Local Liberal Democrats have used the party’s Autumn conference in Bournemouth to support proposals to change the regulations that currently prevent football stadiums from providing ‘safe-standing’ areas for supporters.
The Lib Dem proposals recognise and seek to remedy safety problems that exist in all seater stadiums where, despite regulations, large numbers of fans regularly stand in areas designed for sitting only.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat councillor for Leyton ward, Bob Sullivan said:
“Whilst the reintroduction of standing areas is obviously a delicate issue, the difficulty in enforcing existing regulations and the obvious desire of a huge number of supporters to stand at matches suggests that it is sensible to look at ways of allowing them to do so in safety.
“Football has taken enormous steps in recent years to improve stadium designs. These proposals would in no way seek to undermine any of that progress and would only allow future ground developments that meet the most stringent safety requirements.
“But if some fans want to stand and many clubs want to let them, then we should at least explore safe ways of achieving it.”
The Football Supporters Federation has praised the move, whilst local football supporters in Waltham Forest have added their voices to the Lib Dems calls for the current regulations concerning standing at football matches to be reconsidered.
Mike Randall, the Leyton Orient Fan’s Trust (LOFT) committee member for stadium issues, added.
“As an organisation LOFT have always been in favour of safe standing. We have raised the issue with the club management at every opportunity, so far with little success. However we have not entirely given up hope, as there is still one stand to be developed at Brisbane road.
“Safe standing works at football matches in Germany and in our Rugby League grounds. What is the difference? In some parts of the country a football fan on a Saturday is often a Rugby League fan on a Sunday.
“There is nothing wrong with terraces, it is the control of them that seems to be the main problem for the authorities.”