Is safe standing a way forward? Ian Doyle examines the arguments

On the rail road - what are rail seats?

RAIL seats are the preferred option being advocated by the Football Supporters Federation and the form of new-style terracing permitted under the Scottish Premier League plans.

They are robust metal seats with a high back forming a sturdy rail for safe standing which are fitted in place of normal seats, linking together to create a continuous, strong rail right along the row.

Their height and strength comply with government requirements, and are approved for use as seats by both UEFA and FIFA.

Each seat folds up flush between the uprights and is locked, creating wider clearways than along rows of normal seats.

They can be unlocked by stadium staff prior to games to create a folding chair, removing the standing section without affecting the overall capacity.

Who uses them?

While countries such as Sweden and Austria have top-flight stadiums with rail seats, its use is most widespread in Germany where eight Bundesliga teams have them installed.

The most prominent is Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion, where 27,000 fans – a third of the stadium capacity – gather on the Sudtribune, the largest existing standing area in Europe.

To comply with UEFA regulations in 2000, German clubs had to find an option to both satisfy the requirements of the governing body but also continue to meet their own supporters’ desire to stand at games.

Hannover 96, Werder Bremen, Stuttgart, Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg, Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburg all subsequently installed rail seats installed in their grounds.

At Hoffenheim’s Rhein-Neckar-Arena, which opened in 2009, 9,150 places in the 30,150 capacity stadium are reserved for standing.

Twitter question of the week: What would be your view if ‘safe standing’ was suggested for Premier League stadiums?

@doylesimon Surely standing was never the issue, it was the fact that fans were caged in which made it unsafe.

@RoyB1968 Irrespective of the insult to those we lost at Hillsborough it would be opportunity for billionaire owners to exploit fans further as prices WOULDN’T go down. Let’s go back to the 80s & be treated like cattle again. Just don’t see the need.

@PSpearro As time went on it was always going to be something that would come up. People use the atmosphere argument and other countries argument but surely there is an acceptance that it increases the risk. More onus on police, control of crowds. Not sure I’d be confident that mistakes wouldn’t be made. The clamour for a return will always remain though.

@redkopite I just think we’ve moved on as a society to go back to standing. This generation is soft and enjoys its comfort too much to go back.

@pukkaefc I’m all for it, because you spend so much of a game standing anyway!

@Callum_Jones9 The key word is obviously safe. If it is safe I don’t see why not, creates a much better atmosphere.

@matt8284 How would it be safe? Limited numbers in the area? In that case, I’d say yes it could be an idea. Properly policed though.

@col1404 Really need to understand the definition "safe standing" – in other words it’s "seated"! #JFT96

@Kopite_Chris78 I’ve been to Borussia-Park Mönchengladbach & witnessed first hand how safe it is, but, for obvious reasons its best left here.

@TonyB1977 Not at Anfield thank you. #JFT96

@andybigfella Football’s a different animal than it was 20 years ago so possibly worth thinking about, trial it, it may help dwindling crowds.

@terry77owen As long as it was 100% safe I reckon many supporters would welcome it.

@Kevin1992Kelly Up to Hillsborough families at Anfield.

@The_keithbailey It shouldn’t even be contemplated. #J4T96

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