Bristol City

[City Scout]

I was on the 2nd coach of the 2 (which was the Arleen one). I was near the front when the driver said that he knew nothing about having to have a 2nd driver with him, plus a few other revelations about Peter Carol & their pay structure for their drivers.

The girl who organises the coaches for the club was called over by our steward & she asked him (the driver) to confirm that in writing (whether he does or not is another thing mind), as she appeared not to know anything about it & said she would look into it, so I wonder if this 2 drivers due to EU regs speech has come from Peter Carol's PR office & not actually the club??

I don't know mind, but she did look generally surprised when he told her that.

I'm not holding my breath for a refund, but would expect to see some sort of official explanation as there was a lot of complaints.

Have to agree as well that following the massive increase in ticket price, the sight of 2 old style coaches turning up on Saturday morning without the Peter Carol logo on them, didnt go down to well, and I wouldnt be surprised if even more people try other ways of transport for the next away game.

I cant comment on the other coach's driver smoking, but I would say he didnt have remind me of ex norwich & everton manager Mike Walker!!!! Sorry i'll get my coat.......

[italian dave]

Guess how much S****horpe fans are paying for their coach travel to Ashton Gate next Saturday. Now funnily enough, according to the AA route planner, the mileage from S****horpe to Bristol is exactly the same (207 miles) as the mileage from Bristol to Blackpool. So, makes an interesting comparison

City away travel "service" to Blackpool : cost £27

S****horpe away travel service to Bristol : cost £18

[Tunley Legend]

Isn't that illegal now? I thought vehicles were covered by the new legislation and count as a 'public place' or a 'workplace' - and even applies to company cars in some circumstances. Maybe that why they needed two drivers - so they had a spare for when the first one got arrested?!!

Yet another example of the Commercial side of the club, under the leadership of Colin Sextone, ripping off the genuine fan. Lets look at examples for JUST THIS WEEK:-

£8 increase in coach travel over a few months to go to the same destination with an incorrect reason given.

£5 charge to use a credit or debit card to purchase £104 worth of tickets when the true cost to the club is around 30p.

Season ticket holders being fleeced when trying to take advantage of a club offer to buy childrens tickets for £1 for the S****horpe game.

Ticket office being closed at 2pm tomorrow meaning that many season ticket holders who went to Blackpool now have to use a premium rate phone line to guarantee their tickets for the Man City game.

That's a total rip-off in just one week for one supporter of twenty quid.

All of the above may not be huge issues to many but imagine if you were a supporter who has suffered all of the above. You would pretty soon be an ex-supporter I would imagine. As someone has said, we have Championship standard organisation on the field and are Blue Square standard off it. The only logical conclusion I draw from that is that Gary Johnson is infinitely better at his job than Colin Sextone.

[Bristol Boy]

ha this forum is getting better and better by the minute..

Not while you're on here, it's not

I think this all started off by the poor man that went to the open day and ended up with the wrong sized shirt and blamed the poor girl in the club shop!

This has nothing to do with it but surely it's not to much to expect a large shirt in a bag marked large?

Then it went onto blaming late season tickets which was all the ticket office fault, when it was actually a post strike,

So how come thousands have got their tickets.It was due to late ordering in order that money could be saved on bulk printing.I ordered mine in June FFS

then the Man City tickets go on sale the day we are away to Blackpool, oh so shall we blame the fixture organisers for that one then.

No, I'd blame City for the opening hours, Premium rate phone line etc.

Some poster then complains that are away kit at Brenford was put together by the local primary school, and finally this one about someones mate seeing only one driver on the coach to Blackpool, who cares because if I was even one coach driver doing the blackpool trip up and back i'd want extra pay, its a long way!

What a stupid remark-Do you think that it justifies a 40% price hike from last season and why say there are two drivers if there's only one? As I've said, I don't think the club are lying, they are merely being lied to and repeating it.

Anymore complaints, if so then make em but don't blame the AG staff, alot of them give up there good time to help us out and sort out our problems..We are not Easyjet, we are Bristol City.

The fact that you see Easyjet as the pinnacle of quality & customer service probably explains a lot.Those people are salaried employees who are paid to do this job.

Yes, agree with you, £27 is alot however coach companies do not come cheap anymore.

Well, they don't at BCFC

You have to take into consideration the drivers wages and how much petrol is is for the coaches to get to these games.

