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The Traffic Commissioners wish to remind operators who are contracted to carry supporters to the FA Cup Final on 25 May 2024 of the guidelines on sporting events and the expectation to comply with legislation preventing the carriage of alcohol to designated football matches.
Complying with the guidelines will allow the police and partners to ensure that everyone can have a safe and enjoyable day through:
- better understanding of the planned movement of different fan groups,
- minimising potential fan cross-over as they travel along the road networks,
- reducing the possibility of alcohol related anti-social behaviour and criminality to maximise public safety,
- minimising disruption to other members of the community.
Operators are advised that any failure to comply with the legislation or voluntary guidelines which contribute to policing issues will lead to a traffic commissioner considering whether to take regulatory action against an operator’s licence.
Carriage of Alcohol
It is an offence for an operator or a driver to knowingly cause or permit alcohol to be carried on a public service vehicle to a designated football match. The Traffic Commissioners expect operators to manage their own risks and take reasonable steps to ensure that alcohol is not being carried or consumed on vehicles carrying football supporters. If evidence is provided to a traffic commissioner that an operator has failed to comply with the legislation, the operator can expect that regulatory action will be considered against the operator’s licence and the driver’s PCV driving entitlement.
Voluntary Guidelines
Operators are reminded of the importance of complying with the voluntary guidelines. In particular, operators are reminded of the following arrangements in respect to this game:
- Coach operators taking bookings from groups of supporters to a designated sporting event are to notify the police liaison officer (in this case sopu@gmp.police.uk) at least 48 hours before the event, of the number of supporters expected to travel, the number of coaches booked, the name and the contact number for the person who made the booking. Once available the operator must also notify the VRM and coach drivers name to the local police liaison officer.
- Coaches are not to stop within 10 miles of the venue either enroute to or on departure from the event unless prior agreement is obtained from the local police liaison officer.
- Coaches are to arrive at the venue no earlier than two hours before and not later than one hour before the scheduled start of the game, unless otherwise directed by police.
- Coaches are not to set down or uplift passengers at any unauthorised locations without prior permission of the police.
- Coaches must leave the venue within 30 minutes of the finish of the event.
- Intoxicating liquor, flares and similar pyrotechnics, must not be carried on coaches travelling to or from designated grounds. Operators will draw hirers attention to the requirements of the law, and drivers shall, as far as reasonably practical, supervise boarding passengers and check that they are not obviously carrying intoxicating alcohol, flares and similar pyrotechnics. Drivers will not be expected to carry out baggage or body searches, nor will they be expected to confiscate alcohol or to remove passengers without police assistance. Operators may add a condition of entry to the PSV that a voluntary search may be undertaken.
- Coach operators are to notify the police liaison officer at the destination upon arrival at an away football ground, of any racist, homophobic, or similar chanting, which had taken place during the journey to the ground.
Routing Arrangements
The voluntary guidelines also require operators to follow reasonable police instructions, which includes but is not limited to, routing and stopping arrangements. Operators are therefore also requested to adhere to the advisory Club specific routes to London and service station allocation guidance on both legs of the journey.
These arrangements can be found in the attached document:
FA Cup Final.pdf
The police advise that despite routing arrangements being in place at the same fixture last year, there were multiple incidents of disorder involving opposing fan groups at various service stations during the return coach journeys from Wembley. It is in the interests of all, that these routing arrangements are adhered to.
The arrangements are considered reasonable instructions and breaches could lead to a traffic commissioner considering whether to make adherence of the voluntary guidelines a formal condition on an operator’s licence.
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