The Long Walk Hurdle
Morning,all.
Wakening you up with a title to remind some of you of one of our favourite pastimes,this article is nothing to do with a horse race and everything to do with the problems many will face in getting to Celtic Park if the council in Glasgow has its way.
***
Good morning.
I attended the pre hearing in early March for the proposed traffic restrictions around Celtic Park in that there will be no parking within a mile of the park!
At the meeting those Celtic fans present were asked to get a group together to act as petitioners on behalf of the fans. I am now one of that number. There is apparently no joined group of supporters clubs (yes, I was surprised too)!
I have attached a copy of the letter that I sent just to remind you all of the issues – unfortunately I took a scatter gun approach but I would appreciate all comments that you would like to give.
What I am seeking from you is how you feel about the issue. I know that many of you wrote a complaint at the time (there were 1,130 letters of objection) but if you could drop me a couple of sentences about how it would impact on you that would be great.
Interestingly at the night,as well as the residents that we are “bothering”-(did they only just wake up one day, notice the big green building and say to themselves “where the f**k did that come from”???)-there were also residents from a mile down the road who have realised the problem is just getting moved and from what I gather they did not object at the time but were definitely objecting now.
Another issue is that these restrictions are also to be applied to The Rangers (2012) and although the issues for both sets of supporters are very different, there are concerns that Glasgow City Council will not make different decisions for each.
On another note – can I add that the club are on the ball with this and are fighting it strongly at some considerable expense and are bringing in a lot of big guns. I was particularly impressed with the lawyer acting for Celtic. I know a lot of you have quite a poor view of the board but I do think they are putting up a good fight and whilst it may be because of how they think it affects their bottom line it is ultimately helping us.
Anyway. If you have anything that you would like me to pass on please email bmcuwp@gmail.com and he will pass them onto me.
Our group has also started a change.org for this which is found here.
And it would be greatly appreciated if you could share it widely please.
Text of my original letter,now two years old,below:
I would like to have my concerns noted regarding the proposed parking restrictions around Celtic Park.
I travel to the games by car with my elderly father who is 79 and has been going to Celtic games since he was 4 – or so he tells us.
Public transport is not a viable option for us for a number of reasons – not least that my dad is unable to walk far. We currently park in Bluevale Street but this is almost a mile away and my dad can barely walk that as it is. Having a mile of no parking would likely mean that we may be almost two miles away!
Public transport to Celtic Park is very poor. Dalmarnock station is apparently 0.7 miles away, Duke Street is almost a mile away and the bus service is not the best. Celtic fans have been going to games in their cars because of the poor public transport long before the area was improved following the Commonwealth Games when there were a huge number of houses built in the area. The people who moved in knew that it would be very busy during home games. There is also precedent that those who were there first have priority. There is a well known film quote “build it and they will come”! Well, Celtic Park has been built – for 130 years and we have been coming for 130 years! In addition, Celtic Football Club, its supporters and opposition supporters including European supporters provide a massive boost to the Glasgow economy and we should be given the courtesy of our needs being considered too.
I looked at the plans on the website but they weren’t particularly clear and I also had a look at the “frequently asked questions” relating to this. I have to say I was surprised to see mention of the subway at all – what subway station do you consider to be within walking distance of Celtic Park?
I also read the report submitted to the council – which states that the council wishes
-” to promote healthy and environmentally sustainable methods of transport that minimise harmful emissions and energy consumption including those that involve physical activity”
I would suggest that the council would need to ensure that such transport is PROVIDED before it is able to PROMOTE it!
The answer is more than to:
- “ensure adequate parking control is in place for special events”
In my opinion it is neither fair nor reasonable to just stop people bringing their cars without providing viable alternatives. More work and transport improvements are required before this could be considered achievable.
PS. With regard to your policy above of “promoting healthy and environmentally sustainable methods of transport that minimise harmful emissions and energy consumption including those that involve physical activity” – my dad has a hybrid car – does that mean these restrictions don’t apply to us or does being a Celtic supporter nullify that?
I look forward to your response in due course
PS. I finally got round to taking the BT Sports “holiday”. They offer you one month credit or to donate it to an NHS charity but as this might be NHS England I said to credit my account. I have given it to the local food bank who are really struggling just now. I will add my gym membership which is also giving me a “holiday” as I pay these by direct debit and I am still working and getting fully paid so it’s kind of like free money!!!!
