Safe standing bill launched in parliment

Epic Swindle · December 8, 2010

Don Foster MP, former Liberal Democrats sports spokesman, has launched a bid to allow safe standing to be introduced into football grounds in England and Wales. Speaking yesterday the Bath MP launched his Safe Standing Bill by telling Parliament that there was no evidence to show that properly designed standing areas were inherently unsafe.

The bill would give all football clubs "the freedom to build, or maintain existing, safe standing sections in their stadia if they choose" in an established framework of minimum safety criteria. MPs introduce so-called "10 Minute Rule" bills in order to draw attention to specific issues and they can eventually become law.

Surveys regularly show that nine out of 10 supporters believe they should be given the choice over whether they prefer to stand or sit. Safe standing areas in Germany have also proven to be a great success contributing to both improved atmospheres and cheaper ticket prices as more fans can be accommodated, thus lowering prices.

Opponents of standing areas in Britain often raise the spectre of the Hillsborough disaster. Foster acknowledged this but pointed out that the tragedy of 15th April 1989, and its devastating impact, was not caused by standing.

Foster said: "Lord Taylor's report into Hillsborough cited many reasons why the disaster occurred. The fact the crowd was standing was not one of those reasons. Rather, it happened as a result of gross overcrowding, a lack of concern for the safety and comfort of spectators, a lack of awareness of existing safety regulation, and the poor design of the old style terraces. The disaster happened because of a culture of negligence, not because standing is inherently unsafe."

http://www.fsf.org.u...-Parliament.php

Sensitive issue obviously but I have to agree with Foster's comments about negligence being a major factor. I'd welcome standing areas based on the German model, which in many respects are probably a lot safer than seating.

Edited December 8, 2010 by Epic Swindle

New York Red · December 8, 2010

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