Fans voice travel discontent at Bramley-Moore Dock; controversial parking zone put on hold

It is basically only them who have the say so, to implement improved transport links and parking. I was at the event yesterday, and that was only at under half capacity, what will a full match attendance be like in the not too distant future?

Isn't this what these test events are for? To identify bottlenecks necks and issues that they need to sort before August? Of course there were snags yesterday – 25,000 is still a large crowd of people to get away.

I was in that “massive flock” at the bridge and it took about 10 minutes to get through. There were other routes to take to avoid that. Is the next test event a full house? Let's see what they learned yesterday.

Personally, I thought it went quite well.

We left early so didn't hit the post match queue over the bridge, but I guess as people get used to it, other routes to cut up to Great Howard Street, before the bridge, are available. It's still early days. Even the useless Council are belatedly getting their act in gear.

Queen's Drive absolutely rammed. Trying to find ways around it, with different routes, only to find everyone else is doing the same thing.

Talking Goodison now, but I tend nowadays to wait somewhere until it dies down, and walk away from the ground to get a cab into town.

They either walk or do what I do Paul. For Everton home matches, I often head across the Park, have a drink in the Arkles because it's easier there than Country Road. As I make way, there is absolute carnage on the Stanley Park Car Park, with jousting like car jostling going on to get out. It will be the same for them.

Same here Mark. There were a few issues that need ironing out. Frustration that some of this wasn't thought of prior with some forward thinking. Until there is something better in place though, it's our left and right feet that are carrying us there!!

Stephen #6, not on match days they're not. Headlines proclaiming parking restrictions have been lifted refer only to non-match days.

All this is going to happen and the transport situation needs to reflect and service that. Are any of the spaces and old dock areas that are suitable for temporary parking until the Council sorts out the problems?

I used to be able to park on the old Anfield Comp grounds for Anfield derbies with a staff permit courtesy of my wife and sister.

Personally, even if when I did drive, I never used Stanley Park, it's a nightmare to get out of.

My brother used to park near or in the Taxi club (can't remember fully) and my Dad on the waste ground opposite the Anfield pub near the Police Station on Walton Lane. We would then take the City approach to Goodison. Either way, there was always a walk. It's just now, it's likely to be about 30 minutes.

I wasn't there, but by most accounts, there were several snags rather than disaster. That's what test events are for, surely?

I agree that everyone involved should have got their ducks in a row, especially LCC and their highways department, and Merseytravel, but let's not despair just yet.

Ray # 14……. I guess there is a very good chance that either or both car parks on Priory Road will still be used by fans travelling to Everton Stadium. Obviously nowhere near the numbers used at the moment, but a shuttle bus to and from would be ideal.

Apparently, the match day car parks we use when we're at home charge us £8. When Liverpool use them for their games they charge £10.

Everton currently does not use the Anfield Comp car park on match days. Presumably, it’s owned by LFC?

There are numerous other smaller car parks within a mile radius of Goodison but currently none allowed in the proposed exclusion zone around BMD. That’s the problem.

Danny, I don’t know which way you used to walk from the car to the match, but Anfield is surely a lot nearer to the Stanley Park car park than Goodison?

Where does it say that the restrictions will continue to apply on match days?

Walking wise, yes they are closer, but still have the same bedlam trying to get away.

When I was younger, my Grandad used to have a driving permit for match days, so we could park outside his flat at 14A Arkles Lane, 5 doors or so down from The Arkles!!

It's a bit worrying reading about the various issues. Getting to and from Goodison was never a problem. On my last visit with my sons in November, it was a doddle from the city centre. Future visits may have us coming in from Crosby again.

Many local residents allow fans to park on their drive for a small remuneration and this could continue. As yet, I have only had an automated response.

The Club had to provide details as part of the approval process so presumably the same was required for BMD? So everyone (ie, the Council) should know what transport logistics are required to be provided by them. The Club could also be proactive in implementing the shuttle buses as Ray #25 suggests, and not leave it to the Council.

They made a mint running rail replacement services, of which there were many and no age restrictions on the vehicles.

So if there's any entrepreneurial Blues out there, with one holding an O'Licence and CPC (!), then get a few buses, tart them up, and that dream Villa on a Golf Resort in Asia will be yours by the end of the 2nd season. Probably.

Your Guide to The Liverpool Waters Regeneration Project

The last paragraph of Page 10 of the brochure states:-

“With Vauxhall's planned transport links, the area will become more accessible by public transport, meaning more people can travel to the site.”

The whole guide is worth reading. They are certainly talking it up but, if it is factual, then it seems to me that TFG are getting in early.

More importantly it will be great for the people of Liverpool, particularly the younger generation.

This regeneration of the area with Everton Stadium at is centre and the transport links mentioned are exactly what I would like to see.

It takes time, doesn't happen overnight. I think TFG buying up or optioning further land would be a very good controlling thing.

Thus far, I see a cycle lane, and some road improvements (both mentioned). The mention of a Merseyrail station is interesting and probably key. The Metro Mayor in contrast says that Sandhills is too technically and thus financially complex to develop (a footbridge is planned for a second entrance) and there has never been any plan for a new station (his words, not mine).

