Hoping some of you lot can give me an opinion on what it’s like parking at Oakwell for home games in the ponty carpark. One of our group is getting on a bit and struggles to march backwards and forwards to town each game, so wondered if we should park at the ground for home games next season. I know the exits are locked until the crowd disperses a bit, but wondered how bad it is to get out after games? Last time I used the car park was back in the 80s and it was like a game of chicken getting out and don’t fancy that much. Any opinions would be useful. Cheers.
I've never used it myself but I must say it looks chaotic at full time. I normally park a fair way from the ground but yesterday I got picked up on Queens Road and it was a nightmare. We couldn't turn right at the underpass so ended up on Pontefract Road which was just as bad. Once we turned right just past the ford garage and got on the A61 heading towards Asda / Harbour Hills it was a little better.
Safety has improved with people marshaling it. But when it's dark you still struggle to see as the lighting is unsafe.
From what I've seen when clearing up at Redfearns after the match the car park is much better organised these days rather than when it was a free for all without marshalls. It doesnt seem to take that long to empty once they open the gates. Usually, there isn't a long wait for this unless there is a large away following and they have to wait for their coaches to leave. I'm guessing there won't be too many of those next season
I park in there regularly. If you get near the exits it's not too bad, but if not you're in for a longish wait. It has improved since they put stewards in and designated exits though, but part of the problem is getting out onto pontefract road and I would imagine pipers cottage will be similar. My mate has a season ticket in the one behind the east stand and says it's worth paying up front.
I used it the other week for the first time in a while. Its much better organised with all cars going out of the bottom two gates. Left corner going left on to pontefract Rd, right corner going right. I went for the left and there were three lines of traffic queuing to get through the gate. The marshalls were allowing half a dozen cars from one queue whilst blocking the other two, before rotating on to the next etc etc. It all seemed far calmer and much quicker. Most importantly there was much less chance of any Mr angry or Mr Aggressive putting a "go faster" stripe down my passenger door. On the down. £5 to park there!!!!
They are extending the East Stand car park - planning permission went in last year, so presume it’ll be done this summer. If I was you, I’d get one in the East Stand car park. Quicker to get to from your Stand, although exit times are probably no shorter through Beevor Court.
They're only adding a few new spaces though and I think those spaces will be taken up by those who currently have a pass but are forced to park in aisles as there appears to be more asses sold than spaces available. There is also a long waiting list to get a pass
I think before they extend it, they should make sure all the lights work so thousands of people aren't walking in near darkness surrounded by hundreds of cars.
I understood there was a long waiting list for the east stand car park so assumed that wasn’t an option. Thanks for all the replies, really useful info.
It's a ******* nightmare getting through Beevor Court, some folk have a death wish - if it is to be extended I really hope they put in a separate pedestrian access
If you don't mind getting there early you can park in The Mount car park . You'll have to get there 1- 1.15 ish tho'. 5 minute walk .
Perhaps if you explained that one of your group has mobility problems he could park up in the stand behind the East Stand. Leaving the carpark/field adjacent to the Metrodome or the Metrodome carpark is problematic - sometimes takes an hour to clear - these areas best avoided.
its a bloody nightmare spaces are fine price is fine but it seams that all the stewards do a runner after the game and it becomes a free for all on the few occasions I have been parked there it can be up to two hours to get away
I've parked there twice. The first time was as close to the East Stand as I could get thinking we wouldn't have far to walk to the turnstile. It took us over half an hour to get out after the match. The second time I parked as close to Pontefract Road as I could. I reckon the stewards let us out after 10 minutes or so. One was a cup match when the crowd was quite small, maybe Northampton last season. The other was a Saturday league game so the two weren't comparable. Whenever you get out then you've got the nightmare of crossing Pontefract Road and going up Oakwell Lane without having an accident.