Disabled Parking at McDiarmid

[HALLS ANGEL]

The Board of Directors don't seem to think of the knock on effect of these decisions have.

Firstly the 30 minute rule which is just a recipe for ill feeling and animosity between Saints fans. It just needs one fan to park in someone else's space and then arguments ensue. They would have been better not allocating numbered bays. The reason season ticket holders pay an extra £50 for their space is so that they can arrive late and their space is vacant. Not everybody is as keen on Saints as the people who post on here. There are supporters who do other things before the football some may participate in other sports, look after children or an old relative, some work and there are those who travel reasonable distance who don't know exactly how long their journey will take.

If it's money they think they are losing out on then they could have increased the amount to say £70 but is that a gamble they aren't prepared to take. 

The first people knew about this rule was after the space was paid for and there was a sticker attached to the permit. Which reads "Any reserved bays unoccupied 30 minutes prior to kick will be released to others" note the missing of the word OFF. Unless it means the kick you have at the car that's in your space.

I am not in favour of charging for the disabled spaces. 

I am full of admiration for disabled people and their carer who struggle to get into the stands to a seat also some with wheelchairs and walking aids. The carer may not even like football so it might take much to be put off going. 

The marketing of season tickets. I sit in the Main Stand and the man who sat beside me with his grandson was not there at the Trakai game. I saw him at the Aberdeen friendly and asked him why he said his grandson was now 17 and they didn't do 17 to 18 years season ticket for the main stand and he was now adult price of £350 in comparison to £106 for the east stand. So they have moved to the east stand saving them £279. My point being that if they had a 17 to 18 years season for the main stand at say £140 and the grandfather at £210 the club would have £69 more.

There are things the do right like the pricing of parent and child as they have lost a generation when prices were too high. Most season ticket holders are over sixty it seems. 

You make one decision to buy a season ticket or you make a decision every game whether to go or not.

[Dave H]

Just read all the posts just now. Had ignored it till now.

A. Disabled parking should not be open to anyone.  If it's £50 or free, I don't have an opinion.. 

B. The 30 minute rule for disabled fans should not apply. See point above.

C. I have a reserved space but the main reason is for short walk distance (older legs)  prefer a shortest walk as possible up the hill at the end of the game.

D. Cars who have parked in my space before, I just park in another numbered bay next to my allocated spot.. Never do see the culprits before or after the game as never in a rush to exit the stadium.  Some have displayed the parking ticket badge but in wrong space, that's what I do if 'blocked'

E. Car parking numbered bays.  Just get rid of the idea. Those able and mobile just benefit from the discount price, join the queue and park where directed.

Exception: Leave a few available for booking for older generation who are unlikely to be able to walk any distance or up the hill, but might not have a blue badge.  Booking must be phoned in ahead of game or issued with different 'non-blue' badge. 

F. The 2017-18 season will stress the car park and with no overflow parking will end up being closed when full. I suspect the larger away supports could fill the car park around 40 minutes before kick off.. And will the 30 minute rule be waived and will car park ticket holders be turned away when full?

G. Clarity of 30 minute rule. If a car park ticket holder turns up 5 min before kick off they can park as directed by staff but do not have to pay.. I'd expect this to be common sense but still needs communicated to staff.

 

[akuram]

Letter from Saints today explains why these spaces might be needed and time now reduced to 15 minutes before kick off.

Seems they are losing 150 spaces.

Doesn't bother me as I am always early.

 

[Scott1884]

Halls Angel basically summed up the matter.

I'd just like to add a few points from my perspective. I'm disabled & in a wheelchair & I buy a numbered bay in the last row at the botttom of the hill because tryiing to go up or down the hill in a chair is virtually impossible. Firstly, there's the gradient of the hill & then there's the potholes & loose stones which, if you hit either, tips the whole chair forward. Secondly, when I purchased my bay ticket & season ticket therre was no mention of you having to be there 30 or even 15 mins before kick-off. We usualy come quite early so the 15 min limit shouldn't affect us. However if I am ever held up & my bay was taken I'd have to turn around & go home. Having said that, I do know other parking bay ticket holders who pay for a bay because they are often held up & want to make sure they will have a space when they arrive.

Edited July 22, 2017 by Scott1884

[Cagey]

Car park is a disgrace. I thought the reason we couldn't spend money on the team a couple of years ago was we had to spend it on the car park & infrastructure.

How does anyone know what their bay is as most of the numbers are missing.

 

[PanamaSaint]

What's with the latest on disabled parking at McD ? Do the disabled guys/girls get a priority both for home and away fans visiting McD ? This shouldn't be a forum point but just handled by the club professionaly and with discretion not blasted out loud like this. Regardless of disabled and not disabled surely our club makes it as easy as possible to make everyone feel treated as one. 

 

[MySpazz]

 

Letter from Saints today explains why these spaces might be needed and time now reduced to 15 minutes before kick off.

Seems they are losing 150 spaces.

Doesn't bother me as I am always early.

 

aye, I'm alright jack.....

[andrew]

The St Johnstone Disabled Supporters Association hold our first meeting this Thursday, 27 July at McDiarmid at 7pm.

Guest for this meeting is Atholl Henderson who will share something of the work of the Community Trust.

Everyone is welcome, especially Abernethy, ScottMann and anyone else with an interest in finding out more or who would like to make a contribution - preferably a positive one

Doubtless parking will be discussed at some point.

[Abernethy Saint]

I thought standing up for disabled folk - of whom I am one - was pretty positive.

Kind of what you're supposed to do, but you seem to prefer using your position to make snarky wee points.

