You just have to feel for Swansea fans

Last updated : 24 March 2006 By Michael Morris
Some 30,000 of our local rivals will decend upon the Capital on that day but it appears the world is against them.

Firstly British Rail (or whatever they are called these days) are running no services on April 2nd. They have engineering works. That means it will have to be a journey by road for all fans.

Secondly the motorway people will have contraflows in operation near Margam (Port Talbot) thus strangling an already busy two lane motorway.

Already coach companies are at full stretch to provide enough vehicles.

So the last alternative? CARS. Many fans will have to drive.

Step forward Cardiff County Council. From April 1st the local authority has decided to increase it's park and ride cost to £10 per car.

Rugby fans have been able to enjoy the park and ride facility for £3.50 (even just last weekend), football fans were charged a fiver. Now they have doubled the cost to £10 per car from April 1st.

The council say

"The increase in charges will reduce the burden of event-related costs falling on the council tax payer. In addition, the availability of suitable sites for the park and ride operations is reducing as land is developed.

"Large football events, particularly those where segregation by team is required, involve the use of more sites that are not council-owned and, therefore, incur greater costs."

In layman's terms it sounds like "let's make some money"

Best of luck to the Jacks. I hope they get here and enjoy themselves. I'll be staying home that day. It seems too much hassle to do anything else.