I love the vision, just can't see any evidence of even basic transport progress (except the cycle lane, sorry).

Just asking, like.

They probably won't let me in next Wednesday.

I also note that The Brick pub are going to run their own bus from the pub to BMD.

Yes, I saw the advert from The Brick somewhere. I think a few will be doing it, or there will be a consortium of the nearby pubs chipping in to facilitate and share the proceeds.

It's going to take time for there to be more to do around BMD, although we should be able to mingle on the plaza and in the stadium once it's all up and running properly.

Mark, you can't beat a bit of marching, open windows, shouting coppers and putting candles out!!!

I have mixed feelings about that article myself. You say it's great news for the people of Liverpool, especially younger people, but the brochure is actually about the opportunities to make a profit from letting and renting and is boasting about how much profit can be made.

That will only benefit the people rich enough to buy the properties and then let them to people who need somewhere to live, at exorbitant cost, so they can make money out of them.

So big pinch of salt, right now we got a new stadium, a cycle track, queue barriers at Sandhills and restrictions on how many people can walk over a bridge at any one time.

It will improve… but it won't be solved, just a few more sticking plasters, ad hoc ideas, a few buses and a few smarties with a few ideas to make money.

Personally, I would walk barefoot over broken glass to be there, because I can't park in the street where I lived...

Cynicism and frustration aside, the ferry could have worked. If, a circular route, not just the Liverpool to Seacombe back and forward. A circular route taking in those stops, but with landing stages as far down as Garston or some point in the south and a point up towards Crosby? But most importantly, Bramleyl-Moore Dock.

I'm not a transport or infrastructure expert, but I and other mere mortals are thinking like this, what are the expert planners and visionaries doing?

It will get resolved over time and this is partly what the test events are for. The frustration is that with foresight, parallel projects could have been running to address transportation.

But, this is where we are. Personally, I don't mind the queuing and controlled access. It happens at quite a few grounds around the country, so it's pretty normal.

Build a monorail or an elevated tram route to continue that tradition. It could be done even if it took time to construct. Look up "Wunderland in Hamburg" on Google.

Build up a miniature installation like theirs and use their expertise and knowledge to create such a site in the dock area. Speaking fluent German, I'm going to get in touch with them. We could even have a model of Goodison Park built.

By the way, Wunderland has reached 1.5 million visitors a year. Food for thought…

We need a monorail!

It appears you are correct, Danny – other versions of the song are censored.

“I can't say enough about the commitment of the club to do this. They could have picked sites that were easier and far less expensive, and so for all the ups and downs, I think the city and region will benefit from this.”

“This building would not be here without [Bill Kenwright]. Full stop. He was a passionate defender of mine and I wouldn't be here without him, so it takes so much for these things to fall into place.”

Well, Bill was a passionate defender of a lot of things (in public): Kings Dock, Destination Kirkby, keeping ahold of Rooney, ringfencing the Arteta money, etc etc. But what he said to one person or journo and what he did or said to someone else in private was often entirely different. Plus it is easy to be a passionate defender of someone else spending their money, be it Paul Gregg, Moshiri, 777 Partners, that Riverdance guy etc.

You should have redacted that particular paragraph… but high praise indeed from Dan Meis.

I've purchased my season ticket for the new ground, and my very dark sense of humour, keeps thinking…. Wouldn't it be ironic!

Paul # 36 - yes, making a profit is what the article is promoting. Who will buy the apartments and who will occupy them remains to be seen. Nevertheless, affordable housing for ordinary folk appears to be a real and serious problem in many western countries.

In the meantime, my hope is that the redevelopment will create a lot of construction jobs for local people and,, when finished, attract more visitors and businesses to the city.

Christine # 37 - yes, I agree it is a sales pitch but I suppose they have to put it out there if they want to attract investment. They do seem to have picked a good venue to deliver it though.

I suppose at the end of the day the optimist in me is coming to the fore once again.

So The Tesco's Kenwright Memorial Stadium it is then!! (Shouldn't he have said Period being American?)

"They could have picked sites that were easier and far less expensive,"

Where Dan? Spill the beans.

I hope that Don does not read this.

His flamboyant faux passion could bring a tear to a glass eye.
It's no stretch that he managed to do the same thing to a talented architect from the USA.

Our architect – may the lord always bless him – seems to have fallen into the six-chinned duplicitous spider's web.

Where was Moshiri in this? Have we been misled?

Of the three, Meis smells of roses.

As well as being in the soap opera for 3 decades, he also appeared in Coronation Street.

So true that, he loved a drama;
it's what narcissists thrive on, unfortunately for us.

Despite the hatred, this has to go alongside all other praise Kenwright has received from many, many Everton greats. It doesn't matter what we want to believe. Once again. It's straight from the horse's mouth.

I won't go to the new stadium until I have said goodbye to Goodison, but I was recently told by a usually reliable source, that the inner sanctum are discussing naming some part of the stadium after him. Perhaps even a stand.

