'Safe Standing' campaign update- It's about time!

[Onket]

Aston Villa to introduce safe standing areas.

Anyone in Birmingham know how this is going?

 

[Onket]

This is quite a good link- http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/safestandingfootballstadia.html

 

[Brixton Hatter]

there is a safe standing roadshow going round the country promoting the return of standing at games. But it's not really 'terracing' as such and I'm not sure I like the solutions they are proposing:

Looks even worse and restrictive to me...why would anyone want to stand in that? It's worse than seating!

http://www.safestandingroadshow.co.uk/

http://www.fsf.org.uk/news/Safe-standing-goes-to-Hull-and-back.php?id=

 

[Onket]

I fear it's the best we're going to get and at least we won't get told to sit down by women with kids anymore.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

There's now an early day motion in Parliament calling for a pilot of safe standing areas at football grounds. I wonder whether there might be more of a chance of getting this through now that all the Hillsborough shit has been thoroughly debunked.

More details, including getting your MP to sign it, here:

http://www.fsf.org.uk/campaigns/safestanding/

 

[Onket]

Nice one, was going to post about this.

The FSF 'email your MP portal doesn't give a draft email text, so if peopel can't be arsed to write their own, they can use this one-

Dear MP,
I am writing to request that you show your support for safe standing by signing EDM 573 and attending the Football Supporters' Federation’s safe standing event in Portcullis House (Attlee Suite) on Tuesday 11th December 2012.

What are 'Rail Seats'? The question can be answered by watching this short video- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apX5V1IJCW4&feature=youtu.be

Popular support - nine out of ten supporters back the choice to sit or stand (Football Supporters’ Federation National Survey 2012).

Choice - everyone benefits as those who wish to stand can do so, while those who prefer to sit no longer have to worry about having their view blocked. Clubs should also have the choice to introduce safe standing areas if they see fit.

Safety – safe standing can be introduced within stringent safety standards laid down in the Government’s Green Guide. The Government does not claim that standing at football is inherently unsafe.

Flexibility - UEFA regulations mean European competitions must be played in all-seater stadiums. Safe standing areas can be easily converted to and from seating so a club competing in Europe can go all-seater with minimum fuss.

Pricing - in both England and abroad ticket prices for standing areas are typically lower than in seated areas giving football clubs the opportunity to make stadiums more socially inclusive, while the higher density of supporters creates extra revenue.

Support from Clubs - This call for safe standing pilots is being backed not just by fans, but by many clubs as well, including Aston Villa, Sunderland, Derby County, Hull City and Peterborough United.

Further reading - visit the Football Supporters’ Federation’s Safe Standing Campaign pages which dispel many of the myths surrounding this issue: http://www.fsf.org.uk/campaigns/safestanding/index.php

It’s great that fans from so many different clubs are in favour of safe standing, over 15,000 have signed the Football Supporters' Federation’s petition, but what matters is why trials should be allowed. This isn’t just an issue that can benefit fans who prefer to stand, you have lots of reasons to support it!

See also- http://www.safestandingroadshow.co.uk/the-case-for-safe-standing/the-case-in-favour-2

Yours sincerely,

 

[RaverDrew]

Crystal Palace call for standing room for fans

CRYSTAL Palace Football Club have backed calls from supporters for the Government to allow trials of safe standing areas in England.

Co-chairman Stephen Browett told the Advertiser this week that he "fully supported" proposals to pilot technology currently used in Germany, as it was possible it might actually improve crowd safety.

Selhurst Park has been an all-seater stadium for almost 20 years, after standing was outlawed following the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.

But a growing number of clubs in the top two divisions are now asking for trials of "rail seating" areas, in the hope they could provide a solution to stop thousands of fans persistently standing in seated areas.

Mr Browett said: "I fully support the introduction of a pilot scheme to test safe standing in our football stadiums.

"At the moment most away supporters stand in front of seats, as do a sizeable chunk of home fans."

Rail seating is comprised of seats incorporated into a continuous waist-height barrier. The seats can be flipped up and locked to create standing areas, but any crushing or surging is physically impossible because barriers are fixed every one or two rows.

Mr Browett added: "It would appear to me that rail seating could be a safer option, as it is already used successfully and safely in Germany."

A nationwide Football Supporters' Federation campaign for safe standing areas was boosted last month following the release of the damning Hillsborough report, which blamed the 1989 tragedy almost entirely on the police and which has now encouraged more clubs to declare an interest in relaxing the all-seater rule.

An early day motion has since been tabled in Parliament to allow trials and the federation has announced plans this week to demonstrate rail seats to MPs at Westminster in December.

Campaigner Jon Darch, who has spent more than a year visiting clubs throughout the country with a sample rail seat structure, said the prospect of Palace fans being allowed to stand again was edging closer.

He said: "When I came to Selhurst Park last December, I was very pleased to find the club keen to explore the concept.

"For the chairman to now follow that up with his comments this week is very good news indeed and adds to the support being expressed by other clubs such as Aston Villa, Sunderland, Peterborough United, Derby County and the whole of Scotland.

"We now hope that a good number of MPs will represent the wishes of their football-supporting constituents by signing the early day motion.

"If all goes well, clubs like Crystal Palace may soon be able to offer their singing sections designated safe standing."

 

[Onket]

Very poor article against this in the Evening Standard yesterday. Can't find it online but it must be there somewhere.

Cites Hillsborough as a reason against Safe Standing.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Very poor article against this in the Evening Standard yesterday. Can't find it online but it must be there somewhere.

Cites Hillsborough as a reason against Safe Standing.

Unbelievable! Have they learnt nothing?