Thank you.
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Above article by PADDYSMAW,and received with grateful thanks. As ever,we are always on the lookout for such contributions as Article of the Day. Relieve the tedium of looking at the four walls around you. Fire them in to us and we will gladly publish. Mail Mahe on
sentinelcelts@gmail.com
Apologies as I can’t get the link to embed. Here it is,so please sign up!
https://www.change.org/p/all-users-of-celtic-park-and-the-emirates-arena-glasgow-city-council-to-drop-proposals-to-eliminate-parking-at-celtic-park-on-event-days?recruiter=496407791&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition
PADDYSMAW
Great piece of work,well done! I hope the council know who they’re taking on here-even I don’t argue with you. In fact,even my Mum knows better!!!
And well done too in finding a terrific new home for your BT and gym subscriptions.
HH
PADDYSMAW
Great info
Thank you.
Signed the petition and forwarded it paddysmaw
Robin bhoy had it on CQN a couple
Of times yesterday
And BMCUW, leave my subscriptions alone, well you can have the gym one
Good info paddy’s maw.
I also wrote a letter at the time and it is important we keep up the pressure on GCC who it appears to me are so hell Bent on being seen as green (no pun intended) that they are completely failing to take into account the infrastructure issues with this scheme.
Imagine 60000 leaving Celtic park and even a third of them heading for the local station. Carnage. It would be so dangerous.
Buses? Imagine the queues. I was at the Gabba in Brisbane in November with 48000 and they had laid on buses to take people back to parts of the city centre. Queues a mile long, people no idea what bus was for where before giving up and walking. That was fine. It was 2 miles on a summers night, not exactly Glasgow in November.
That is assuming Glasgow give us free buses. Unlikely.
I realise that people living around the stadium are frustrated by people parking outside their homes but this is not a new phenomenon as Paddy’s Maw points out. I’d say 99% stick to the rules and for the 1% that don’t, the police have powers for that. Use them.
As a support group we really must keep the pressure on GCC and also give the club credit for taking this forward on our behalf. I know it seems a million miles away at this point but be sure this is coming soon if we don’t do something about it now.
BT
The subscriptions advice/comment was from the original mail by PADDYSMAW. You don’t seriously think I’d have a gym membership,ffs?!!!!!
Just reading CQN at the moment,it might be that ROBINBHOY is on the same committee as PADDYSMAW. I’ll text or mail him to find out.
I notice PADDYSMAW and ATOB forgot to mention one of my complaints about the parking restrictions……I already leave the pub 15-20 minutes before everyone else and it would mean even less libation-time???
Aye,ROBINBHOY is on the same committee. Small world.
COSYCORNERBHOY
Edited your post to add that it was the pub you were leaving early. Lightweight.
I remember SOLKITTS and myself on his first ever visit to Love Street about 1982. We were in Stringfellows bar before the game and he downed his pint-well,nothing new there!-as he saw most people around us doing the same and heading for the doors.
My response? Two more pints,of course. Fuxake,Mick. We’ll miss the kick off at this rate! Not at all,I said. Stick yer heid out the door,tell me what you see?
Well,he hadn’t realised that the pub was practically inside the ground but he wasn’t too happy with another round,bearing in mind the length of the queues.
What queues,as I sipped my pint. The effin queues to get in!!!
Oh,forgot to say,big man-we’re going in the boys gate today.
Look on his face was a picture. He’s 6’4″ and had a full beard and moustache at the time! I gave him a paper to stick his head into and suggested he slouch a bit.
There’s a bit more to it,but I’ll let him finish it. Daft boayishness,you never outgrow it.
Bobby, glad you clarified that about your da. I was shocked to think of him leaving a game with as much as 20 mins. still to play. I thought he would be the last man standing! 🙂
Paddysmaw, I signed the petition yesterday, I checked it earlier and was disappointed it was only up to 150 signatories. I hope many more sign it and share it.
JIMTHETIM53
A truly shocking scenario. Never happen,he likes to get his moneysworth.
Btw,you might recall Billy Connolly doing a sketch about our Centenary Season. He stole that from my Uncle Jim!
