WITH THE 2024 European Football Championship set to kick off this weekend, new data from parking solution provider RingGo – which surveyed 3,000 football fans who are drivers across the UK – has revealed that Glasgow is home to some of the most loyal football fans in the country. Almost two thirds (62%) of Glaswegian fans are considering travelling to Germany to attend at least one game this summer. This is higher than any other UK region and well above the UK average (52%).
The research reveals that fans from Glasgow are also more likely than any other region to regularly watch their club football team play live, with over half (51%) travelling at least once a month. This is almost twice as likely as fans in Norwich (23%) and Bristol (27%). One in ten (13%) Glaswegian’s travel to see their heroes in action at least once a week.
The research also looked into key stressors for UK football fans on typical match days, discovering that over one third (34%) consider finding somewhere to park close to the stadiums challenging. In fact, a third (34%) of football fans have had to spend over 15 minutes searching for a space on game days. One in ten (9%) have been forced to drive around looking for at least 30 minutes.
And it’s not just finding parking spaces that is causing problems. Almost one sixth (16%) have had to leave a match ahead of the final whistle because their parking was going to run out. One in seven (14%) have received a fine by experiencing the same situation but choosing to stay.
Of those attending the Euros this summer, a quarter (23%) of UK fans will travel to Germany by car, causing potential congestion headaches for hosting cities.
Peter O’Driscoll, Managing Director at RingGo said: “As the 2024 Euros fast approaches, host cities such as Berlin and Hamburg are set to see a significant increase in terms of footfall and vehicles on the roads. As a result, parking might become more challenging. Big events such as this truly highlight the need to future-proof the parking experience in a way that prioritises both convenience and accessibility for motorists. For example, offering fans the ability to extend their stay from their seat, and without having to miss any of the action, can go a long way to boosting the spectator experience.”
The data also revealed which football fans consider themselves to be the ‘best drivers’ in the UK. Belfast came out on top, with 35% of those surveyed considering themselves to be ‘extremely good’ drivers. Glasgow wasn’t far behind, with 28% of respondents rating themselves as this.
As is often the case, the data highlights that perception and reality can vary. Even though 94% of UK football fans consider themselves to be ‘good’ drivers, over a quarter (27%) admit that they do not use their indicators regularly, whilst a third (32%) fail to pay attention to road signs.
Whilst drivers in Glasgow were the least likely to have received a speeding fine (12%, compared to the UK average of 19%), they were the most likely to have run a red light. In fact, one in five (19%) admitted to this offence, which was twice as many as in Manchester (9%) and above the UK average of (13%).