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[HypoTypo]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-46786770

 

[Tampa Blue]

The roads sound like a real concern- would hope that we are advanced with any suggested solutions as we have had enough time to realise that this will be a major issue to resolve.

 

[The Big Dady]

Still have my signed letter in my pocket, could not see anyone or anywhere to hand it into in the West Stand. I know also of many others that were asking where to hand them in as well without any luck.

Perhaps the club could arrange somewhere at the Portsmouth game tomorrow evening for them to be handed in?

 

[HypoTypo]

I will be completely honest, do you think the council's mind will be swayed by the signed letters?
I don't think so. The plans either meet their agenda for moving the town forward or it doesn't.

 

[jarvisyeh]

Still have my signed letter in my pocket, could not see anyone or anywhere to hand it into in the West Stand. I know also of many others that were asking where to hand them in as well without any luck.

Perhaps the club could arrange somewhere at the Portsmouth game tomorrow evening for them to be handed in?

I hadn't even been given a letter!

 

[Lord Football]

I will be completely honest, do you think the council's mind will be swayed by the signed letters?
I don't think so. The plans either meet their agenda for moving the town forward or it doesn't.

I doubt it. Back in the day when I did union stuff and we used do letter writing to MPs etc, we learned that they'd treat a stock letter as one letter. So whilst I applaud the club for trying, it may in fact be a futile exercise.

 

[OldBlueLady]

"Before the first game of the season"? Yeah, they got that right in that story!

Still have my signed letter in my pocket, could not see anyone or anywhere to hand it into in the West Stand. I know also of many others that were asking where to hand them in as well without any luck.

Perhaps the club could arrange somewhere at the Portsmouth game tomorrow evening for them to be handed in?

They were being taken in at the tea bars and the actual bars in the West. There was someone walking round collecting them before half time. Quite happy to collect any if people want to get them to me.

 

[AndyT]

Yep, the Bluebelles were going around collecting them in the East Stand, but sounds like it was not so well organised on the other side.

 

[rigsby]

I started to read through mine when I got back home. When I got to the bit when it mentioned thousands of Leeds fans in our town I decided to bin it.

 

[The Big Dady]

They were being taken in at the tea bars and the actual bars in the West. There was someone walking round collecting them before half time. Quite happy to collect any if people want to get them to me.

Do you know if we can hand them in at the Club Shop, Ticket Office, Reception, or Bars tomorrow night before the game?

 

[onceknownasrab]

Swings and roundabouts. The council is mooting concern over the road infrastructure but would benefit greatly from the lack of traffic converging on RH each matchday. The responsibility is with the council to improve the road network into the town centre and moving the club from RH would be a great help to them, and if Uncle Ron can stump up a few bob toward some of the changes needed around FF, the council has done well. However, I expect the council will refute any advantage to them and attempt to screw the club for everything to do with road changes around FF. Yet another way for the council to do all it can to thwart the future of SUFC.

 

[bazzashrimper]

We have 23 home matches per season, plus maybe the odd cup game - say 25. Traffic is busier in the Southend area for around 1 hour pre match, and maybe 30 mins post match. Basically, thats around 35-40 hours a year of increased traffic. Much better shutting the sea front down on sunny days.

 

[SHRIMPERPETER]

What about where the traffic is now matchdays right on top of Vic ave and narrow bit at that? Can't see why round fossetts would be much difference as long as the roads are sorted out ok.?

 

[HypoTypo]

There is waste land behind Waitrose and B&Q that could be made into parking spaces. It could double up as a park and ride scheme on non match days. This would relieve pressure around the town and seafront in general

 

[rigsby]

Swings and roundabouts. The council is mooting concern over the road infrastructure but would benefit greatly from the lack of traffic converging on RH each matchday. The responsibility is with the council to improve the road network into the town centre and moving the club from RH would be a great help to them, and if Uncle Ron can stump up a few bob toward some of the changes needed around FF, the council has done well. However, I expect the council will refute any advantage to them and attempt to screw the club for everything to do with road changes around FF. Yet another way for the council to do all it can to thwart the future of SUFC.

Unfortunately its what all councils do to raise money. They are to afraid to raise rates of big business like Tescos or Waitrose so they 'tax' any development. One borough in London, I think it was Merton wanted £80,000 towards infrastructure if you built one new house.

I had to pay Southend council well over the top for permission to run gas water and electricity into my property and more again to drop the curb, which of course was their requirement.

Over 20 years ago the council were planning to link Fossets Way with Warners bridge. That was always the answer to club and Towns traffic problems. A cheaper way would be to use the Temple Farm industrial estate with a small road around Southend rugby club.

Not only would it be a good link on matchdays, as you could park in the empty factories but as a link to the airport it would make the FF Hotel more attractive. You could even have a shuttle bus from the Airport train station.

I did point this out to someone from British Land at one of those 'come see our plan' evenings.....They did take notice and were unaware about the old Warners Bridge plans...The biggest project in Southend in my lifetime and the Council and developers weren't communicating for the best outcome….Who would have guessed that.

 

[Barry.C]

I would hope that over 5000 letters equates to a reminder about a potential 5000 + votes at the next election?

 

[WestStandBlue]

What about the rest of the development? Additional homes, retail etc that all needs to be accounted for

We have 23 home matches per season, plus maybe the odd cup game - say 25. Traffic is busier in the Southend area for around 1 hour pre match, and maybe 30 mins post match. Basically, thats around 35-40 hours a year of increased traffic. Much better shutting the sea front down on sunny days.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

What Southend needs is a northern bypass from the A127 just after Rayleigh Weir up past the airport and spitting out somewhere by Fossetts. That would properly solve the A127 traffic issues once and for all.

 

[AndyT]

Too many houses in the way, I think.

The pressure will need to be eased on Priory Crescent for any development to work.

The best option, as Rigsby said earlier, is cutting through past Warners Bridge and on to Stock Road. You could then run a park & ride scheme for matches from the airport car parks.

 

[rigsby]

What Southend needs is a northern bypass from the A127 just after Rayleigh Weir up past the airport and spitting out somewhere by Fossetts. That would properly solve the A127 traffic issues once and for all.

That's what was going to happen in the very early 70's. It was part of the 'Maplin' development. The road would have run roughly where Hullbridge Sports ground is.

Of course there is no chance of that happening now. Remember the protests over widening of the road at priory park. I honestly expected a 4 lane dual carriageway through the park. We ended up moving the curb about 2m