Fans being treated as 'terrorists' blasts Inverness Caledonian Thistle Travel Club over proposed guidelines
PROPOSALS to enforce rules on fans travelling to matches have been branded as treating supporters like ‘terrorists’ by the Inverness Caledonian Thistle Supporters Travel Club chairwoman.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Supporters Travel Club chairwoman Rosemary Webb is among a number of voices blasting a consultation by The Traffic Comissioners for Great Britain entitled Guidelines for taking passengers to sporting events in Scotland.
The consultation suggests a number of proposals which would regulate how fans travel in public service vehicles (PSV) to sporting events. The guidelines include buses not stopping within 10 miles of the venue unless prior agreement is obtained.
PSV’s not stopping at premises where intoxicating liquor is sold, but only where it is sold ancillary to a substantial meal.
Guidelines suggest PSVs to arrive at venues no earlier than two hours before and not later than one hour before the start of the game.
PSV’s must leave the venue within 30 minutes of the finish of the event and also intoxicating liquor, flares and similar pyrotechnics, must not be carried on PSVs travelling to or from designated grounds. It also suggests not setting down or uplift passengers at any unauthorised locations without prior permission of the police.
The Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League, and Scottish Women’s Premier League are against the proposals deeming them unnecessary.
Webb also agrees with their stance saying: “We are a well run organisation that doesn’t stop at pubs, however we do stop at Broxden services in Perth.
“We are well policed, but the wording of the guidelines are suggesting that football fans are similar to terrorists.
“The vast majority of football fans are well behaved and the proposed guidelines are ridiculous.
“Asking for vehicles to arrive from Inverness one hour before a game is a lot to ask, although we do arrive in plenty time for matches.
“But there is the chance of being held up by traffic and roadworks.
“If we turn up 10 minutes later than an hour before kick-off, would we get into the match? The proposed guidelines are nonsense.”
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Supporters Trust spokesman John West says their group are also against the proposals.
He said: “The conditions are unnecessary and constrictive, especially for Highland clubs where the picking up and depositing of fans on journeys to the central belt could cause administrative problems.
“With roadworks and weather, the flexibility required would be denied by these rules. We’ll act in conjunction with the club to present our objection and make joint suggestions or objections.”
A joint statement issued on behalf of the Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League, and Scottish Women’s Premier League have voiced their concerns and will make their views know in the consultation.
They said: “There's no evidence that this is a significant problem in Scottish football. We are concerned by the targeted nature of these proposals, which serve to demonise football fans and interfere unnecessarily in people’s lives.
“In Scotland, there are already appropriate powers held by PHV operators, Police Scotland and other partners to deal effectively with a very small number of incidents by a minority of fans.
“The consultation itself notes that the majority of football fans are law-abiding and do not cause any disturbances when travelling to or from games, yet these proposals would unfairly affect the vast majority of football fans who travel safely and respectfully to and from matches on a weekly basis.
“We don’t support these unnecessary and heavy-handed proposals and we will be making our views clear in the consultation.”
SNP Westminister leader Stephen Flynn also criticised the proposals.
He said: "Responding to the UK government's “unworkable” proposals to restrict the movement and freedoms of Scottish football fans in the ‘Guidelines for taking passengers to sporting events in Scotland’ consultation, the SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn MP said:
“These unworkable, unmanageable, and unenforceable proposals belong in the bin.
“Scotland’s football attendance, the highest in Europe, is something to be celebrated and encouraged, not punished as the Tories are seeking to do with these absurd suggestions.
“This will have a severe impact not just on our football clubs, but the small businesses and firms who rely on matchday travel and footfall.
“At a time when Scotland is in the midst of a crucial European qualification campaign, it's telling that the UK government would issue such a tone-deaf and damaging proposal for our game.”