Sharon pushes for safe standing stands at our local football clubs.
September 14, 2008 6:00 PM
At the Lib Dem party conference in Bournemouth Sharon led a motion to allow safe standing areas to be provided at top-league football grounds. Current regulations mean that stadiums must be all-seating, but this has severely limited the capacity of football stadiums and robbed the game of its spirit.
Sharon tabled this motion to introduce areas where fans can stand in safe and controlled environments. Many supporters wanting the full football experience currently end up standing in areas that are designed for sitting. This is not only risky but can aggravate fellow supporters.
The current regulations have meant that numbers of fans attending matches are limited. For the ordinary fan this has meant that the price of each ticket has been pushed up so far that regularly attending games is simply not an option for many families.
The motion was passed without being referred back.
Sharon said:
"Keeping fans safe is very important, and we absolutely have to avoid the situation of old crumbling terraces that led to the terrible events at Hillsborough in 1989. We must not forget or disrespect the victims of Hillsborough or their families.
"However, stadium design has come on leaps and bounds in recent years and it is perfectly possible for standing room to be provided without becoming a safety risk. We've seen best practice in Germany and across Europe, and fans who've travelled abroad for European matches will know how safe standing can and is being achieved successfully.
"I am delighted with the positive response my proposal has received from fans across our area, and that it was adopted as party policy with such overwhelming support."
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