You may already have purchased your ticket for the Bill Kenwright suite…

jenny luvvy will be campainging for a named stand along with Sir Ian, other luvvies, as well as Limahl, Jason Donovan, King Charles III, Rick Astley, the lead singer of Cameo - 'Wave your hands in the air like you don't care / Glide by the people as they start to look and stare / Do your dance, do your dance, do your dance quick, mama Come on, baby, tell me, what's the word? - and Raymond Fox. 'Word up', Ray Fox.

I can just about tolerate a shithouse in the away section being called 'The liar, narcissistic, six-jowelled me me me money/shares Bill Kenwright's away section shithouse'.

We now have what appears new wealth and look like they know what there doing owners. A shining new stadium and a manager who I believe will take us up the table. So clinging on to the past means you won't see the bright future we have.

But come on, PH — he is recent history affecting the present and he cannot be ignored. It's impossible.

Dan Meis has only just made that quote. It's present news – not past.

As for you telling us we won't see the future ???? How wonderfully ironic. You are a matter of weeks away from going through an entire season of falling to predict it.

Yes, we know he was a shit chairman and a bit of a knobber (as they say down here in Dorset) but jeez, it's so tiresome. Next summer, new stadium, fresh squad and a new dawn, Bill's name should not need to be mentioned again. In fact, I think TW should ban it.

It makes sense really though because, without Bill, many people think we would have sunk like a stone. Although, when I read what Dan Mies says, it just confirms what I have always said about Mr Kenwright.

And then he mismanaged the club so comprehensively that we went from champions to relegation candidates in 7 years.

But life's too short to get angry over a football club.

He was a board member. He served as a board member, Chairman and Owner from 1989 and owner until Moshiri came on the scene. Initially, many were glad to see the back of Johnson, so he was welcomed in sections of the support.

But what followed was a period of steady decline and as the one constant, a lot of supporters hold him accountable for it.

Some turned early, others waited to see if he could revitalise us, but even the most sympathetic started to turn as it became apparent, like Moshiri, he was out of his depth. If not before, he should have left gracefully once Moshiri came in. But he couldn't or wouldn't let go.

Okay, there were a few spikes of optimism. We won the FA Cup, got to another final and had a few seasons in Europe, which was great for the supporters, but hardly where we wanted or expect Everton to be. Well, not me anyway.

We were subjected to three last day survival matches and we sailed far too close to the wind on a number of other occasions. Over the past few seasons, thousands of us have attended Goodison and travelled all over the country, literally dragging that team of ours out of the quicksand. It may have looked like celebration, but it wasn't. Sheer raw emotion and blessed relief.

As you say, it's a new era now, with new owners at the helm. I'm very optimistic and looking forward the next chapter in Everton's history, but I wouldn't expect people to forget. The past can't be erased.

We are fast approaching it being 40 years since our last league title and winning our only European trophy. Now that seems unreal, but it is very real.

The “Greatest Player” never to wear the jersey, which I think Colin describes best, when he alludes to all the praise (never from any real Everton Greats) that comes straight from the horse's mouth!

My opinion, which I have voiced previously, would be Goodison, St Luke's, St Domnigo and Prince Rupert's. I scrolled through to make sure I hadn't already said it on this thread.

Mike @42, thanks for the quoted words. I hope Mr Meis has kept and framed that napkin with his original sketch of the Everton Stadium. That belongs in an Everton museum that I hope we build on the plaza, or maybe part of the plans for Nelson Dock if that goes ahead. Along with Dr David France's Everton Collection.

3 test series against Australian Rugby League team, at
Wembley, Headingly, and Bramley-Moore Dock.

Used be Old Trafford in the North West so looks like we may have replaced them and earned a few more quid.

So for me the stands are the North, South, East and West stands, cuts out any controversy.

Let's call it the 'Compass Stadium'!

I'd say it was the only reason you posted that article, it has been in various newspapers over the last few weeks before you posted it on here.

I would be interested in what you think of Kenwright and especially of Denise Barrett-Baxendale. One poster, forget his name, asked you about the time you had a meeting with her but, whether you did or not, you never responded to the post.

Familiar?

Link

I rest my case, Danny boy!

Shite song and nothing to do with Everton or even football so don't give me all this "it's in our heritage" bollocks the next time I voice my opinion!

Anfield is in our heritage but we don't sing about that midden, do we?

They are a catering company. No.

Bit bewildered by your belief that the Kenwright quote was the reason I posted. Not at all. Personally I was far more interested in his account of the pressure he felt as a Yank to preserve the Goodison tradition and emotion in the new setting, and to ensure that it was a "proper" stadium, unlike Wembley and Spurs. Never having done a project like that before, even a renowned architect like Meis felt intimidated.

I've never met Denise Barrett-Baxendale. Never saw the poster's query you mention or I would have responded. No idea what she did as CEO. But I was super impressed with EitC when I arranged a donation in appreciation for how I was hosted on my 2017 visit. Very nice, very professional folks. So that's my only impression of DBB.