ATHINGOFBEAUTY is a natural worrier and shouted us on as we approached the final few minutes in the semi final v Hearts. He calmly turned to her and told her not to worry. It’s written.
Five minutes later,slightly less calmly,he just said-Telt ye!
Totally imperturbable,that man. Unless it’s his round next.
I see Chris Sutton is asking questions about the Ibrox club’s financial plans to deal with the current situation. Some of the top teams in Scotland have been making noises about it but strangely, not Sevco! Given that they have the worst cash flow, you would think they would be champing at the bit to reign in costs!
JIMTHETIM53
Sevco and champ in the same paragraph? There’s a first.
Bobby, I was watching an episode of Lewis last night, the episode was called ‘The Gift of Promise’. About an hour in DS Hathaway informs Lewis that a suspect is from Swindon! Upon hearing this Lewis replies ‘I went to Swindon once, it was closed’! I nearly fell of the chair 🙂 It’s like something Packy would say when he went to visit you!
A true story.
btw, the episode was about a fallout from the Troubles in the North of Ireland.
The biggest problem is that they do not enforce the present parking restrictions properly and if they did so most of the objections by residents would disappear, mine included, por cierto.
Por Cierto, I’m surprised the young lads who get paid to ‘look after’ your car are not in an uproar about it! 🙂
JIMTHETIM53
Maybe Hathaway had a premonition,cos it’s certainly bliddy shut noo!
I was in Oxford with my Tim pal from Bicester via various places coupla years back. Meant to meet him ten days ago,but that went pear shaped. Anyway,we are in this really small pub,L-shaped,and I could touch both walls in the lower part of the wall.
Blinkin’ flip,Ian. Not the biggest. Advertising live bands anaw,must get a bit claustrophobic at times.
Aye,he says. Worst thing is,it’s on the Morse tour,so they get guided tours coming in here. And if you look out the window,I think there’s another one on its way.
So I did. Loads of them. Pointed out that we should be ok-though I swiftly ordered another round first!-as they were Chinese. Americans would never have squeezed in.
POR CIERTO
I would expect local residents to be offered a permit to park on their own streets,in that case. Widespread in Swindon,and has been for years.
Doesn’t come for free though. Rather expensive,in fact.
Thanks for the support everyone. ATOB is right. We can’t let the grass grow here!
I will take any comments you have back to the group and thanks for reading my very lengthy post
PS please think about food banks for your subscription holidays if you can they really are struggling just now
Heading off for the day,some of us have to keep the wheels turning!
REBUS67
My apologies,I missed your post last night as I was in bed. Best wishes and a warm word or ten on the hotline upstairs for you and yours.
HH
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
POR CIERTO
I would expect local residents to be offered a permit to park on their own streets,in that case. Widespread in Swindon,and has been for years.
Doesn’t come for free though. Rather expensive,in fact.
The permits are to be given to residents free of charge if the changes come in. The point I’m trying to make is if they just enforced the parking restrictions that are here at the moment, and then introduced further restrictions where and when required, most of the residents complaints would disappear almost immediately. It’s the enforcement that is lacking, badly. There must be a way to have a load of parking attendants to come out on a Saturday between 12pm to 3pm, times adjusted to match times accordingly, and issue tickets to those who don’t toe the line, and therefore there would be no need to enforce the 1 mile parking restrictions. I am in total agreement with those objections about people with disabillities and difficulties having to park a further distance from the ground, but a lot of the objections to the plan are of the “Me Me” variety. I don’t want the 1 mile restriction to come into force, but to have any chance of getting the GCC to not impement, then perhaps a joint group, rather than just objecting, could try and aleviate the residents problems by coming up with suggestions that may stop what the GCC are going to do. Most likely the vast majority of fans don’t even know this is happening and it’s probaly those who cause the most obstruction, so having the club on board and to put out some sort of recommendations online or over the tannoy during games would help. I’ve already seen some of the answers to the objections from the GCC and you can see that they are not going to give way this time, especially with the scheme already working at Hampden. I feel if more is done by the objectioners to see the residents side of this then it would go a long long way to stop this happening if residents started to feel as though Celtic fans and the Club were listening, por cierto
Feckin cat just asked if I want the radio left on while he went out!!
