Late Coaches

[fridays child]

Was my first time on the coaches last night and just had a small query.

Ticket states departure at 3.30pm, but it was nearer 4.00pm before we left. Had we left on time then we might have been there for the start.

Can I ask why the long wait before leaving, and is this common practice

[Rhys The Royal]

Also, had we not gone to the station to pick up, we would have been there on time. Only a few people get on at the station, and I dont see why they can't come to the ground like everyone else.

[STAR TRAVEL]

It was the original intention to leave at 4pm but we had brought the time forward to 3.30pm as this was our first trip of the season and we were carrying new people, who were not familiar with the checking on board. However the coaches themselves did not arrive at the ground until 3.30pm. The Young Royals themselves had not been scheduled to leave until Four O'clock. Usually 3 & 3/4 hours to get to the Midlands for kick off has not presented problems. Because we are organised transport we have a police escort and we have to liaise with them, we were in constant contact with West Midlands police from 7 pm onwards, they informed us that they did not forsee any problems eventually they got us off of the motorway. We ended up missing the first 5-10minutes of the game, not what we wanted or planned, for that we apologise. You may not be aware but many Reading Fans travelling by car and Aston Villa fans only made the game five minutes before half time.

[Blue Blood]

Not STAR's problem but a lot of pain may have been saved last night had there been some publicity over the closure of the A38(M) exit from the M6.

[Alan Titchmarsh]

Not STAR's problem but a lot of pain may have been saved last night had there been some publicity over the closure of the A38(M) exit from the M6.

Yep that was not the best thing to find out about a mile ahead of the junction! And the diversion off took about 45 minutes to negotiate (its only about 2/3 miles!)

[earley_royals]

Was my first time on the coaches last night and just had a small query.

Ticket states departure at 3.30pm, but it was nearer 4.00pm before we left. Had we left on time then we might have been there for the start.

Can I ask why the long wait before leaving, and is this common practice

I saw you come in late.

Happens very often on the STAR coach although usually you are never late for the game itself.

[Warfield Royal]

Not STAR's problem but a lot of pain may have been saved last night had there been some publicity over the closure of the A38(M) exit from the M6.

Yep that was not the best thing to find out about a mile ahead of the junction! And the diversion off took about 45 minutes to negotiate (its only about 2/3 miles!)

I was on a STAR coach and I saw a sign on the M42 just before the NEC junction warning about the M6 J6 closure and saying to take the NEC junction for Birmingham City centre. This started me wondering and wondering and wondering...

I assume that we were forced to take the route we took so that we could meet up with the police escort. Unfortunately the police escort did not break any speed limits but I did laugh when I saw the motorcycle outrider blocking some geezer from getting out of his driveway as we proceed past.

[Y25]

Leaving at 3:30 wouldnt have made much difference the M6 was a bitch last night - not helped by the fact Jct 6 was closed and it was Villas first home game

[Barry the bird boggler]

I went by car and left at 2.30, I only got parked at 6.30!! 4 hours to complete something that should not take more than 2 - and 1 hour of that was for the last 4/5 miles.

[nottinghamroyal]

I went from Nottingham (about 60 miles) and it took 3 1/2 hours!!

[fridays child]

Leaving at 3:30 wouldnt have made much difference the M6 was a bitch last night - not helped by the fact Jct 6 was closed and it was Villas first home game

Errr, wouldn't it have made 20 minutes difference?

[EASTENDER MARKY]

Agreed, leaving at 3.30 would of been so much better, but instead we had to sit there and wait while the Korean press we're interviewing fans.
STAR done well to get us there as early as they did in the end though.

[RIP ELM Park]

Not STAR's problem but a lot of pain may have been saved last night had there been some publicity over the closure of the A38(M) exit from the M6.

That closure has been well advertised, look at any of the online traffic reports and it's mentioned.

It's also mentioned on most radio travel updates each day.

and just to be really smug I pointed it out on the 'How Long to Villa' thread on Meeting Up forum.

I would assume STAR's route is planned in conjunction with the local police so hardly STAR's fault if they were told go on the M6

But for anyone driving up themselves who can't be bothered to check for possible hold ups when traveling to one of the countries worst traffic black spots in rush hour can only really blame themselves.

But thank you for not bothering to check as my route was amazingly clear. I left at 4.00 and was parked up at Villa by 6.00 by going east on the M42 then through Birmingham on the A435.

[LeeRFC84]

I've been using the STAR coaches for around 8 years and we've only been late 2-3 times, personally I think this is an excellent service, especially when you consider all the people who run STAR do it in their own time and don't get paid for it.

For everyone who's moaning (on other threads) then why not travel by trian/car in the future?

[handbags_harris]

STAR lay on a good service when it comes to official travel, however I have and still do question the departure times of the coaches. 4pm departure for a journey to the midlands in rush hour seems a bit late to me. Personally I'd rather arrive 2-3 hours early than 5-10 minutes late. The only thing I suppose with leaving early would be the policing issues with fans milling around for a few hours. The late leaving times are one of two reasons why I have only travelled on STAR coaches once in the past, because I simply do not want to run the risk of missing some of the match, even if it's seconds or minutes. The other is the alcohol ban, because I like to have a drink at matches. That said, I drove yesterday! Even then I left at 2.30 and didn't park up until 6!

[royalsteve]

It was the original intention to leave at 4pm but we had brought the time forward to 3.30pm as this was our first trip of the season and we were carrying new people, who were not familiar with the checking on board. However the coaches themselves did not arrive at the ground until 3.30pm. The Young Royals themselves had not been scheduled to leave until Four O'clock. Usually 3 & 3/4 hours to get to the Midlands for kick off has not presented problems. Because we are organised transport we have a police escort and we have to liaise with them, we were in constant contact with West Midlands police from 7 pm onwards, they informed us that they did not forsee any problems eventually they got us off of the motorway. We ended up missing the first 5-10minutes of the game, not what we wanted or planned, for that we apologise. You may not be aware but many Reading Fans travelling by car and Aston Villa fans only made the game five minutes before half time.

strange we only just passed the coaches with 6 miles to go to the ground, at 5 miles away we came off the mway and drove through the city and without police escort and a 1 mile jog we still beat the coaches...did they go the best way...had the coaches gone our route with police escort you would have easily made it before kick off

[STAR Liaison]

STAR lay on a good service when it comes to official travel, however I have and still do question the departure times of the coaches. 4pm departure for a journey to the midlands in rush hour seems a bit late to me. Personally I'd rather arrive 2-3 hours early than 5-10 minutes late.

STAR TRAVEL will know better but I believe the police do not want supporters coaches to arrive more than an hour before kick-off so if there is a police escort they just park the coaches until an hour from kick-off so there is little point in arriving any earlier.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Left at 2, parked at 5. I did some research though!

[BLUES & ROYAL]

Left at 4 got parked up and into the ground at 8!!

Loads outside when we arrived, including Villa fans.

Why didnt they put the KO back as there were loads of fans stuck on th M6 with us and on that stretch past Star City

[readingfc_4_life_and_beyo]

Admittedly only 5 minutes late - just after the goal - but there were absolutely loads of people walking around the stadium before I got in (after a long walk all the way around the ground "away fans gate" wasn't exactly well signposted... never mind, I still saw most of the match, and i'm happy. Left at about 4 aswell I think.