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Can safe standing increase capacity?
June 2018. With the pressure of 112,000 signatures, an impending parliamentary debate and Labour's looming announcement of support for safe standing clearly starting to tell, 'Government sources' hinted in early June that a review of the standing ban could be on the cards.
The BBC reported a source as saying: "Safety of supporters is paramount. However we recognise that technology and stadium design has evolved since the all-seater policy was introduced and the time is right to look at the issue."The sports minister has not shut the door to fans keen on standing sections being introduced but it is important that all the evidence and viewpoints are considered extremely carefully."
Given that rail seats have been successfully in use at Celtic for two years now and there is no longer any resistance from safety experts to safe standing trials in England or Wales, it is difficult to see an actual need for a review.
However, if that is the Government's chosen course of action, it is now going to be important that fans are allowed a say in the review team's terms of reference and in the selection of its chair.
It is also going to be important to ensure that this does not become an excuse to kick the can down the road. There is no reason why any review should take longer than a couple of months at the most.
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