Controversy over match day closures

by Helen Roxburgh

RESIDENTS in Highbury have attacked Islington council over handling of traffic and fans during the first five games at the new Arsenal stadium.

Controversy broke out at the East Area Committee meeting yesterday evening, with one local resident claiming that the road closures on match days were a breach of his human rights as they prevented him accessing his home.

The packed meeting included a report on traffic safety and accessibility arrangements during the first few months by Karen Sullivan, Head of Transport Planning Service at Islington Council.

Methods of controlling the thousands of football fans who flock to the Emirates stadium include closing roads two hours before a match, and for up to an hour afterwards, to allow access for emergency services and to prevent traffic being a danger to crowds of pedestrians.

However, Giles Newman, of Drayton Park Road, said that if he was even ten minutes late returning to his home, he was being forbidden access to the road his house is on by the police.

“There just needs to be a level of discretion,” he argued, giving the Committee pictures of his road on match days, which he said proved there was no threat to crowds.

“That this is a breach of the Human Rights Act is irrefutable – you’re not allowing us access to our own homes.”

He added: “We’re not talking about a motorway, it’s only a few cars.”

However, PC Richard Walker defended the road closure to the meeting on grounds of health and safety, particularly in case of a large-scale disaster within the stadium, which can hold up to 60,432 people.

“I totally, 100 per cent, stand by my point – those road closures simply must be in place,” he said.

The council’s Director of Corporate Resources David Daniels, said: “They [the police] have used discretion, and a few cars have been allowed to sneak through.”

Richard Greening, Liberal Democrat councillor for Highbury West ward, supported the measures that had been implemented.

“I’d like to record my personal thanks and congratulations to the police,” he said.

The report also added that through the last three Arsenal matches, a barrier system had been trialled on Highbury Fields to restrict crowds from walking over the fields. Concerns over this had been raised by the Highbury Fields Association, and the committee agreed to continue this method.

“This process is still going on. It’s a very steep learning curve for us all,” said Cllr Meral Ece, Chair of the Committee.

“Any adjustments put in place now will still continue to be monitored.”

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