CaltonTongues
Feckin cat just asked if I want the radio left on while he went out!!
:)))))))))))))))))) por cierto
this is for mick, a truck, story, when we had a very busy day, we subcontracted owner drivers with their own trucks, this day I had 10 drops that I knew I couldn’t do, the boss phoned dave harding from Rochdale, we called him the Rochdale cowboy, one of those guys whos been there, done it, got the teeshirt, mr knowall, now one of the drops I hated, it was in a place called Macclesfield in Cheshire, up a narrow lane bungalow at the top, you had to drive in drop off and reverse back, put it this way the couple who lived in the bungalow did not have to cut their hedges my wing mirrors and side bar done it for them? anyway gave dave the 10 drops, could see his eyes light up thinking he would be finished early, because he would have got a full days money just for the 10 drops, this one in Macclesfield he said to me, don’t know it, ok dave dead easy, little bungalow on the edge of Macclesfield, nice wide road you will be in and out in a jiffy, thanks jim he said, off he went that night after I finished, im walking through the yard back to my car, all of a sudden I hear this voice, hey you ya feckin bassa, it was dave, his truck was covered in hedge cuttings and tree branches,he seen the funny side in the end, another true story?? catch u al later, errands to run.HH
Dave’s truck sounds like it was Cpl. Jones’ butcher van in Dads Army when it was covered with camouflage. 🙂
Big Billy’s grandson found dead in Amsterdam,may Matthew RIP
Bada how sad, was going to post something, will leave until later.
Terrible news Bada, RIP Matthew, por cierto
The BBC are going to feature 2 more “Classic” SC ties- both featuring Celtic
The 1981 semi-final replay where we lost to Dundee United and the 2002 final where we lost again to Old Rangers.
What are the chances those two were chosen at random?
I have parked in the industrial estate at Bernard St for about 20 years, no houses there.An alternative would be to put in parking bays ,(I know),and charge £3/4 for the duration of a game,it’s what you give the boy who ”watch yer motor mister…’
bada bing1
Aye, you see that’s a constructive idea, that, and others, with the help of all concerned, should be looked at por cierto
PC,the council could make money as well, I think they are trying to force the Club into building a multi story car park.
SFTB
They obviously know their audience.
Memories are all they have left.
There was a webcast of the last meeting re the 1mile restriction. Here is the link, it’s the last item at the bottom of the page, however it is over 2 hours long :(( por ceirto
https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/20480/Celtic-ParkEmirates-Arena
just read back, may Mathew rest in peace, JIM ,yes that’s exactly what his truck looked like?
Rip Matthew. May perpetual light shine upon him.
Hail Hail
I seen a fella on Twitter saying he’s been crying thinking about all the sad things that have happened and none other than our ex winger SID tells him to message his number and SID will.call him.
There’s many pricks out there, but more often than not I’m seeing folk really step up to the plate and be there for others during these times.
That’s encouraging.
Hail Hail
RIP Matthew
Mathew RIP ??
Rebus and family, thoughts and prayers.?✌
BlantyreTim, nice to see your name again, hope your grand old Celtic family are good and safe, especially Elaine;)???
Food for thought for those who naively bang the drum for, Bill Gates. ?https://youtu.be/_Y4NnaaBhqE
Hail!? Hail!? and, stay safe. ? ? ?
Bill Gates ? https://youtu.be/_Y4NnaaBhqE
Cheers Kev
As you well know Elaine is the glue that
Keeps our family strong
Take care pal
RIP Matthew,
You were always a good friend to my son. It’s good that you are coming home.
Sleep well.
HH
I would like to thank everyone who honoured my brother with their thoughts.
Drew passed away, peacefully, this morning.
My heart is broken but he would want me to fix it as quickly as I can.
I shall not be on the blog for a little while as I try to find equilibrium.
Rebus
BLANTYRE TIM ,how is your dad, he was a hero of mine when I was younger?
REBUS, thoughts and prayers, YWNWA.?
Rebus- sincere condolences on your loss.
Rebus
So sorry to read of your loss.
May your brother Drew rest in peace.
Rebus, so sorry. RIP Drew.
And RIP Mathew.
Big Packy
Still going home and away
My daughter goes with him
Thanks for asking