| The Falkirk Supporters Society Board feels compelled to now publicly raise our serious and ongoing concerns regarding access to, and egress from, The Falkirk Stadium on matchdays, particularly as a result of the roadworks currently being carried out around the ground by Balfour Beatty on behalf of Falkirk Council. We now need the help of our 1350 members and the wider fanbase. These concerns are not new. They were clearly raised by over 1000 supporters through the Bairns Survey and continue to be evidenced almost every week, with supporters witnessing situations that present an unacceptable risk to the safety of fans. The FSS Board has engaged constructively with Falkirk FC and is satisfied that the Club recognises the seriousness of the issue and is doing what it can within its control. The Club has approached both Falkirk Council and Balfour Beatty, while reviewing the traffic management plan within the car park and has engaged extensively with stewarding partnerships to ensure it is implemented effectively. However, it is now beyond doubt that the root cause of the problem lies with the current external roadworks and indeed the issues which will continue to arise once these works are complete. As has been previously communicated by the Club, and referenced above, there have been efforts made to seek solutions with Falkirk Council and its contractor, Balfour Beatty, but we believe that progress has been far too slow at this point. The Main Issues of Concern The majority of supporters exit the Stadium towards the Town Centre. At present, due to the ongoing roadwork development, pedestrians are required to cross both the Stadium access road and the A9 without any signalled, segregated or manned pedestrian crossing in place. The designated southern pedestrian route via the Fire Station is extremely indirect, forcing many supporters to follow desire lines across unlit ground that is completely unsuitable for a large volume of pedestrians. More worryingly still, the lack of direct route is leading to supporters walking along live carriageways and between stationary and moving vehicles, including vehicles positioned across pedestrian crossing points. Indeed, many matches are concluding after sunset, further heightening the safety risks for fans leaving the ground. When viewing the design of the completed work, it is also deeply concerning that large volumes of supporters will be required to cross a dual carriageway with only a single controlled crossing point towards the Town Centre. With our increased attendances (7000+ supporters regularly attending the stadium) this will concentrate thousands of pedestrians into one location, no doubt increasing the level of frustration and the likelihood of supporters attempting to cross away from the lights. This creates an obvious and foreseeable safety risk. Without additional crossing points, or active traffic management on matchdays, these arrangements will be inadequate for the level of footfall on matchdays at the Falkirk Stadium. This situation is wholly unacceptable and must be resolved by Falkirk Council and Balfour Beatty. Given that match day events are scheduled well in advance and only amount to ~20 days a year, it should not be beyond the combined capabilities of Balfour Beatty and Falkirk Council to put in place appropriate arrangements to fix this problem of their own making. Call To Action The FSS Board believes that the current situation cannot be allowed to continue and that urgent intervention is now required. As a first step, we are therefore calling on our 1350 members and the Falkirk fanbase to contact: ● Local elected members ● Relevant Falkirk Council officers ● Balfour Beatty Bairns should demand immediate action to improve matchday safety around The Falkirk Stadium and should call for: 1. The early use of any completed permanent works to provide safe and direct pedestrian routes to and from The Falkirk Stadium. In situations where this is not possible, the installation of clear physical barriers, signage and segregation to prevent supporters being forced into unsafe areas should be used. 2. Interim traffic management measures that recognise the predictable surge in pedestrian numbers on matchdays. 3. To adjust the design scope of the A9 dualling to increase the number of pedestrian crossing over the dual carriageway and/or develop alternative pedestrian walkways. 4. To engage constructively and frequently with Falkirk FC to ensure that progress continues with the matters outlined above in a timely manner. This is about safety and the risks are clear, they are recurring, and they are entirely preventable. Action must be taken before a serious incident occurs, not after. The FSS Board is keen to state that this is a first stage and if action is not taken immediately by Falkirk Council and Balfour Beatty we will continue to press this issue. A strong, unified and vocal response from the fanbase is now essential to ensure this situation is treated with the urgency it demands. |
