Scottish football's leading bodies have joined forces to express their concerns over proposed new rules for supporters travelling to matches on buses.
In a statement released this evening, the Scottish FA, SPFL and SWPL say they are not pleased by the 'targeted nature of the proposals', and that they only aim to 'demonise football fans'.
A public consultation has been launched over a series of new guidelines that would govern travel within the football society. It was brought forward by Richard Turfitt, the Senior Traffic Commissioner for Great Britain on the UK Government.
This sparked an immediate condemnation from supporters' groups.
Now, a joint statement issued on behalf of the Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League, and Scottish Women’s Premier League 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.”
The title of the proposal is: 'Guidelines for taking passengers to sporting events in Scotland'.
Only events covered under the Sports Grounds and Sporting Events (Designation) (Scotland) Order 2014/5 would be included, and only football comes under this bracket.
Under the proposed rules:
- Anyone running a bus would have to have to inform a 'dedicated football officer' or DFO 48 hours before the match of the number of supporters expected to travel, the number of vehicles booked, the name and the contact number for the person who made the booking
- Buses would not be allowed to stop within 10 miles of the stadium before or after the match without permission
- Buses would be banned from stopping at pubs unless alcohol is "sold ancillary to a substantial meal", and permission would have to be sought from the DFO
- Buses would have to arrive at the stadium "no earlier than two hours before and not later than one hour before the scheduled start of the game".
- Permission would have to be sought from police to pick up passengers at stops on the route
- Buses would be required to leave the stadium within 30 minutes of the end of the match
- Those running the bus would be required to inform the DFO of "any chanting demonstrating hostility based on race, ethnicity religion or beliefs, sexual orientation, disability, and transgender identity or chanting of an otherwise grossly offensive or inflammatory nature" which happened on the journey.
- Voluntary searches could be in place for things like alcohol and pyrotechnics.