My impression of Kenwright is that he was a crap owner. Not a train wreck like the Venkys or Hicks/Gillette or the guy who plotted to burn down his own stadium for the insurance money, but definitely incompetent.

I don't hold any personal animus like so many here, probably because being so far out of the Merseyside orbit I knew little of the credibility issues so often cited, like King's Dock, Kirkby, the ring-fenced Arteta money etc. I was disheartened by the venom surrounding his final illness -- the moderator of TW essentially accused him of faking it for sympathy, which I knew to be not the case because a good friend who had known Bill for decades confided in me. I really hoped his family wasn't reading that. I know the friend saw it.

BTW I liked Jenny. A girl I was dating made me watch "A Woman of Substance" with her. I've seen some pretty snarky comments directed at her too, and targeting a recent widow isn't cool either.

I think they were all in the pub to celebrate the 35th birthday of the one doing all the talking (the one on the right who looks like Stanley Baxter and mentions "equititititity")

Any overhead transport link works, gets people directly where they need to be, takes feet off the street, could have a walk way beneath.

It could be a big part of regeneration to the whole dockland area but, if the new stadium was the terminus, all the better.

I thought Kenwright was shown much respect when he passed away by the number of people who said nothing about it at the time including myself.

Your friend might have known Kenwright from his show business dealings although if he was a keen Evertonian and lived on Merseyside he must have just turned a blind eye to how he ran Everton FC.

People who knew Kenwright from his showbiz dealings as employees generally have the same view of him as most on here.

Moshiri led the worst run period in the club's history but gave us BMD.

Phil Carter oversaw the decline of the club but also the most successful period in our history.

DBB was a disaster as CEO of the club but was really good for EiTC.

Regrettably I have nothing positive for Black Bill no matter how hard I try. He raped the club while pleading poverty and oversaw the longest decline in the club's history, selling off all our assets and creating record debt.

If they name any section after any chairman, it should be the great Sir John Moores – a true leader and a principled gentleman who wouldn't have let Kenwright anywhere near running the club.

He should never be forgotten. Not out of praise but one of avarice, you see it was in the detail, how Everton was run, Why decisions were taken, and Who benefitted.

Those who would seek to praise and immortalize ignore inconvenient truths about the manner of his, and his alone, football club.

In life we all have a credit and debit account, good and bad, mistakes and successes. He may have loved the club, but his endless desire to make money from it, which he ultimately did, left a legacy that on balance, should be forgotten.

As I said, the devil was in the detail. Move on, acknowledge perhaps but we are still paying the price for the years of poor management of both he and Moshiri. Focus on the future..

My friend is a lifelong Blue who had no illusions about Bill‘s abilities as a club owner. He still cherished him on a personal level.

He wasn't the only one, judging by the many who spoke at his funeral. I recall hearing lots of warm sentiments but zero specific compliments of his ownership tenure.

He once told me he was attending a production meeting in a theatre in London and, as he was entering, he was almost knocked over by Su Pollard as she came flying out of the doors, fuuuuuuming.

She says to my mate "Are you working for Bill Kenwright!!?"

"Er...no" he replied.

"Good!" she says "coz he won't pay yer!"

I'd love to have known the details.

Never truer words spoken on here.

Most people know which way their bread is buttered, and that’s why I find it intriguing if it’s true, that Neville Southall, has been asked to be an ambassador for the people who are launching the big marquee opposite Bramley Moore Dock.

Southall, who is arguably the greatest player I have witnessed in an Everton jersey, was not made welcome by arguably the greatest player never to wear the Everton jersey.

Kenwright lived his life to the fullest, but our Everton suffered as we became the dullest

If someone throws the "Bill grenade" into the conversation, it will inevitably evoke raw feelings. So you can't begrudge people expressing their view once that happens. We won't get bored, it is a significant part of our recent history that still touches a nerve as we watched our once proud club descend into mediocracy and then almost the footballing abyss as we steadily nose-dived.

This wasn't just a one off. The feelings to what was happening to our club over a sustained period of time on his watch, were just too much to stomach culminating in the accusations at the one thing that never wavered. The supporters and their devotion to the team. The board and successions of them didn't deserve us.

I never knew Bill Kenwright as a person and I'll never know the ins and outs of what was going on behind the scenes, so I can't have any ill feeling to the person, just his running of our football club.

But I do know that he disrespected the supporters, who's only "crime" was to voice concern at the way in which the club was being run. When you're at the top, you can lap up the good times but have to take the criticism for when it's going wrong. Or act.

To walk out on us when the going got tough was more criminal than the unfounded allegations that Merseyside Police dismissed. The board left us alone. A rudderless ship.

To your question Dave @75, even though it wasn't directed at me, Denise Barrett-Baxendale might have been okay being left running EitC, but she wasn't CEO of a football club material. Maybe not her fault for being put in that position. Graham Sharp disappointed me at the time. His silence was deafening and I'd have had more respect had he spoken out, given my fond memories of him as a player and his affinity with the supporters.

Christine gets it right. After years of stumbling around wondering if we would ever get our club back and once again compete, we now look to a future, where that can become a reality and those young supporters who have been starved of anything, can experience what many of us and previous generations before me did.

