Safety issues (Re Hudderfield away)

Hi all,

This isn't the biggest thing in the world, but I'm thinking of raising a couple of issues re last weekend and I wanted other peoples opinion.

Firstly, the 1750 Huddersfield Barnsley train - we appeared to all squeeze on, but does anyone know of a legal requirement for standing on a train? There really should have been an extra carriage (which is my point rather not people should be turned away).

Secondly, the space at the back of the away end. It took me all of half time to get from the front of the stand to the back of the stand, through the crowds to the toilets and back. There just wasn't much room at all. It didn't help that two of our own were about to start a fight in the stands either.

Thanks.

 

The pacer trains used to be three carriages on the Penistone Line. They stopped about 3-4 weeks ago when we started getting just two carriages of slightly newer trains. Last Friday it changed to the brand new trains but again just two carriages. Northern Rail need to go back to three carriages like they did with pacers. I doubt they will though.

 

I was on that train. Absolutely bonkers and how can it ever be termed as safe to get 200 or so people travelling on a 2 carriage train? Northern Rail are useless.

 

Hi,

Re addressing issues, I have already raised a complaint with club as the stewarding inside the ground was nothing short of shambolic.

They must have been on commission for each fan thrown out as there were plenty.

I got kicked out for been sat in wrong seat. Should have been Row F but there were 3 or 4 spare seats towards the back and multiple people stood in gangway so causing no issue in wrong seat as no one there. Steward asked me to move to correct seat and blokes around me questioned as to why asking to move when no one else here. Said police would be involved so he asked to speak with me and out I went.

Police did comment outside that G4S Security Stewards are a nightmare and quite clearly proved that.

Awaiting response from Huddersfield as left my details at their main reception

 

We were sat right down the front and the stewarding wasn't much better down there. They'd been letting people out of the gate at the front all game, so they could walk along the front then back up the stand to find their mates. Then towards the end of the game, the steward let another bloke through, then a minute later we saw him being dragged out by 4 stewards for being in the wrong area that the other steward had let him into. The idiot just sat there whilst the poor lad got chucked out saying 'sorry, I made a mistake'.

 

I mention in Dreamboy 2K’s thread about the toilet block. They do need to sort out the exit/entry situation. Surely it only takes a steward at each of the 2 doors to create separate exit and entry doorways. There was an incident where someone had apparrently collapsed in a cubicle and his brother was desperately trying to get out to raise the alarm. Then the police were struggling to get in.
Oh, and we should’ve at least been warned about that fekin drummer.

 

I was concerned about that - the police eventually getting in, but the kids brother really had to shout (and get fans around him to shout too) so he could get past to get help.

 

Thanks all - it seems like we're on the same page, I'll raise a couple of issues which I hope will backup what others have written.

 

Pathetic stewarding by the club. People getting searched thoroughly with too few turnstiles. And about ten minutes b4 kick off let everyone through without searching. The mind boggles.
The toilet scenario at half time also a shambles. Would be quite easy to separate the entrance into 1 way in 1 way out. Instead of the go right or left. When I eventually got in. The loos at the back were hardly in use ( had 3 troughs to missen not bragging mind and afore anyone wisecracks. I'd had a bath that morning ) and Due to people converging to the first set of loos. Police and first aid struggled to get in

 

The searching didn't go any good anyway, so why bother form the start.

For what it's worth, I didn't get a quarter of a bottle of Oasis through so job done.

 

Think yourself luck our train to Dewsbury was cancelled due to floods

 

Maybe they could have used your train drive for the Sheffield to Huddersfield train that had been cancelled.

 

They have gone to two carriage trains at this time of year for the last 5 years on the Penistone line, as they have better traction when leaves are a problem.

 

Most mornings are like that mate.

 

The central gangway was very overcrowded with loads of our fans stood up the gangways and around the entrance. We ended up about four rows back from where we were meant to be but we had little chance to plough down to the right seats until the second half. I think the stewards largely gave up checking tickets and were happy enough to let people find some space wherever they could. It did get a little heated amongst ourselves though which is never nice.

I felt that the concourse was very busy at half time, with the toilets being particularly jammed. It did feel like there were too many of us in there but clearly this wasn't the case as the stand wasn't full to capacity and had been split down the middle. Probably more of a crowd management problem.

The police seemed reasonable before the game, but I did see a bloke being arrested at half time, his face being forced into the paving slabs and his little son crying. The little boy was then shoved by another officer and it got rather heated, a female officer then led him away in tears. No idea what happened but a good number of supporters seemed happy to help the fan and protest his arrest/offer support afterwards. Other than that I thought the police were OK.

I'm an advocate of splitting stands where possible and the segregation insisted upon nowadays seems excessive, but I was surprised how close the two sets of fans were on Saturday. Literally a gangway and you could easily shake their hands if you so wished. Towards the end some Town fans were hanging over the divide getting in the faces of our fans, literally shouting in their faces. Thankfully considerable restraint was shown but there looked to be some very heated exchanges. Great atmosphere but against livelier and more troublesome away followings, I'd expect to see a bit of bother. Even the most mild mannered supporter would be hard pressed to ignore a lad with a contorted laughing face leaning into your personal space giving it the usual gestures whilst also videoing you for a 'reaction'.

Anyway, overall Huddersfield away is a top day out in my opinion. The ground is good, the atmosphere is usually great and the drinking options around the town never fail to disappoint. Most Town fans seemed sound as well!

 

Agree about the train back, rammed in like sheep. Luckily we got off at Penistone but surely the train had too many people on.

 

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Leaves on the line? More than my job's worth mate

 

I am unsure whether there is a maximum number of passengers carried on trains as a regulation. Manufacturers state the number seats and standing passengers as recommendations. Imagine how difficult this would be to police on the London Tube in the 'rush hour' and even worse on the Tokyo Metro. It only becomes an issue in the event of something going wrong. If legal action of some kind follows an incident the ruling factor would be, what was 'reasonably practicable'. This standard was established in the landmark case Edwards vs National Coal Board (1949).

 

Well after the game we said we'd not go to Huddersfield again, split stands are fine, but the logistics of that at there ground doesn't make sense. The long queue to get in the stand partly to them "managing" fans crossing one another was mental and crowding in the concourse was ridiculous, also I do agree the gap between fans needs to be a little larger. It was our 3rd away day of the season and the worst from that point of view (obviously PNE was worse from a football point of view)

 

Away end Shockingly bad and obviously unsafe. I’d say an accident waiting to happen, but it did happen. 2 pints of Timothy Taylor’s pre-match, not excessive but no way I could navigate the crush to the bogs in time.

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