Christ, you don't say-Oh well, now that you've cleared that up, I can understand it-And the coaches run on White Diesel.Do you reckons the drivers wages and fuel have gone up 40% in the last few months.

.Its a sighn of the time I'm afraid..If you gotoo Blackpool in a car its alot to spend on petrol, check our the rail prices they are not much better so traveling up on a comfortable coach with a few stops along the way is all good in my opinion for around £30

But you didn't avail yourself of the service?

.. If we want to survive financially in the championship then prices all around the club will be oing up all the time so we may aswell get used to it.

And with "fans" like you, it's no wonder they get away with it.This has nothing to do with CCC football and, as far as I'm aware, they haven't moved Blackpool any further from Bristol since last season

Oh and Atyeo has a "Y" in it.Get the great mans name right if you're going to use it

[GrahamC]

I think an earlier poster mentioned the true reason behind all this.

Feb 17th 2007 - Blackpool Away - CATS coach costs £19.

Apr 28th 2007 - CATS C**k up away to Millwall (eventually fans given £10 voucher for future use on away travel).

Aug 18th 2007 - Blackpool away - CATS coach cost £27.

So in 6 months the cost of travelling to Blackpool has increased £8.

Before I get shot down by the nockers, I am completely happy, absolutely 100% with whats going on with the club in terms of the playing side of things. No doubt we are all 100% behind the team. But surely even the most stubborn of you can see that something is amiss with the administration down at the Gate at the mo.

100% correct. I've watched City for 34 of my 44 years, missed a real handful of home games since I left school in '81 and so am I getting a £28 ticket for Man City? Am I F....

Having struggled to find the money to get a season ticket I see my reward from Mr. Sexstone was not only a £105 increase for being loyal (there away at Halifax midweek in Winter '82, Colin, as if you'd know what that meant), but then asked to pay £28 for a League Cup tie I can watch on TV for free, no lectures about loyalty please, it is a two way street..........

[NATCHER]

Before I get shot down by the nockers

Now, that sounds painful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :noexpression:

[Ashton Kate]

thanks for your post just sums up what Ive been saying. Mate of mine used the coaches througout last season cant afford it this season due to price increases and has used them for years as cant drive. Its embarrassing that they said there was an increase due to regulations and then he finds out today after saving to get a coach to go to the game, that theres only one driver! I hope the club have an explanation for this and apologise for yet another c**k up!

Both of the coaches used for the Blackpool trip WERE NOT Peter Carol either. We pulled into Stafford just after the City coaches!!!

[Bristol Boy]

100% correct. I've watched City for 34 of my 44 years, missed a real handful of home games since I left school in '81 and so am I getting a £28 ticket for Man City? Am I F....

Having struggled to find the money to get a season ticket I see my reward from Mr. Sexstone was not only a £105 increase for being loyal (there away at Halifax midweek in Winter '82, Colin, as if you'd know what that meant), but then asked to pay £28 for a League Cup tie I can watch on TV for free, no lectures about loyalty please, it is a two way street..........

Well said,

The really sad thing is that at a time when we should all be full of hope & expectation, there are a number of issues that are obviously spoiling it & souring things for a large number of people.Contrary to some opinion, it's not all the same people and they're not just a bunch of moaners on OTIB.It's a common subject of conversation in the pubs and clubs around the ground.

I truly hope the club survive in the CCC and have a great season because if we were to screw up and get relegated like last time, the consequences don't bear thinking about.

[foghornred]

Guess how much S****horpe fans are paying for their coach travel to Ashton Gate next Saturday. Now funnily enough, according to the AA route planner, the mileage from S****horpe to Bristol is exactly the same (207 miles) as the mileage from Bristol to Blackpool. So, makes an interesting comparison

City away travel "service" to Blackpool : cost £27

S****horpe away travel service to Bristol : cost £18

Great bit of detective work Colombo !

[Somertonian]

I bet you guys wish Yeovil had beaten Blackpool at Wembley. Your club would have been able to get you to Huish Park for about £15 each. Of course, the return journey with no points would have seemed longer than the trip home from Blackpool. Especially as you'd all have been wet.

Good luck for the season ahead.

S

[devonrobin]

I bet you guys wish Yeovil had beaten Blackpool at Wembley. Your club would have been able to get you to Huish Park for about £15 each. Of course, the return journey with no points would have seemed longer than the trip home from Blackpool. Especially as you'd all have been wet.