I'm not sure if it was on this thread, but someone on these pages mentioned Kenwright's relationship with various personalities in the club. "With the exception of Moyes and Irvine". Well Moyes was close to our former Chairman. They were a double act and both masters in the art of playing down expectation and preaching as if we were supposed to be happy with our lot.

There is an article on the club website about the unveiling of a bust in honour of Bill Kenwright at the Liverpool Empire, with a smiling David Moyes stood next to it. I acknowledge, that will be for his work in the theatre over the years, and he deserves that recognition. But he won't be remembered by the majority for most of his time running Everton Football Club.

I'm trying not to criticise the individual. My criticism is his mis-management of Everton Football Club. I make no apologies, but it's business and if you take over a successful business and turn it into a failing one, there is usually one outcome, yet he managed to stick. And there is no ill-feeling to his family, certainly not from me. Again, I don't know them.

Promise the unachievable, pander to gullible imbecility whilst delivering fuck all to even their benefit, look after yourself above all, and look after any creep that fawns to you.

Above all else though, shit on anyone who deigns to challenge you with valid questions.

That was Kenwright too, for decades, but some hangers-on said "nice" things about him at his funeral.

Oy-veh!

I had professional dealings with a famous actor 10 years ago. Things turned sour when he heard I was an Everton fan. “Skinflint” was the only family friendly term that followed in the tirade that followed based on his dealings with our erstwhile chairman.

Danny

The Bill grenade. Love it very accurate and evocative. It reminds me of the shorter lived “What if” grenade that used to set Michael Kenrick off for a year or two after McFadden left and people would randomly speculate on whether or not he should have been the Scottish Rooney.

No one threw a hand grenade. Mike posted an interview that had received no airtime on ToffeeWeb.

One paragraph out of 15 praised Blue Bill.

Who is throwing the hand grenades?

Don't go...don't say anything?

I think, however - I could be wrong here - that Kenwright's name usually crops up not in opposition of whatever shade (to be fair you did mention Don who would get BK in on any thread) but more often than not when there are words praising him for this and that (like builder/designer Dan) and then the pile on, often including me, I'm afraid.

(I really do believe that BK is a lying duplicitous narcissist Steve.)

I think for many the memories are still too raw Steve. Paul Hewitt is right. These pages would go ballistic if something was named after BK at the Dock (unless, as I suggest, the away supporters bog!).

Kenwright is still very much an essential element in our contemporary story/history and it is impossible to disentangle him from the sequence of events that have led to where we are today, including the magnificent Everton stadium, the amateur hour management that crippled our finances, or the appointment of largely inept DOFs

We could never ban the name "Kenwright" Steve. That would be like banning other essential figures in our history (for better or for worse: say Alan Ball or Tory Carter). But, like you I just wish that it would slip away, unnoticed, into the mists of time.

However, Steve, Don has another 29 years ahead of him.

Trump/Kenwright seriously?

You're being a bit sore on Trump?

Like Kieran I had friends in the "showbiz" world that worked at the Playhouse and they met with actors, directors, etc. touring through Liverpool and the general impression left was that Kenwright was a difficult man to get money from.

Steve #63 "Bill's name should not need to be mentioned again" read

Colin #56 "the inner sanctum are discussing naming some part of the stadium after him. Perhaps even a stand."

I can see a lot of season ticket holders for that stand asking to swap seats. And just imagine Dave Abraham's feelings after reluctantly buying a season ticket to find out it's in Chairman Bill's Stand. The grawlixes will be flying.

The club put another article up overnight after Jenny Seagrove and Dan Meis attending the test event.

If the club decides to name stands, I seriously hope there is supporter consultation. I don't like the phrase, but People's Club and all that?

Link

If anywhere in the new stand is named after him there is nothing much we can do about it like the stand at Goodison named after another chairman.

It doesn't matter who does, my point was just that if the name get's dropped, it will undoubtedly cause a reaction.

"I didn't accuse Mike of dropping one"

I'll just let that... erm... linger

Kenwright finds Moshiri

Moshiri finds TFG

Stadium built, debt manageable

New manager, no relegation fears, future player transfer funding healthy

We are or will be the envy of so many other football fans in the country.

You learn by mistakes and you hope it comes good, in our case its has and how lucky we now are.

Watch this space.

How did this all start again ?

If it had ended with Moshiri the club would be bankrupt and not in the premiership and quite probably with an unfinished stadium, mortgaged to the hilt..

Instead Moshiri did the honorable thing and sold us to respectable owners eventually.

So enter TFG and no connection to Kenwright thank God.

Moshiri would quite happily have sold Everton to 777 but for the Premier League.

Nothing honourable in his actions.

Martin #116.

You state - "Kenwright finds Moshiri, Moshiri finds TFG. Stadium built, debt manageable, new manager, no relegation fears, future player transfer funding healthy."

Etc.

Well I suppose (at a stretch) that would make Kenwright praiseworthy (ish) but only coz you start the story with Kenwright.

