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A few weeks ago and leaflets handed out at the final two home games of the season.
The campaign aims to persuade the club to incorporate a "safe standing area" in the new stadium design, or, if the current regulations do not allow for such areas when the stadium opens, to build in the potential for such areas into the design. This would enable a conversion when the regulatory framework permits to be managed cheaply and with the least possible upheaval. The petition also calls on the Town's MPs to lobby government and the regulatory authorities to give greater backing to safe standing in new stadium.
Campaign spokesman David Cox is keen to emphasise that "safe standing areas" are not a return to the terracing of old "Safe standing is leagues apart from old-fashioned terracing - safety is built in from the outset. Modern safe standing areas have an advanced design that ensures the safety of all spectators while still allowing supporters who prefer to stand during the game to exercise their choice. This isn't just pie-in-the-sky talk - several stadiums in Germany already incorporate safe standing areas and they have been a great success. We have all seen with the recent talk over the possible closure of the Town End that some fans do want to stand while watching the match and this is a great solution - those who want to stand can, without inconveniencing others and in a safe and controlled environment. It's actually a lot safer than the current situation in many grounds where fans stand in the seated areas."
TrustSTFC chairman Andy Ratcliffe said, "We are delighted to have been asked to help out with this campaign, especially as it is a "grassroots" campaign which has arisen from fans in the Town End and elsewhere in the ground discussing how to solve some of the problems we have in the current stadium. Obviously while plans are still being made for a new stadium this is an ideal opportunity for the club to consider this idea which we believe offers a "win-win" scenario for the club, the fans, and the safety regulators alike.
The Trust has a long-standing interest in safe standing - we conducted a survey of fans on the issue two years ago in which 89% backed the idea of safe standing areas at Swindon Town."
Further information: Online petition for Safe Standing at Swindon: http://www.petitiononline.com/stfc2004/petition.html
SAFE - National Campaign for Safe Standing at Football: http://www.safestanding.com/safe/index.php
TrustSTFC page on Safe Standing: http://www.truststfc.co.uk/safe_standing.php