Good luck for the season ahead.

S

TBH I was happier to go to blackpool in the rain,the locals were really inbreed but not as inbreed as you lot

[Dollymarie]

I bet you guys wish Yeovil had beaten Blackpool at Wembley. Your club would have been able to get you to Huish Park for about £15 each. Of course, the return journey with no points would have seemed longer than the trip home from Blackpool. Especially as you'd all have been wet.

Good luck for the season ahead.

S

Oh but then I wouldnt have been able to remind myself how much I HATE the m6

[giles_23_bcfc]

Oh but then I wouldnt have been able to remind myself how much I HATE the m6

Same here. A 5 and a half, nearly 6 hour journey tht shouldve taken half of that was a ngihtmare! M6 was gridlocked almost every 15 minutes. I left Bristol at 2:45pm friday afternoon and got there at 8:30. What time did the coaches get back?

[Dollymarie]

Getting up there by car was no problem for us, we left Gloucester on Saturday by half nine, and we were checked into our B&B by 12:45.

Getting back we left just before 10am, and I didnt get back to Bristol until half past 2. Twas a bit of a car park at times on the way home, but had no problems whatsoever heading up there.

[giles_23_bcfc]

Getting up there by car was no problem for us, we left Gloucester on Saturday by half nine, and we were checked into our B&B by 12:45.

Getting back we left just before 10am, and I didnt get back to Bristol until half past 2. Twas a bit of a car park at times on the way home, but had no problems whatsoever heading up there.

You went up at a good time on saturday morning. I went up on a friday afternoon when people finish work early, and it was also V Festival weekend. Anyone know what time the coaches got back?

[Blagdon red]

Guess how much Scunthorpe fans are paying for their coach travel to Ashton Gate next Saturday. Now funnily enough, according to the AA route planner, the mileage from Scunthorpe to Bristol is exactly the same (207 miles) as the mileage from Bristol to Blackpool. So, makes an interesting comparison

City away travel "service" to Blackpool : cost £27

Scunthorpe away travel service to Bristol : cost £18

Not only do Scunny do their away travel a lot cheaper, they also sell these tickets online.

Just how do City justify the difference in cost and their archaic sales methods?

[Blagdon red]

Well, they've now offered a refund of sorts so it's a step in the right direction.

Seems to me that the club were being screwed by the operator and the fans in turn were being screwed.

With less than 10% travelling by official coach, the message from fans was quite clear - it's a rip off, keep your coaches, we'll sort ourselves out.

That's a step in the right direction - maybe they're slowly learning not to take their 'customers' for granted ... now how about reducing the price of the coaches to Sheffield? They are currently still be advertised as £25 / £27.

[NickJ]

Just thought I would update people on here about the story that was on the website a few weeks ago about prices going up for coaches due to paying TWO drivers for longer trips. After a long debate on here I think alot of people started to understand that maybe that COULD be acceptable.

No it couldnt. Its very simple.

You could have hired a 55 seater coach to Blackpool for £800 MAX with some companies.

The club say they make no profit but add 10% for admin. So that would be £880.

Divide by 52 =£17.

Blackpool CATS was £27, they are now giving £5 discount, so thats £22.

So EITHER:

a) The club is being lets say economical with the truth OR

b) They are crap at negotiating prices.

[dezgimed]

Go get your cash back tomorrow if I were you..

Or you'll get some sour faced old dear telling you, you missed the deadline.

[italian dave]

That's a step in the right direction - maybe they're slowly learning not to take their 'customers' for granted ... now how about reducing the price of the coaches to Sheffield? They are currently still be advertised as £25 / £27.

Now down to £20!! Hold on a bit longer - perhaps they'll take £18??!!

[Blagdon red]

Now down to £20!! Hold on a bit longer - perhaps they'll take £18??!!

Good to see - but whoever agreed the previous prices with Peter Carrol needs shooting - clearly they just accepted the price they were given with no haggling.

You have to wonder if the club actually wants to run the CATS service, as they say they make no money on it. I imagine they regard it as a necessary evil ... or perhaps not even necessary!

PS - I see the change to the Wednesday prices has been made on the sly with no further comment, explanation or apology for the initially inflated price.

[Ian M]

No it couldnt. Its very simple.

You could have hired a 55 seater coach to Blackpool for £800 MAX with some companies.