But what about if (no less legitimate) you start before Bill?

For instance..

"Kenwright's dad met Kenwright's mam at The Locarno, plucked up the courage to ask her for a dance, took her out a few times, married her, then 9 months later..."

Suddenly Bill's just part of a sequence of events that are out of his hands and his dad is our 'saviour'.

And if you adopt this tack, you could go aaaaaaall the way back to the very very very VERY start.

"Approximately 375 million years ago, the famous 'fishapod' Tiktaalik roseae first emerged from the water and..."

Spooky.

What I am saying is that it all worked out alright in the end.
However, the starting in my thread happened and so did its conclusion.

Thank you for your recent email regarding match day travel to and from Everton FC's new stadium. I will split my response into two parts – a general overview of the transport plan for Bramley Moore – and then the second test event that took place on Sunday 23 March.

The Transport Plan

The completion of the new stadium at Bramley Moore stadium represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the regeneration of the whole North Liverpool-South Sefton corridor. It can be the catalyst for the growth of a new wave of housing, businesses and economic development in the years ahead. Recognising this early on, in September 2021 myself and the leaders of the six local authorities in the Liverpool City Region approved a £15m grant towards the stadium project. You can read more about the public decision that was made at the time here. Without the commitment of public funding early on, it is not clear that the project would have progressed to where it is today.

Whilst the stadium has been under construction, a transport working group of industry experts, chaired by Everton Football Club, has met regularly to map out transport solutions for fans who will be attending the game when the stadium officially opens. The group has recognised that there will be several modes by which fans will wish to travel to the stadium and the plan that has been put in place reflects that.

It is important to bear in mind that there has never been a promise of a new station or tram link to the stadium since construction of the stadium began. This would be extremely technically challenging, significantly disruptive and costs would be prohibitive due to the existing rail line configuration in and out of Moorfields station, which is served by a single bore tunnel for services towards the city centre.

The closest rail link to the new ground is, of course, at Sandhills station. Sandhills is an elevated station on a viaduct with a platform that sits as an island, constrained by two tracks on either side. The industrialisation of the surrounding area made/makes a complete remodelling of the station an unrealistic proposition at present given the limited benefits beyond current matchday demand.

Working with our rail operator Merseyrail, we have opened the first part of a queuing system (‘fan management zone') that is designed to prevent overcrowding on the platform, making sure fans can travel to and from large events at Everton's new home safely and efficiently.

The system in place is similar to the tried-and-tested arrangements deployed at Aintree station during the Grand National – which has been designed to avoid congestion and confusion, making it clear where fans need to queue for the specific line they want to use. Aintree only uses a single line (Ormskirk services) hence why the frequency can be enhanced.

The alternative (ie no queuing system) would create confusion and could potentially lead to dangerous overcrowding on the platform. With the safety of fans being our number one priority, all of our partners have been involved in developing the transport plan. Additional features such as a new footbridge will be constructed to enable fans to access the platform at Sandhills using more than just the current single staircase. Merseyrail have committed that this new access point will be in place for the start of the 2025/2026 football season.

The frequency of rail services is restricted by the capacity of the signalling system which is operated by Network Rail. The station at Sandhills services five lines (Heabolt Lane/ Ormskirk/ Southport/ Liverpool Central and Hunts Cross). We are continuing to press for further upgrades to allow a greater volume of rail traffic, but signalling is not the responsibility of the CA as it falls under a nationally controlled body.

On buses - Stagecoach and Arriva are already registered to operate fast, frequent, non-stop shuttle buses on match and event days, between the City Centre and Bramley Moore stadium, as well as between Bootle Town Centre (bus station) and the new stadium. All bus services will have dedicated bus stops on Great Howard Street for the ground. Additionally, a dedicated bus link for fans with reduced mobility will operate between the stadium and Sandhills station on match days.

On non-match days, an appropriate bus link is planned between the city centre, the stadium, and Sandhills station, supported by Everton FC, as part of the transport provisions for the planned new housing at Liverpool Waters that will be constructed. New taxi ranks are confirmed as an option for those who want to travel by cab.

For those who prefer to walk, the stadium planning approval includes provisions to support walking and cycling. Everton FC is working directly with Liverpool City Council to further develop safe and convenient walking routes to and from the stadium. These routes will be well-signposted and designed to ensure the safety and comfort of all pedestrians, including those with disabilities or additional needs. I am informed that issues that arose after the second test event regarding the Bascule Bridge on Regent Road are a priority for Liverpool City Council and Everton Football Club.

I appreciate that some of the feedback from fans so far is that more should be done to make the fan management zone at Sandhills a more welcoming space. I can confirm that in the coming months there will be further phases of development transforming this area into more vibrant space for match-goers with the installation of new toilets, a fixed stage, food and refreshment areas, and digital screens to enhance the matchday experience.

With Merseyrail's recommendations, we are also investing in better CCTV, improved lighting, and additional staff support to ensure that everyone - especially those with disabilities or additional needs - feels safe and are assisted.

