Everton won&#39;t build for safe standing without law change

Everton FC has announced that it will not plan for safe standing at its new stadium until there is a law change. While designs for the club's proposed Bramley-Moore Dock ground could include a safe standing to seat ratio of 1.5:1 to boost capacity, Everton is waiting until Sports Grounds Safety Advisory publishes the results of its season-long research in July. The capacity of a stand can be almost doubled when used for standing, according to Ferco Seating, but it is thought that initial regulation changes will only allow for a 1:1 ratio, meaning crowd numbers will not change.

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Everton will wait for any potential law changes around safe standing at matches before exploring ways that it could increase capacity at their proposed new stadium.

The Blues are waiting to see the report from season-long research carried about by the Sports Grounds Safety Advisory (SGSA) which is expected in July - and any action the government might take off the back of it - before looking into the matter further.

But the club have been made aware this week of the possibility of being able to improve capacity at their proposed 52,888 home at Bramley-Moore Dock and how the designs could potentially allow for a safe standing to seat ratio of 1.5:1.

Everton have regularly consulted fans and supporter groups over how an increase in capacity could come from a change in the law which allows safe standing at matches.

The detailed planning application, issued to Liverpool City Council in late December, confirmed that the Blues' proposed new home would include rail seating in lower tiers of the South Stand (the designated home end) and the North Stand (where away fans would be housed) in order to 'future-proof' the stadium.

The Conservatives made a manifesto pledge to work with clubs and fans "towards introducing safe standing" but the feeling is that if any legislation changes are made then, initially at least, it would only allow for a safe standing to seat ratio of 1:1, meaning no change in the capacity of grounds.

But Ferco, a spectator seating specialist, have completed work on a small stand at a Telford athletics track which, they say, provides the blueprint for bigger stadiums to increase capacity through safe standing, if legislation changes.

In a statement, the company said: "Safe standing moved up a level this month as rail seats were installed for the first time in England with an extra step along every row.

"Fitted with rail seats from Ferco Seating, the small stand at Telford Athletics Club is the first anywhere in the UK to have this novel extra step between every row of seats.

"While the capacity of the stand when used as seating is just 110, the extra step enables that to be significantly increased when used for standing. With spectators then stood on two levels along each row, the total capacity almost doubles to 198.

"For the stadium industry this small stand is thus big news."

Everton's designs for a stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock show planned row depths of 750mm and, the experts say, that it is deep enough to potentially allow for the fitting of an "intermediate" step to allow for more fans to stand.

The Blues, however, have yet to determine what the optimum ratio could potentially be at Bramley-Moore Dock should legislation change and say their progress on the issue remains based on future law alterations.

Wolves have trialled rail seating in the South Bank stand at Molineux this season while, earlier this year, Manchester United announced plans for rail seating to cover 1,500 fans in their J-Stand.

Everton are still hoping for a decision from the Council's planning department this summer.