Transport chiefs have insisted Sandhills station is big enough to cope with Everton matchday crowds despite the problems supporters encountered after the recent Carabao Cup tie at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Around 20,000 passengers use Sandhills on a typical matchday, and its suitability was questioned at a meeting of the Liverpool City Region transport committee this week.
Wirral councillor Jeff Green asked whether the station was simply too small to handle the numbers now using it following Everton’s move from Goodison Park.
Simon Finnie’s answer was emphatic.
“In answer to your question is Sandhills too small, no it isn’t.”
Supporters faced delays of around an hour following the Carabao Cup fixture, but officials said those problems were caused by a train being withdrawn because of a fault with an onboard camera rather than the capacity of the station.
“We are very pleased with how the move from Goodison Park has gone,” said Finnie. “It’s been a challenge along the way but I think collectively we’ve done an excellent job, not without bumps in the road, there’s still work to do but we’re pleased where we are.”
Officials told the committee that Sandhills would normally be cleared within 45 minutes to an hour after the final whistle.
Dan Lamont said: “Unlike Aintree where we know where everyone is going to go, (at) Sandhills you can go everywhere.”
Everton representative Mo Maghazachi also acknowledged that establishing transport arrangements around the new stadium would take time.
“Goodison has had probably 130 years worth of organic transport planning built around it over time,” he said.
More than £6m of improvements to Sandhills are planned, although the scheme is still awaiting approval from Liverpool Council’s planning committee. There is no confirmed construction timetable, while the prospect of a new station closer to Hill Dickinson Stadium remains a longer-term ambition.
The transport arrangements around Everton’s new home have already prompted debate, with our recent look at Sandhills and matchday travel following complaints from supporters.
Full details of this week’s committee discussion were first reported by the Liverpool Echo.
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