Many of the concerns that have been brought to my attention relate to parking for those travelling to Bramley Moore by car. The plans for parking fall under the responsibility of the highways department at Liverpool City Council – and not the organisation I lead (the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority). However, I work extremely closely with the Leader of Liverpool City Council who I know has been listening attentively to the feedback that is reaching the council.

The new parking measures, established under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), were subject to public consultation and it's always been the case that they could be amended based on the feedback received. This allowed the Council to monitor and evaluate the scheme's effectiveness and modify it if necessary, before making any measures permanent.

Recent amendments to the parking zone include the introduction of new resident parking areas, new taxi ranks, and new match day bus stands. The Council has also invested in new industrial parking zones north and south of Boundary Street. These changes aim to reduce congestion, improve air quality, and enhance safety and journey times to and from the stadium.

However, following the second test event at the waterfront stadium, the Council has decided to suspend certain parking measures primarily around the business areas within the new zone. The temporary cessation of these measures affects the city's waterfront from its northern extremity by Canada Dock down to the Leeds Street corridor at the city centre boundary, and eastwards across to the Pumpfields district. The ETRO parking zone will continue to be in place within the residential districts, from the Eldonian Village across to Great Homer Street and north to ‘the Shakespeare streets' in Kirkdale.

Residents who have not yet applied for parking permits are encouraged to do so. These permits are free, and each household is allowed a visitor permit, which is also free.
The council has stated that it is in listening mode and open to making further changes as needed to ensure the best possible outcome for residents and businesses. You can have input your views by taking part in the survey at:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/BramleyMooreParking and if you have any further questions, please email:
bramleymooredockETRO@liverpool.gov.uk.

Second Test Event – Sunday 23 March

The second test event which took place on 23 March was aimed at further learning from the first test event on Monday 10 February with the stadium welcoming an increased crowd of 25,000. I watched the transport plan unfold in real time from the Transport Control Centre through CCTV and live drone footage.

It is of paramount importance to me as Mayor that we ensure the smooth passage of passengers using our public transport network as far as is reasonably practical. In advance of the event, we worked closely with Everton Football Club, transport operators, our councils – and, most importantly, fan groups – on travel planning.

After the event, I publicly thanked all of the fans who travelled to and from the new Everton Stadium. The region's transport network carried: 500 on Mersey Ferries, over 2,000 on dedicated shuttle bus services and more than 12,000 by train. Despite the match being played on a Sunday when services are usually half hourly, Merseyrail implemented a special matchday timetable, featuring extra services and eight carriage trains to accommodate extra passengers. Some drivers worked their rest day to accommodate the extra shifts required.

I know that Merseyrail are taking on board the views of passengers regarding bringing some additional services in earlier in the day (prior to kick off) to address the concerns of those that highlighted issues of crowded carriages.

One key takeaway from the event was that many fans (who are able to do so) - chose to walk from the city centre to the stadium, demonstrating the importance of well-planned pedestrian routes. Working with the Club and Liverpool City Council, we are clear in our ambition to see improvements to: signage, lighting and footways, to ensure these routes are safe and convenient for supporters.

Whilst I am the first to acknowledge there were some challenges on the day, particularly around traffic congestion due to the half marathon that also took place on the same Sunday – and a trespasser on the Merseyrail network which temporarily disrupted rail services – there is no doubt this was a marked improvement on the first test event. This position is supported by the Club who have stated publicly that the second test event was a “resounding success”.

The purpose of these test events is to help us see what works, what doesn't, and what needs improving. Over the coming weeks we'll keep working with partners to see what we can do to further improve the matchday experience, and listen to fan feedback, so that we can prepare for the first league game of next season.

I want to assure you that all parties are fully committed to continuous improvement of the matchday travel experience to and from Bramley Moore.

These two test events have been crucial in refining the transport plan to date and we will continue to listen to the voices of fans to make further improvements and tweaks wherever possible.

Thank you for writing to me.
Best wishes

Steve Rotheram
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region

Shite - period.

Our city is as ever woefully underfunded in terms of improving the lot of those who live, work and die there. It was openly admitted as Government policy for Christ's sake, despite "saint" Heseltine deciding to bung us a few bob to create a small park and glass-house to create the utterly bogus illusion of Tory empathy.

He's another Roger-Em.

I'm 70. If I ever see an adequate, never mind impressive, transport system to the stadium and politically mega-touted regeneration of "Ten Streets" and beyond, please allow me prime place on our Town Hall's venerated steps to show the arsehole-friendly legions of us what they've been missing.

Is that 'cos Burton's no longer exist? Or it's more approriate political location?

Kenwright finds Moshiri after many years of looking for a buyer who will let him keep his train set.

Moshiri allows Kenwright to keep his train set.

Kenwright assembles one of the worst boards ever put together at the club praising it to the highest heavens, doting on handpicked our Denise as the club continues its seemingly irreversible decline.

Our worst in our history precipitous slump picks up speed with Kenwright pulling the strings and Moshiri making largely awful interventions on the footy side of things.

Kenwright/Moshiri appoint him, the fat Spanish twat.

