Coach parking arrangements update

We are now in a position to provide more information about coach parking and drop-offs for the March for the Alternative. This is not the final plan and we are still working on a number of other locations, which we’ll publicise as we’re able to confirm them.

We are closely co-operating with the Passenger Transport Confederation – the trade body for coach firms – and in general it is up to your coach company to make the arrangements for parking and drop off. So if necessary please pass this information on to your coach company.

Drop off points

We are expecting too many coaches to allow drop-off and parking at the assembly point on the Embankment. The limited facilities that we have there are being kept for disabled access and special requirements such as marching bands. You can see the extent of road closures on the day on the Metropolitan Police web site (pdf).

We have now identified a range of coach parks around central London for use on the day. But coaches do not need to drop off at the coach park – they can drop off nearer to the assembly point or to public transport links in many cases (check TFL’s pdf map of accessible transport links). Pick-up however is likely to require people to return to the where the coach is parked.

Don’t forget that in London it is usually quicker to get anywhere by tube or train than by coach, so travelling by public transport for part of the journey may be inconvenient but is likely to be faster, especially as the presence of so many extra coaches and the many roads that are closed will lead to congestion particularly as people are leaving.

Coaches from the East and South-East

100 parking bays have been secured at the Excel Conference Centre (www.excel-london.co.uk). Coaches wishing to reserve a bay are asked to call 0207 069 4568 and quote reference “TUC Event: March 26^th”. A total parking fee of £20.00 per coach is payable on the day in cash or by credit card.

Excel Conference Centre coach parking will be staffed from 0900 – 1900 hours. Suggested dropping off places are either Canary Wharf or Canning Town tube stations which will take people  on the Jubilee line without changing to either Southwark or Waterloo stations in about 15 minutes. These are all step-free. As Excel and these drop off points are close to the Blackwall tunnel, these are good places for coaches coming into London from Kent as well as from places to the East of London.

Coaches from the North and West

350 parking bays have been secured at Wembley Stadium (www.wembley.co.uk). Coaches wishing to book a bay should go to www.gotocsp.com/bookings and click on the “Stadium” link.  From there click on the “TUC Parking Event 26^th March 2011” link and follow the instructions.   A total parking fee of £33.50 per coach is payable. All coach drivers must be in possession of their online booking to gain entry on the day.

Wembley Stadium coach park will be staffed from 0830 – 2030 hours ensuring early arrivals gain entry and all vehicles have time to depart the site post event. Individual coaches will not be able to “pay on the day” for coach parking at Wembley Stadium.

Coaches using Wembley to park can come much closer to the Assembly point to drop off passengers. One suggested dropping off point is Marylebone Road, close to Baker St tube station from which you can get a tube to Waterloo.

Coaches from Wales, the South West and the South Coast

We have secured around 400 parking places at New Covent Garden near Vauxhall and Battersea Power Station (location map pdf). These two coach parks are very close to each other.

Coaches wishing to book a bay should use our one on-line booking form. Then make a payment in one of three ways. (All parking spaces have now been allocated)

1. Cheque: made payable to ‘Trades Union Congress’ and sent to Alen Mathewson, CCD, Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS. Please write your details on back of cheque. Cheques must arrive no later than Friday 18 March 2011.

2. BACS: quoting reference ‘Parking26.3’ to: Sort Code: 08-60-01, Account Number: 50511125, Name of Account: Trades Union Congress

3. Credit or debit card: via the TUC Publications Shop here. A total parking fee of £33 per coach is payable.

All coach drivers must be in possession of their on-line booking to gain entry on the day.  Both New Covent Garden and Battersea Power Station will be staffed from 10:00 to 20:00, ensuring all vehicles have time to depart the site.

Individual coaches will not be able to “pay on the day for coach parking at New Covent Garden or Battersea Power Station.

The suggested drop-off point for this location is Vauxhall, though this could become very congested if coaches arrive together. It may well be quicker to walk to Vauxhall from New Covent Garden or walk to Queenstown Road from Battersea Power Station for travel by rail to Waterloo for the assembly and then to return to Vauxhall by tube for the journey home.

Other locations

We are still working on other locations for coach parking, though with the O2 booked out already that day there are not other coach parks with comparable capacity to the large ones we have secured already. Smaller locations will probably be directly allocated via TUC regions, and have already arranged such a place for some coaches from the South West.

Coach organisers – Action needed

• We need to know about coaches coming, please use the contact form to notify us of any coaches and any special requirements you have for your coach.
• Every coach needs to have a travel steward – normally the coach organiser. We will make sure that travel stewards get any last minute briefing in advance, and we will also send out SMS text messages on the day to keep travel stewards updated. Register here.
• Travel stewards do not have to take any part in stewarding the march, but it makes sense for people to continue to organise their party and travel stewards are encouraged to be route stewards as well. Please see the details here.
• And if you have spare seats on your coach that you want to fill, don’t forget to list it on False Economy’s travel map.