cufcmedia Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Ludicrous scenario if you ask me. Brand new ground seemingly in the middle of nowhere (so not a land/space issue) and they wouldn't/couldn't put a car park next to the ground. Just another reason why I'm so glad we have Boundary Park and all of its envoirons. Lots of parking, lots of pubs within walking distance and great access. Evening, Just spotted this one. There is good reason for it "being in the middle of nowhere" (despite the A12 being right close by!). The stadium was originally due to be built alongside four other parts of a development in that part of the town but was given permission to be built before the A12 slip road (which you will see a unused roundabout on your approach tomorrow). The car park is as big as we are allowed by government planning guideline PPG13 and the club has had to put an extensive travel plan in place to satisfy local requirements. This includes the shuttle bus service some of you allude to and, from what I last heard before leaving today, you can hop on that service (5-10 mins to the ground) without your match ticket tomorrow. The Bricklayers is a lovely pub, so I am sure you will enjoy that one - a few minutes walk the other way is The Norfolk pub too. A number of businesses in the nearby business park (15 min walk) have started to charge a fiver for a parking space, and although this is not part of our formal travel plan, there are those alternatives. I would say we have 50+ cycle racks, but figure its a bit far to come on a pushbike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatkinCUFC Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 As in the advice i put in a thread i started on Wednesday, last week the Bricklayers was home fans only, so choosing there to congregate for a prematch pint may not be the wisest idea. As i put as well, there are a few ways that the journey can be made fairly easy - in fact the ground is probably more convenient than Layer road was! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatkinCUFC Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 In fact, here they are again: For those travelling by train: It is really really easy now, get off at Colchester North Station (the main one) and if you go under the railway line towards the town centre you will see a pub called the Norfolk about a two min walk away the other side of a large roundabout – I believe this pub is allowing away fans in. If you walk the other way at the large roundabout immediately outside the station entrance take the road sign posted bures/west bergholt (its called bergholt road) and about 10 metres down this road is a pub called the bricklayers. At the moment the Bricklayers is for home fans only but im sure away fans without colours would be accepted. It sure is convenient for the bus! You can also drink at the ground as well now, both before and after the game on the concourses. When you need to get to the ground, you need to look for the big yellow self storage warehouse (its really, really unmissable, right next to the station). The main entrance to this warehouse is on a really small road called Bruff Close, which is directly opposite the beer garden for the Bricklayers pub. From this road there are free buses to the stadium that will run until around 1430 i think. For those driving: Just a few suggestions for how to get to the ground, so feel free not to follow the advice. If you come off at Junction 26 of the A12 (the first one signposted for colchester), take the signpost for Colchester, the Zoo and Stanway (3rd exit). At the next small junction go straight on, then at a big roundabout turn right (third exit). At the next roundabout turn right (2nd exit) into the Tollgate retail park. In the middle of this retail park is a bus stop (in between boots and sainsburys) Park for free at the retail park and then get the number 65 bus towards Highwoods and the Town Centre. A day pass for the bus is only £1 if you present your match ticket to the driver. Car parking here is pretty much unlimited – obviously you are not strictly allowed to park here for free all day but it is miles from the stadium and I would consider it highly unlikely to be a problem. If you get off this bus at Colchester North Station (after approx 15-30 mins dependent on traffic) you can then follow the directions given above for pubs and the bus to the stadium. Another place to try is at the very bottom of Mile End Road, right near north station, but parking here is very limited, and may be difficult to find if you arrive late. The Half Butt pub in Great Horkesley has also been suggested as a possible away fans pub, on the corner of Keelers Way and Nayland Road (see multimap). There is parking both in the pub car park and in the surrounding small housing estate. Away fans are welcome in the pub (they were at the last home game, anyway). To get from the pub to the ground there is a wet route and a dry route. If it is wet, turn right out of the pub and then follow the main road under the A12 towards Colchester. At the first small roundabout, take the sharp left on to Boxted Road and follow this road until you see the stadium on your right. If it is dry, then again you turn right towards Colchester. Just before you go under the A12, then on the opposite side of Nayland Road to the pub you will see a footpath signposted heading off to the left. This footpath leads you to Boxted Road. At this road turn right and again you will see the stadium from this road (Basically, follow the “crowds.” A quick look at an ordnance survey map is a good idea before doing this route! DO NOT try and park right near the ground, it is a STUPID idea, you will get clamped or given a ticket and it is really not worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 Weather forecast is for sunshine and 25 degrees. Don't forget the Factor 50 sunscreen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forte_Baby Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Just printed off all the travel information. Its a right pain to put it mildly, sure similar park and ride schemes are in place at clubs like Swansea but the point of the buses is theres plenty of parking space from where they embark, not park in town centre, then get to NEAR the train station to catch a bus. Thats a park and ride and ride scheme. Rubbish You mean there was a bloody shuttle bus at Swansea and i walked it both to the ground and back from the statiom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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