Fat Spanish twat appointed by Kenwright/ Moshiri after an utterly unbearable and embarrassing six months that rip our soul out and see us lose James and Digne.

Astonishingly poor choices by Kenwright/ Moshiri/ best board ever make us a laughing-stock as the League Managers Association advise its members to get the Everton job for a bumper windfall.

Kenwright/Moshiri/underwhelming DOFs waste the largest amount of money ever spent by the club paying inflated prices, paying inflated wages, handing out long and longer contracts.

Kenwright dies.

An increasingly desperate Moshiri looks around desperately for a buyer – anyone – and the absentee landlord inflicted on us by Kenwright gives exclusivity to the biggest cowboys on the planet in 777.

Everton fans in this worst of times created by dead Kenwright and his gift Moshiri do not know where to turn: talk is rife in the media and County Road pubs of administration; relegation seems a persistent reality.

Kenwright and the absentee landlord cause the club to fall on the wrong side of the North Wharf Road Crew not because of a vendetta but because Kenwright and Moshiri and the best board ever cooked the books putting the club’s proud top-flight status in deep peril.

Kenwright/Moshiri/underwhelming DOFs saddle us with the worst group of overpaid mediocrities in the history of our club. Like leeches, they suck our blood and pray each night on bended knee for blessings for the gift from God of Kenwright/ Moshiri/underwhelming DOFs.

Kenwright’s pick Moshiri who is no longer lifting a finger to help our club stumbles and waddles clinging to the slippery hope of 777 as 777 implodes.

The greatest board ever as a direct consequence of their actions choose to no longer attend home games and make up a sequence of transparent lies to attack Everton fans.

Kenwright’s best board ever disintegrates.

The hawks TFG circle Everton. Moshiri does not find them. They find us. They play with Moshiri like a cat with a mouse. TFG decide if and when they will make their moves. TFG make their move. Moshiri dodges an a-bomb.

Moshiri slinks off into the fog with a trail of slime ordering everyone around him never to say Everton; Moshiri’s grandkids threatened with the evil ogre Everton if they do not go to sleep.

Kenwright pick Moshiri organises massive celebratory post-Everton nine-day-long-party in Monaco with Kenwright crony Philip Green as guest of honour.

TFG with absolutely no direct links to dead Kenwright and who were not found by Kenwright pick Moshiri take decisive steps in their ownership agreement and subsequent actions to restructure debt and put us on a more secure financial footing after, amongst things, the nearly lethal PSR violations created by dead Kenwright and the fella who let him keep his train set.

Kenwright pick Moshiri has left the building but BMD is completed and absentee landlord gets his due but is nowhere to be seen at test events.

From time-to-time cringey people show up on ToffeeWeb to rehabilitate the beyond rehabilitating dead Kenwright.

Everton fan Martin Berry calls this long sequence of disastrous and rule-breaking ‘management’ decisions by Kenwright, his pick with the big boat, and the best board ever ‘mistakes’.

'Mistakes'!!!!!!! Fuck me.

Everton fan Martin Berry shouts loudly and proudly ‘how lucky we now are’ and ‘watch this space’ as new owners TFG with absolutely no direct links to dead Kenwright and who were not found by Kenwright pick Moshiri give us a dose of hope that lying duplicitous narcissist Kenwright/best board ever/and I’ve washed my hands of that word that cannot be spoken Monaco layabout could never ever have done.

Everton fan Martin Berry asks us ‘How did this all start again?’

We smile. Some tut-tutting. Much shaking of heads. Some charitable souls say bless. Others with hands up in the air in despair wonder at Mr. Berry’s clumsy and one-dimensional rewriting of our recent history.

Digne was a loss and !has done well at Villa

He has been terrific recently for Columbia, by the way.

Those days are gone now, but people won't forget what the previous regime very nearly inflicted on our club.

I don't think I can remember Liverpool and now the Liverpool City Region ever having a decent council. I wouldn't even put it down to political parties, Manchester and Greater Manchester are majority Labour, but they are run way more effectively than Merseyside.

And then came our Derek and the thoroughly decent Tony Mulhearn.

In that case, the ghost of Derek Acorah is going to be very busy soon dealing with all the “what would Everton do” seances in football club boardrooms.

I was never a fan of "Degsy", I thought he contributed to the city's decline in the '80s as much as a neglectful central Government with its apparent disdain for Liverpool. Recent events haven't helped change my view.

I found it ironic that he preached a good militant game, then took his seat in the 500 club, which would now be labelled as corporate hospitality. It smacked of "Do as I say, not as I do". But that was through the simplistic eyes of a teenager.

We had a very interesting dynamic where I live a couple of years ago. Uxbridge almost always goes Conservative and our MP was bungling Boris. The next door neighbour, in political constituency terms, was non other than our own thug John McDonnell, the Labour MP for Hayes. You couldn't ask for two more opposite politicians right next to each other.

Anyway, back to Liverpool and the here and now. Let's just hope the city council and the regional assembly can seize the opportunity the Everton Stadium presents. Not just for the club, but for the entire north docklands area.

If they can do it for this, why not Sandhills for the matches?