Looks like the new car park system and staffing has improved the situation greatly and made it easier/safer to get out judging by what I saw while we packed up in Redfearn's last night.
There were still plenty trying to get out down by the burger van at full time. One bloke in particular was having a right whinge at the lady stopping people getting out
It didn't Paul. It looked like Newcastle fans were allowed to come down Grove St. causing a big tailback for cars wanting to leave the car park and turn towards Barnsley. I thought the idea was to limit the traffic on Grove St.
No the gate at the bottom of the away car park was shut. I know because I ended up in there as I was late due to the traffic and the main carpark was shut. Didn't get out of the awya car park until 10.40 or something.
There was a steady stream of cars going down Grove St. and it queued back to the ground. It held traffic up coming out of the bottom right hand gate. I left by the gate going to Lundwood which cleared. I'd query where all those cars came from. If they didn't come from the away car park, they must have allowed cars leaving from the South Stand car park to turn down Grove St.
It's an excellent new system and far safer than the old free for all. One thing I can't understand though. Why would someone park in there knowing that they will be delayed on leaving, then complain about being delayed on leaving?
There were two stewards at the top gate (gate C) stopping anyone turning left down into Grove Street, so they weren't coming from there. Not sure how the bottom two gates were last night (they were a disaster area on Saturday) as I opted for the gate C exit. I don't need to get out quickly so can wait for it to be opened. Worked fine in that respect. On Saturday I parked in the area designed for the gate A exit onto Pontefract Road (the middle section as the far side was full when I arrived) and it was a completely different story. The stewards were parking gate A and B exiters in the same row and after waiting an eternity for anything to move once the gates opened I realised there was no chance of getting across as there were two lanes of cars trying to turn right to gate B on my left. In the end I reversed back and ended up leaving by gate C, which by that time was pretty much clear. Last night might have been better at the lower end of the car park (would be interested to hear more from those who parked there), but wouldn't be in a rush to try a gate A exit anytime soon based on my initial experience.
I think what was happening with Grove Street was a combination of street parkers leaving, but several cars that left the car park did turn right as required, but went up Grasmere Road and then down Coniston Road back onto Grove Street further down from where the stewards were stood. I dare say that with the number of vehicles leaving the visitors parking area, quite a few vehicles would have sought alternative routes out. I think opening gate C is really all that's having any sort of impact. I can't see the logic of specific parking areas myself, especially when visitors can park in there too, and drivers who are waiting will always be liable to go for a different exit. I've not got out of the car park any quicker on either Saturday or last night. I always wait and leave when the car park is pretty much clear, and that's not been noticeably quicker in my opinion. I am sure pedestrian exit has been safer and can't dismiss that at all.
Pedestrian exit down by the burger van is now a lot better. Every game without fail I found myself having a go at drivers trying to get out and giving no way to anyone. Almost always mount the kerb to cut the corner and get out down ponte road
Agree with that. Nice walk down the far left where cars don't park by the metal fencing beside the flats and even had a power generator working so the car park had some lighting. The new system is much better and safer and it's great to see. More feedback the club get the more they can look to maybe tweak things so it works even better.
I've never understood why people are so insistent on turning in a particular direction. It's Barnsley not the City of London. If you have to turn right instead of left (or vice versa) it isn't a disaster. You can easily get to where you want to go with a bit of a detour.
Felt a lot safer crossing Pontefract road towards Oakwell lane last night. One observation though ,usually with a large crowd as yesterday car park is normally almost full but coming out yesterday there seemed plenty of spaces that hadn't been taken up.
If we could just get some florescent paint on those bollards as promised we'd be laughing. Couple of kids leaving at the same time as me couldn't stop laughing that one of them had 'banged their balls on a bollard' for a good ten minutes. As much as I enjoyed the alliteration it does show that people are still walking into them as they are practically invisible in the crowd, especially on an evening.