Sorry mate, but you're a d***.

[andrew]

 

I thought standing up for disabled folk - of whom I am one - was pretty positive.

Kind of what you're supposed to do, but you seem to prefer using your position to make snarky wee points.

Sorry mate, but you're a d***.

I neither have, nor wish to have, a position. It was a genuine invitation to come and see what happens and what we do, which discussion on one issue on this forum cannot provide. I am sorry you feel and write the way you do. That you choose to interpret things the way you have is a shame.

[Abernethy Saint]

You have been bombarded by views, by and on behalf of the disabled, on this thread. There are guys in wheelchairs explaining their issues, FFS. No interest from you. You've completely ignored them, and the issues they raise, of great importance to us disabled folk. Your only response, every time, seems to be, "come to a meeting". Whilst seemingly blind to the irony in that. I don't want to come to a meeting, I want you to do your ****ing job.

How about trying, hum, ok, I'll represent your views to the club.

So, so many disability charities etc are run by dicks like you, who quickly turn into apologists and excuse makers for the very organisations that need to change.

 

[andrew]

 

You have been bombarded by views, by and on behalf of the disabled, on this thread. There are guys in wheelchairs explaining their issues, FFS. No interest from you. You've completely ignored them, and the issues they raise, of great importance to us disabled folk. Your only response, every time, seems to be, "come to a meeting". Whilst seemingly blind to the irony in that. I don't want to come to a meeting, I want you to do your ****ing job.

How about trying, hum, ok, I'll represent your views to the club.

So, so many disability charities etc are run by dicks like you, who quickly turn into apologists and excuse makers for the very organisations that need to change.

 

You have very little idea what I have or haven't done and thus are speaking from a position of ignorance (I mean uninformed, not in the rude sense). If you can't or won't come to a meeting or don't want to, I'd be happy to meet you before a game sometime for a chat, listen to your views and maybe explain how and why we started, how we setup and operate and what we've achieved - it is not insignificant. Again, a genuine offer.

[mainstand]

I see the attached on the Disabled Supporters Association facebook relating to the meeting the Andrew referred to. Some good things happening, so don't see why we are not publicising them more.

Notes from tonight's meeting - very similar to last time.

Parking was discussed at length with the club's reevaluation noted. This is a difficult issue, involving the club, fans and police. An explanation has been given in the chairman's letter and it may be that the matter is not going to cause as many difficulties as anticipated. We shall see what happens when the season begins.

The room is booked for the following dates for this season 28 September, 30 November, 25 January..., 29 March and 31 May (all are the last Thursday of the month).

Next year's CAFE day of action is likely to be in March. We will explore various ideas and report more on this later. Meantime, have a look at CAFE's website and Twitter and submit any ideas here or by email.

Cards - taking a while to implement but has a lot of potential. We would need to decide what would be on the card, e.g. requires PA (personal assistant). Any ideas and feedback here or by email please.

Video of club's accessible facilities still awaiting completion of signage, etc.

Toilet signage would help highlight that there are disabilities that cannot be seen.

Wheelchair users who are season ticket holders now have a reserved numbered space allocated in the same way that a seat number is allocated to a season ticket holder who does not use a wheelchair.

Awareness training - Beverley will take this up with the club general manager. As before, Gillian would be prepared to help with training.

Parking buses at away games is much improved, thanks to Police Scotland input. Fans are less likely to have to walk great distances back to buses - previously it was possible that in bad weather and on a dark night that elderly and disabled fans had to walk half a mile or more back to their bus.

I forgot to mention at the meeting that for anyone unable to attend for whatever reason but who have issues, problems or ideas relating to accessibility at home or away matches - we can use this page/group and/or email, and provide both a physical and virtual platform so that people can contribute without attending.

Repeated from the last meeting:

Guests to invite include: Calum Davidson, a police match commander, John Watson, Roddy for ex players, youth player, Ando, Macca.

I suggested we encourage participation in the group and attendance at meetings where possible.

We shall ensure this Facebook group page is updated with details of what we are discussing.

 

[Kyle]

 

Illness cost me my career and business. I'm going to see if I can get free parking for myself first. I'll ask for you after.

Am I understanding this right... you're happy to try and get free parking for yourself at McDiarmid Park, but you're not willing to do so for others making the very same request until you've sorted yourself out? I might be picking this up wrong, but surely as a representative of a group of supporters, the same rules should surely apply to everyone and you shouldn't be getting additional perks not on offer to others in a similar position.

I might be jumping in with two feet here, so apologies if I am.

 

I can't fathom the logic of charging disabled people for their spaces when it has been free for so long. It seems like such an unnecessary PR own goal. I appreciate the number of spaces on offer has diminished but for the sake of an extra £500 a season, this just seems stupid.

 

 

[SaintDougie]

 

Am I understanding this right... you're happy to try and get free parking for yourself at McDiarmid Park, but you're not willing to do so for others making the very same request until you've sorted yourself out? I might be picking this up wrong, but surely as a representative of a group of supporters, the same rules should surely apply to everyone and you shouldn't be getting additional perks not on offer to others in a similar position.

I might be jumping in with two feet here, so apologies if I am.

 

I can't fathom the logic of charging disabled people for their spaces when it has been free for so long. It seems like such an unnecessary PR own goal. I appreciate the number of spaces on offer has diminished but for the sake of an extra £500 a season, this just seems stupid.

 

 

I'm pretty sure he was trying to be sarcastic tbh

[Kyle]

 

I'm pretty sure he was trying to be sarcastic tbh

Fair enough.