13 March 2008
We received a petition asking:
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to bring back the right to stand (terracing) at premiership football grounds."
Details of Petition:
"In Germany they have developed ’safe standing’ at major grounds like Bayern munich and it is a major success story. Poorer members and youngers members of our society are being priced out of attending football matches, it is essential to encourage younger people to get of there armchairs and physically attend football matches, otherwise the culture of attending a football match will only exist with those that can afford it and ever increasing older members of our population."
Read the Government’s response
The Government’s key aim must be to ensure that spectators attending matches do so in the safest environment possible. Following a number of disasters at football grounds over the years in the UK, many involving fatalities, changes were brought in to ensure such tragic events never reoccurred. Part of these changes included the introduction of all-seater stadia for the top two divisions. In turn, the all-seater policy has helped stadiums in this country to become some of the safest, best attended and most modern stadia in the world.
There is no firm evidence to support the view that the removal of the all seater policy or the introduction of systems used in grounds in Germany would directly result in cheaper ticket prices. Indeed, an analysis of ticket prices in leagues 1 and 2 indicated there is very little difference between the costs of standing and seating when it is available in this country. On average it is only £2.23 more expensive for sitting in League One and £1.75 for League Two.
The Government will continue to take into account the views of all interested parties on this matter. Apart from the fans who want a return to standing the Government has received no representation from any other interested party seeking a review of this policy.