DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

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Gary C
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:47 pm

DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

Post by Gary C »

Coach travel this year is being provided by Bayliss Executive Travel.
Full information will follow in due course.

Carshalton Athletic (A) on the 24th August 2024
Coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:30pm for the price of £20 per DFCSA member, £25 per non-member.
Dover Athletic (A) on the 7th September 2024
Coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:15pm for the price of £25 per DFCSA member, £30 per non-member.
Billericay Town (A) on the 14th September 2024
Coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:30pm for the price of £20 per DFCSA member, £25 per non-member.
Chichester City (A) on the 26th October 2024
Coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:00pm for the price of £25 per DFCSA member, £30 per non-member.

As always, we would strongly recommend joining the Association if you are planning to use the coach more than once a season. Membership starts at £8 per year, and you can sign up for this on the day or in advance.

Please be advised – if you need to cancel your booking, you may be liable to pay for your journey if cancelled on the day of travel. To make your booking, please speak to Mick Austin either in the club bar on match days or by calling/texting on 07969 181796.
Gary C
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:47 pm

Re: DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

Post by Gary C »

As one poster has already acknowledged on the Dover match thread, the cost of coach travel to away games continues to be a challenge most seasons these days, so I wanted to help provide a bit more colour on behalf of the DFCSA.

Soon after the new season fixtures are announced, representatives from the Committee meet with each of the local coach providers (all privately owned) to discuss our travel requirements and obtain prices for all the away games that we would be looking to run coach travel to. Each price list provided is then carefully reviewed and a decision taken on the best company to use, typically driven by the cheapest costs but also ensuring that the standard of travel is of the level that we would all expect e.g. having toilet facilities for most/ longer trips.

This season we made the decision to use Bayliss Coaches - not only were they the best value for money but we have also been impressed with the standard of their available fleet, but also the professionalism of the drivers. Again as already stated, the Dover game was a known exception due to a prior commitment which we were made aware of, but we are sure that anyone using the coaches to future games will not be disappointed.

Referring to the cost comparison from last year, now being in the Isthmian league means that there are more local games. Last season, like with many previous to that, a number of coach journeys and ultimately the cost, have been shared between DFCSA and the actual Club where both players, officials and supporters would travel together making it more cost effective. But a new league, as well as new players also means that more people do not need to rely on coach travel with many players in particular making their own way to games. This was the reason for the cost on Saturday where the coach costing £795 was only being used by supporters, where last season it was shared with the club meaning DFCSA, and ultimately supporters, would have paid much less than the cost on Saturday.

The stark reality of coach travel these days is that we need supporters to travel to make it cost effective and ensure individual costs are kept to a minimum - the more people that travel the cheaper it will be for everyone. Last season, whilst continuing to ensure that we can meet our primary objective of ensuring supporters can travel to away games, there were at least 6 trips which each amounted to over £200 in losses given the cost of the coach versus the number of people that travelled to these particular games. This is clearly not sustainable going forward - so unless the required number of people are using the coaches, then providing coach travel for away games will very soon unfortunately be something that we can not guarantee.

I hope this helps provides some transparency and context to the challenges we face with coach travel but as always, please do come and talk to any committee member if you have an ideas/ suggestions etc. For DFCSA members, a reminder that there is also the DFCSA AGM on Saturday 21st September after the Bowers & Pitsea game.

Gary
Tony H
Posts: 500
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2021 8:00 am

Re: DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

Post by Tony H »

Thanks for this update, much appreciated. Keep up the good work guys 👏👏
LA Dart
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2021 10:48 am

Re: DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

Post by LA Dart »

Gary,

Very well stated !

Thank you,

LA Dart
Gary C
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:47 pm

Re: DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

Post by Gary C »

Worthing (A) on the 28th September 2024
Coach will depart from Princes Park at 11:45am for the price of £25 per DFCSA member, £30 per non-member.
To make your booking, please speak to Mick Austin either in the club bar on match days or by calling/texting on 07969 181796.

As always, we would strongly recommend joining the Association if you are planning to use the coach more than once a season. Membership starts at £8 per year, and you can sign up for this on the day or in advance. 
Gary C
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:47 pm

Re: DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

Post by Gary C »

Away Travel
Coach travel this year is being provided by Bayliss Executive Travel.

Potters Bar Town (A) on the 5th November 2024
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 5:15pm, at a cost of £20 for members and £25 non-members.

Chichester City (A) on the 26th November 2024
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 4:45pm, at a cost of £25 for members and £30 non-members.

Hastings United (A) on the 30th November 2024
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:00pm, at a cost of £25 for members and £30 non-members.

Horsham (A) on the 17th December 2024
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 5:00pm at a cost of £25 for members and £30 non-members.

Folkestone Invicta (A) on the 21st December 2024
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:00pm, at a cost of £25 for members and £30 non-members.

Canvey Island (A) on the 28th December 2024
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:15pm, at a cost of £20 for members and £25 non-members.

Chatham Town (A) on the 1st January 2025
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:30pm, at a cost of £20 for members and £25 non-members.

Wingate & Finchley (A) on the 18th January 2025
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:15pm, at a cost of £20 for members and £25 non-members.

Bowers & Pitsea (A) on the 1st February 2025
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:30pm, at a cost of £20 for members and £25 non-members.

Hendon (A) on the 15th February 2025
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:00pm, at a cost of £20 for members and £25 non-members.

Cheshunt (A) on the 22nd February 2025
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:15pm, at a cost of £20 for members and £25 non-members.

Lewes (A) on the 8th March 2025
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 11:30am, at a cost of £25 for members and £30 non-members.

Bognor Regis Town (A) on the 22nd March 2025
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 10:15am, at a cost of £25 for members and £30 non-members.

Whitehawk (A) on the 12th April 2025
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:00pm, at a cost of £25 for members and £30 non-members.

As always, we would strongly recommend joining the Association if you are planning to use the coach more than once a season. Membership starts at £8 per year, and you can sign up for this on the day or in advance.

Please be advised – if you need to cancel your booking, you may be liable to pay for your journey if cancelled on the day of travel. To make your booking, please speak to Mick Austin either in the club bar on match days or by calling/texting on 07969 181796.
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DA Mikey
Posts: 694
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2021 3:55 pm

Re: DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

Post by DA Mikey »

Certainly know where we stand with those prices, very reasonable. The coach would probably be nigh on full too if it wasn’t headed to watch a load of abject rubbish.
Gary C
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:47 pm

Re: DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

Post by Gary C »

Just had to correct a few of the prices as I had got them wrong, rather than any increase. Apologies for this.
Gary C
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:47 pm

Re: DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

Post by Gary C »

Posted a couple of amendments to times for Lewes/Bognor due to roadworks scheduled for those days
Gary C
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:47 pm

Re: DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

Post by Gary C »

Please note - time and price adjustments as below

Bognor Regis Town (A) on the 22nd March 2025
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 10:00am, at a cost of £25 for members and £30 non-members.

Dulwich Hamlet (A) on the 29th March 2025
The coach will depart from Princes Park at 12:00 noon, at a cost of £20 for members and £25 non-members. However, the price will be reduced to £15 and £20 respectively if we can get 40 or over bookings.
Gary C
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:47 pm

Re: DFCSA Away Travel 2024/25

Post by Gary C »

Given the good response to the numbers coming on Saturday, the coach price has been reduced from £25 to £20 for members, £30 to £25 for non-members this weekend.
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