Rail seating

[Copps is Magic]

I see around 50% of premiership clubs are trialing rail seating this season. Anfield are installing 1800. Are there any plans for the Keepmoat?

[sha66y]

I’ll say it seems as everyone else is still looking on Google!

What the feck is rail whatyamacallits?

[Redandwhite]

I see around 50% of premiership clubs are trialing rail seating this season. Anfield are installing 1800. Are there any plans for the Keepmoat?

Can't see it unless they are free

[scawsby steve]

I’ll say it seems as everyone else is still looking on Google!

What the feck is rail whatyamacallits?

I might be wrong, but I think it's something to do with safe standing.

[RobTheRover]

Indeed it is to do with safe standing.  If you came to the Meet the Owners a couple of years back there was a sample of rail seating there. 

Basically, they are seats that fold flat and a handrail so you can safely stand without toppling over the seats in front.

[River Don]

Already widely used in Germany.

It looks a sensible and safe option for British stadia. Hopefully it will be widely introduced soon. I'd like to see a section of it trailed at the Keepmoat.

https://www.safestandingroadshow.co.uk/home

[Super Colin Cramb]

Tottenham’s new stadium has a whole stand for safe standing behind one of the goals for home fans. It seems as this looks as the way forward.

[Copps is Magic]

Anfield are installing 7800, not the 1800 I originally thought

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/15/liverpool-to-install-7800-safety-rail-seats-at-anfield-to-reduce-risks-of-standing

Interestingly the article suggests that clubs are actually being advise by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) to install railing seating on safety grounds. You would think the same advice should apply to the back of the South Stand, which has had consistent standing for a decade or more now.

[silent majority]

This subject is a lot more complex than the posts above would indicate. There has been some major developments in the last year or so and especially in the last month.

So, after many years of campaigning we at last got the government, through DCMS, to allow trials to take place. At the same time as that DCMS, through the SGSA, commissioned a report into the various types of safe standing that currently exist in England, Scotland and Wales. This in most cases involves some kind of rail seat but not always. Cardiff for instance has had a managed standing section for a number of years that doesn't involve rail seats.

Unfortunately for us Covid curtailed the report and the SGSA sat on it for quite a while. However in recent weeks SGSA have completed the report and passed it back to Government through DCMS and now we're waiting for Government to read the report and implement the recommendations. Those recommendations clearly stste that standing isn't unsafe, and it also details that rails (rather than rail seats) add to the safety inside stadiums.

What we are seeing at the moment is installations that are allowed under the trials that SGSA gave the green light to some time ago. There is currently no change in the ground regulations.

That should, hopefully, come about in the next 12 months or so, maybe sooner. But will that impact DRFC? Most likely it won't. There is no argument to be made which will include rail seats in the Keepmoat. There could possibly be an argument to install more rails, but the financial impact of that would probably not make it viable.

However, if we could sell out the Keepmoat on a regular basis then there would be a case to be made for more rails and an intermediate step and the removal of the seats altogether. That could increase capacity.

[Copps is Magic]

Given we've never sold out the Keepmoat regularly, that would seem like a very pessimistic appraisal.

[silent majority]

Given we've never sold out the Keepmoat regularly, that would seem like a very pessimistic appraisal.

It depends how you look at it. Would you consider that standing at the Keepmoat is unsafe? I wouldn't.

If you do consider the current arrangements to be unsafe then I'd agree with you.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

If the govt give the green light, then at least there's always the option but as S_M says,, anyone doing a cost benefit analysis for us, will understand the money could be better spent elsewhere.

[normal rules]

The back few rows of the ss stand for most/all  of the game anyway, so it would be wasted money.

[godlike1]

This subject is a lot more complex than the posts above would indicate. There has been some major developments in the last year or so and especially in the last month.

So, after many years of campaigning we at last got the government, through DCMS, to allow trials to take place. At the same time as that DCMS, through the SGSA, commissioned a report into the various types of safe standing that currently exist in England, Scotland and Wales. This in most cases involves some kind of rail seat but not always. Cardiff for instance has had a managed standing section for a number of years that doesn't involve rail seats.

Unfortunately for us Covid curtailed the report and the SGSA sat on it for quite a while. However in recent weeks SGSA have completed the report and passed it back to Government through DCMS and now we're waiting for Government to read the report and implement the recommendations. Those recommendations clearly stste that standing isn't unsafe, and it also details that rails (rather than rail seats) add to the safety inside stadiums.

What we are seeing at the moment is installations that are allowed under the trials that SGSA gave the green light to some time ago. There is currently no change in the ground regulations.

That should, hopefully, come about in the next 12 months or so, maybe sooner. But will that impact DRFC? Most likely it won't. There is no argument to be made which will include rail seats in the Keepmoat. There could possibly be an argument to install more rails, but the financial impact of that would probably not make it viable.

However, if we could sell out the Keepmoat on a regular basis then there would be a case to be made for more rails and an intermediate step and the removal of the seats altogether. That could increase capacity.

That won't be happening anytime soon esp with only 3500 season tickets sold. Circumstances or not, its not a great number

[ravenrover]

Every opportunity!

[godlike1]

Every opportunity!

Sorry could not resist

[Janso]

The back few rows of the ss stand for most/all  of the game anyway, so it would be wasted money.

Not really. The point is to make it safer.

[Padge_DRFC]

The back few rows of the ss stand for most/all  of the game anyway, so it would be wasted money.

We'd need more. Does my head in people who plonk their arse down 5 rows from the back and make everyone else sit down or have to stand in gangways