The club say they make no profit but add 10% for admin. So that would be £880.

Divide by 52 =£17.

Blackpool CATS was £27, they are now giving £5 discount, so thats £22.

So EITHER:

a) The club is being lets say economical with the truth OR

b) They are crap at negotiating prices.

An alternative calculation.

The club says they don't operate CATS at a profit.

The club says they budget for an occupancy rate of 48 per coach.

We took 2 coaches to Blackpool at the £27 rate.

Had a fuss not been kicked up over lack of two drivers that would have yielded an income of £2592.

Divide by 2 coaches: £1296 per coach.

Divide by 3 coaches (including the one for the players): £864

Now what price were you saying it would be with the Admin charge included?

As an aside, with an arrangement fee of around £80 per coach (the admin fee), I would love to organise the coaches for the club myself. If we ever get to the play-off final at Wembley imagine the fee I'd get for arranging 50-odd coaches

[RedM]

An alternative calculation.

The club says they don't operate CATS at a profit.

The club says they budget for an occupancy rate of 48 per coach.

We took 2 coaches to Blackpool at the £27 rate.

Had a fuss not been kicked up over lack of two drivers that would have yielded an income of £2592.

Divide by 2 coaches: £1296 per coach.

Divide by 3 coaches (including the one for the players): £864

Now what price were you saying it would be with the Admin charge included?

As an aside, with an arrangement fee of around £80 per coach (the admin fee), I would love to organise the coaches for the club myself. If we ever get to the play-off final at Wembley imagine the fee I'd get for arranging 50-odd coaches

Ohh definately too much work for 1 person, you'll need an asistant ! Can I suggest a 60/40 split as it was your idea, when do we start?!

By the way who does pay for the players travel? Got me thinking evil thoughts that has!

[Chivs]

An alternative calculation.

The club says they don't operate CATS at a profit.

The club says they budget for an occupancy rate of 48 per coach.

We took 2 coaches to Blackpool at the £27 rate.

Had a fuss not been kicked up over lack of two drivers that would have yielded an income of £2592.

Divide by 2 coaches: £1296 per coach.

Divide by 3 coaches (including the one for the players): £864

Now what price were you saying it would be with the Admin charge included?

As an aside, with an arrangement fee of around £80 per coach (the admin fee), I would love to organise the coaches for the club myself. If we ever get to the play-off final at Wembley imagine the fee I'd get for arranging 50-odd coaches

I spoke to my dad on this who is a retired coach operator. I mentioned the furore on the "two driver" explanation. He said that EU regulations did change on April 1st but they wouldn't affect a coach to Blackpool. The rules have long been that a driver can work for 10 hours a day (on occasion, not regularly) and that that should be sufficient to get to Blackpool and back. However, if the coach operator was being ultra conservative (they never are) they may think two drivers are needed e.g. if the operator knows the M6 will be chocka and the 10 hours will be exceeded they are legally obliged to provide 2 drivers.

Anyway, to cut to the chase, when I told him the club were charging £27 his response was "Blimey, someone's making a bundle on that"!!!!

I guess the question is "Who is the someone"?

[RedTop]

Anyway, to cut to the chase, when I told him the club were charging £27 his response was "Blimey, someone's making a bundle on that"!!!!

I guess the question is "Who is the someone"?

Well not us, obviously, as the club's already restated that CATS is set up as non-profit-making. So perhaps it's time for the club to look at other suppliers to ensure that fans are not ripped off? I do personally wonder if Peter Carol would have offered any refund had they not been caught out so spectacularly by supporters. And the service they offered fans at Millwall was nothing short of a disgrace.

It's a shame because whatever some saddos who sneer at 'scarfers' say about the people who use CATS, historically it has been an excellent service and very good value. It helps those who might otherwise not be able to attend get to away games, and I have had cause to be grateful for it in the past. If it were not for CATS when I was too young to drive, I would have missed memorable moments including our 3-1 win at Walsall in the play-offs (we won't mention the replay.)

[Blagdon red]

Well not us, obviously, as the club's already restated that CATS is set up as non-profit-making. So perhaps it's time for the club to look at other suppliers to ensure that fans are not ripped off? I do personally wonder if Peter Carol would have offered any refund had they not been caught out so spectacularly by supporters. And the service they offered fans at Millwall was nothing short of a disgrace.

