Evening kick-off time

[BR2]

I would be interested to hear if there is any will to petition the club for a change to 7-45 p.m.
IIRC it was suggested that traffic problems in and around the ground led to the advent of the 8-00 start and recently I heard put forward that it is now our tradition to start at 8-00p.m.

Surely the traffic "problem" is no worse than inner-city London or Birmingham where they happily have a 7-45 time and as for "tradition" this is only since moving to the Mad Stad isn't it?

My own selfish reason is that getting home past midnight is knackering after a day's work and I'm not the only one who travels some distance so maybe others feel the same?
Although 15 minutes may seem nothing,I have already wasted quite a lot of time parking up before the game and waiting. so the whole process feels like an eternity especially when we lose!!
The argument for the later start helping those that work later surely has no substance because people work late all over the country and we are in the 3% or so of clubs that choose 8-00.

This probably is of no interest nor issue for other nobbers but I just wanted to suss out if there is any desire before writing to the club.

[Yellowcoat]

One of the main reasons for the later time was the availability of both buses and drivers for all the football buses after the normal evening rush hour. Given the increased number of those services, and the reduced local car parking, nothing has really changed to bring about what you wish. Many others prefer the later kick off time as it is more convenient for them.

[North Somerset Royal]

I am certainly with you on this as I also do not get home from midweek games until after midnight. I cannot believe that there is any real difference in the traffic situation during those 15 mins and the later start often means that motorway night-time lane closures are in place by the time that I get onto the M4.

[Sutekh]

Let's try and please everyone and move the kick off to 7.52pm

[Y21]

8pm for me too I'm afraid. That little bit of extra time means not rushing around quite so much after work to get to the game.

[bluerinse]

keep it at 8pm

[LWJ]

So realistically you are getting home 15 minutes later than you normally would have if it were to be a 7.45pm KO?

HNA never ceases to surprise

[Dulwich Royal]

Or a petition to Great Western trains - there is a fast train to Paddington at 10 12 that unless it is a few minutes late the buses don't usually get you there for - you then have to wait until 10 44 for a slower train

[Hampshire Royal]

I remember the day when we used to kick off evening games at 7.30. And they were on a Wednesday. In those days (I remember from the ixties and seventies, people used to commute to London for work so i don't see why they can't get to games at 7.30. Getting home would then be a lot quicker.
Why Wednesday? Well, why not.

[Brum Royal]

8pm kick offs suit me better coming down from Brum for evening games. Given we normally get down to the ground for about 1900 it just gives us a nice buffer if there's any traffic problems. The extra fifteen minutes makes quite a big difference before a game and little difference getting home afterwards.

[Green]

So realistically you are getting home 15 minutes later than you normally would have if it were to be a 7.45pm KO?

HNA never ceases to surprise

Probably only 10 minutes, as the (non matchday) traffic will be quieter a bit later on enabling a marginally faster getaway.

[Rea Ding]

8pm is just fine

[Elm Park Kid]

I would like to see a change to 7:45 as well. It doesn't make sense for me to go home after work so i just wait around in the jazz cafe; there's only so long you can read the programme for!

I'd be interested hear the reasons why other clubs can manage 7:45 and we can't.

[Yellowcoat]

I'd be interested hear the reasons why other clubs can manage 7:45 and we can't.[/quote]

See my post above about the availabilty of buses.

[Elm Park Kid]

See my post above about the availabilty of buses.

Why is the availability of buses such an issue in Reading compared to other town/cities?

[Yellowcoat]

Given that RFC is some distance from the station they rely on over two dozen special bus services from Reading Transport & Stagecoach, as well as the regular Park & Ride and the F1 shuttle buses, plus other specials from various clubs & pubs. I would suggest that this is a much higher figure than most other clubs and even if availability was not a problem they would get caught up in the normal rush hour traffic if kick off times were brought forward.

[Elm Park Kid]

Given that RFC is some distance from the station they rely on over two dozen special bus services from Reading Transport & Stagecoach, as well as the regular Park & Ride and the F1 shuttle buses, plus other specials from various clubs & pubs. I would suggest that this is a much higher figure than most other clubs and even if availability was not a problem they would get caught up in the normal rush hour traffic if kick off times were brought forward.

I don't know, it seems like most clubs have out of town stadiums now and would face exactly the same challenges.

[West Stand Man]

As another long (ish) distance traveller I would prefer an early kick off. 1945 would suit me just fine.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Transport in Reading is a joke, the bus thing doesn't cut it.
By 6pm the buses up shepherds hill are more than half empty.
Perhaps Stewarts coaches could help with services from Woodley and Earley now they have a depot there??

[Forbury Lion]

7:45pm can be a struggle for me to get back to Reading and catch the footy bus, so I vote 8pm.