We did our best to get there in time

'Gresty Road', who drives for Yeomans, replies to an article on Bulls News which reported on the delay of the supporters coaches arriving at Millwall last Tuesday.

BN:One of the drivers told those travelling on his coach that because of traffic chaos around central London Yeomans had decided to take a longer route to Millwall.

GR:Yeomans did not make the decision, the drivers did - bearing in mind that their objective was to arrive at the ground in good time, for the benefit of all supporters.

BN:Yet the 'Funbus' which left Edgar Street at the same time as the coaches reached the ground in time for the start of the game.

GR:Hardly surprising - because

a) a minibus does not have an electronically and mechanically applied legal speed restriction of 100 kph (62 mph in old money) and can travel at 70 mph (or more if a driver were to wish to do so) and

b) a minibus driver is not subjected to the requirement for a 45 minute break after 4.5 hours driving time.

BN:Another of the coaches had an unscheduled stop when the smoke alarm went off not long after leaving Hereford.

GR:Question - if an alarm is activated, do you

a) ignore it and carry on regardless, or b) stop and investigate.

The alarm could have developed a fault, someone might have decided to have a quiet "undetected" smoke in the toilet, or the coach might, just might, have a fire on board. Either way, in the interests of passenger safety, this coach driver stopped to investigate. Had he ignored it and carried on regardless, in the current climate, what would Bulls News be reporting on the topic?

BN:Leaving Hereford at around 2.10 and taking 55 minutes for a break at Reading left little spare time for coaches to reach Millwall.

GR:Agreed. It was a big ask to leave at around 2pm to arrive in Bermondsey around rush hour and stay legal (and safe) in the process.

BN:Perhaps if all the travelling support had arrived to watch all of the game, the outcome might have been different.

GR:Perhaps, bearing in mind the clear and obvious need to arrive in time for games, slightly earlier departure times could be discussed and agreed, taking account of likely traffic delays, adverse weather conditions, drivers hours law etc etc, thus enabling supporters to influence the outcome of games for the full 90 minutes.

We did our best to get there in time. We didn't meet that objective but we will try harder next time. However, it is difficult to obtain real time information on which route is closed, open, snowed in, flooded, blocked with broken down vehicles, or, just plain simply, a long way away and in SE London on a wet Tuesday night.

Oh, and please remember that two out of the three drivers on the trip on Tuesday are long-standing ardent supporters and followers of the Bulls.

---