It's a shame because whatever some saddos who sneer at 'scarfers' say about the people who use CATS, historically it has been an excellent service and very good value. It helps those who might otherwise not be able to attend get to away games, and I have had cause to be grateful for it in the past. If it were not for CATS when I was too young to drive, I would have missed memorable moments including our 3-1 win at Walsall in the play-offs (we won't mention the replay.)

The difference was, RedTop, that in those days the away travel service was still being run by Beryl Fudge (or one of her immediate successors) ... i.e. people with the interests of the fans at heart. As a 'not-for-profit' operation within the commercial entity that is BCFC Plc, it is sadly the case that the CATS of today is not operated on the same principle. The staff involved evidently feel no obligation to try to achieve the best possible deal for the fans. To them, unlike their predecessors, it arranging away travel appears to be an irksome chore ... and as it generates no profit no doubt one for which no employee can win any brownie points from CS.

[Bristol Boy]

Well not us, obviously, as the club's already restated that CATS is set up as non-profit-making. So perhaps it's time for the club to look at other suppliers to ensure that fans are not ripped off? I do personally wonder if Peter Carol would have offered any refund had they not been caught out so spectacularly by supporters. And the service they offered fans at Millwall was nothing short of a disgrace.

It's a shame because whatever some saddos who sneer at 'scarfers' say about the people who use CATS, historically it has been an excellent service and very good value. It helps those who might otherwise not be able to attend get to away games, and I have had cause to be grateful for it in the past. If it were not for CATS when I was too young to drive, I would have missed memorable moments including our 3-1 win at Walsall in the play-offs (we won't mention the replay.)

Whilst the service was a disgrace, the reaction from the club was even worse.

At the centre of this is a complete lack of belief in the public utterances and an overall lack of credibility, that underpins this and many other situations.At a time when we have recently experienced success on the field and belief is growing in GJ, it's a shame that the club and it's supporters appear to have something of a disconnect in certain areas.

The club really does need to show it's fanbase that it regards them as more than a cash cow or at worst a necessary inconvenience.

[Barrs Court Red]

Burnley's Supporters Club run transport and hotel packages for supporters for away games - maybe a lot of others do as well, but it's done by supporters for supporters. And I think that's how it should be done.

I agree.

[CIDER PANTS OF TWERTON]

Sorry if this has already been covered but...

the club don't make a profit (so they say), so commercially they aren't too interested.

figures given by others indicate that someone is making a profit.

Would it be possible for the ST to look at running this service, perhaps in a limited way to begin with, or is this outside of their remit?

It could provide some income to the ST while reducing the overall cost to the user, and relieve the 'pressure' on citys commercial department.

RP

ST run the kids travel now because.............well our family club did not want to any longer, no money in it see.

Anybody can run coaches and anybody would do a better job than Sexton does. Bit rich blaming others.

[RedM]

Burnley's Supporters Club run transport and hotel packages for supporters for away games - maybe a lot of others do as well, but it's done by supporters for supporters. And I think that's how it should be done.

That's interesting. I think there would be a few takers if a 'package' of travel, accommodation and match ticket could be arranged for a decent price.

This thread got me thinking back to the 'good old days' when I used CATS for a few years on just about every trip there was, booking with Beryl in the old club shop.

I remember they used to use the ZCars coach company, now sadly gone bust I believe?

One year Z Cars didn't get the contract and Peter Carol did so they set up an alternative service and had at least one and sometimes two 'unofficial' coaches. The price was a few quid cheaper and there were several points around the city you could be picked up from, just about a door to door service. They had on board hot/cold drinks (sadly this was after the alcohol ban) and TV screens, we could request what videos we wanted for the next trip and Ian the driver would hire them. If this all sounds a bit basic now then remember only the CATS coach 1 had that standard in those days, we are talking at least 15 years ago. One of the best things was that everybody got to know eachother and looked out for eachother at matches/services etc. They also had an offer that if you went on 10 matches the next one was FREE, I think I went to Brighton, or was it Blackburn, on a Freebie!!!

Obviously this company for whatever reason is no more but this was happening 15 odd years ago and now the club seem to have taken a massive step backwards regarding the care and provision of travelling fans.

My last, and only experience of CATS, since those days was the infamous trip to Millwall when my coach was last to arrive. If this was progress then God bloody help us!!! There wasn't even a working radio on board the coach!!!