but it was all pre-arranged. They pre-ordered their food and drink - dont think they were any sort of supporters club though.

[alad]

The squares that use the STAR coaches would rather be dropped off at a Games Workshop or a local charity shop rather than a pub.

Once again RA highlights STAR for the weak minded yes men they truely are.

[shadesrwrf]

As they both live in Manchester I'm sure RA and alad have no such worries about getting coaches to Old Trafford.

[RIP ELM Park]

The squares that use the STAR coaches would rather be dropped off at a Games Workshop or a local charity shop rather than a pub.

Once again RA highlights STAR for the weak minded yes men they truely are.

STAR is run for its members by its members, I doubt either you or RA have joined STAR (although theres little doubt you are a pair of members)so why are you bothered?

If you want to run your own coach, stopping where you like and getting to the ground when you like there's nothing stopping you.

If people who choose to go by coach aren't happy with STAR's service they simply won't use it or renew their membership.

[rabidbee]

STAR is run for its members by its members, I doubt either you or RA have joined STAR (although theres little doubt you are a pair of members)so why are you bothered?

...

If people who choose to go by coach aren't happy with STAR's service they simply won't use it or renew their membership.

Not that I disagree with the sentiment, but the last point does contradict the first point. (ie STAR is run for its members by its members, but if they don't like it they can oxf*rd off.) But clearly the buses run the way that they do because that is the way the members (customers) want them to run.

[Warfield Royal]

d. Coaches are to arrive at the venue no earlier than two hours before and not later than one hour before the scheduled start of the game, unless otherwise directed by police.

Between 2 hours and 1 hour before kick-off.

I would like to plan to arrive at least 1 hour before kick-off which is exactly what the guidelines require.

The problem is judging how bad the traffic will be.

the key phrase being" unless otherwise directed by the police"

Can STAR reveal if any fixtures have been affected by the 'unless otherwise directed by the police' clause and if it is known if any future fixtures will be affected?