Fans queued at Sandhills after the match at Bramley-Moore Dock
Fans queued at Sandhills after the match at Bramley-Moore Dock
Among the general hubbub of noise that comes with half-time chit chat came a booming voice from above. Those of us among the thousands of fans at Everton’s new home on the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey all looked at one another as we took in what this mysterious voice had to say then came a flash.
The flash contained 12 words but on a day like today, they were the worst you could possibly imagine. “No trains currently running on the Southport line. More info when available.”
With more than 12,000 people using the Merseyrail network this afternoon, you might have thought this could spell disaster for the rail system and Sandhills as it faced the major task of getting fans home after the truncated fixture finished just after the hour mark. Turns out, it was a minor bump in the road.
During February’s first test event, when 10,000 fans were invited to take in the new ground in all its glory, the stadium proved to be a roaring success. Yet questions were raised about the viability of transport infrastructure around the new 52,888 seater stadium, particularly focused on Sandhills station and the Merseyrail provision.
Passengers after the game spoke of a crowded platform and feared for their safety as they waited for 30-minute services being put on. As it was an evening fixture last month, trains after 7pm run every half an hour.
The announcement was shown on the big screen at Everton Stadium
In a bid to ease the congestion for fans, a series of barriers have been put up alongside portable toilets in a fan management zone outside the station to get passengers to and from their respective trains. This came in for some criticism when Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram announced the plans but transport bosses are also planning to expand the station itself and create new exits to help manage the number of supporters coming through the area on busy match days.
This includes the development of a new footbridge on the island station. My journey began from 11.30am at Old Roan, where fans were already packed in on the 14-minute trip to Sandhills.
Some fans reported being told at some points that trains were so packed they were advised not to board. One fan posted on social media how their train was stuck at St Michaels owing to the sheer number of people on board.
Fans making their way to Sandhills (David Humphreys)
As my 11.30am service arrived at the station, another train arrived on the adjacent platform, providing its first test of the morning, and with no grumbles fans quietly and efficiently filed out onto the main road. With road closures in place similar to those around Goodison on match days, the 15-minute walk to Bramley-Moore Dock felt easy to navigate, with the majority of spectators on their first stroll down to the magnificent-looking stadium.
As with the first test event, as Z-Cars boomed out after the speakers, the ground settled down before an initial set of fans cut short their visit and made their way back to the station. Around 70 staff were on the ground across Sandhills throughout the day, on the platforms and as fans filed in and out of the station.
It was then the flash came. No trains on the Southport line.
It transpired that a trespasser had wandered onto the line, with Merseyrail acting out of safety and suspending all services. The announcement was met with an audible groan around all four sides of the stadium, some even laughed, it all felt a little predictable.
Foregoing the chance to stay for the additional 20 minutes of play, I made my way back to the station. Merseyrail staff seemed fairly relaxed, with some telling me how a large number of fans had left at half time, with more choosing to use the trains on the way home rather than the way in.
By 3.15pm, the issue around a trespasser - thought to be located near Seaforth - had been resolved. Fans were said to have met the announcement on the PA system with a cheer.
Around 10 minutes later came the flood. As planned, the match ended in 65 minutes as an evacuation took place for Everton to acquire the relevant safety licences.
Everton Football Club matchday test event at Everton Stadium at Bramley Moore Dock and nearby transport links. Photo by Colin Lane (Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
As masses of Blues headed up Sandhills Road, this would be when the new fan management zone would earn its coin. Staff calmly and quickly filtered passengers into queuing areas where they would be able to get onto the platform when their train arrived.
While some grumbled about the length of the queue and chose the pub instead, many listened to the instructions of the dozens of hi-viz clad station staff and joined their respective lines. At one point, owing to a wait for the Southport-bound train to arrive, progress was halted with fans left queuing back as far as Sandhills cafe.
However, within around 20 minutes, the line began to move again with people able to find their allocated areas to get on board the train. One member of staff told me they had “thrown everything at it” to get the station provision right for today.
Cllr Joe Hanson was one of those observing how the station coped during the end of the test event. Sandhills is located within his Kirkdale West ward.
He said: “Lots of people appear to have walked in which was good but it’s a lot calmer than the first time which was chaos.” While there were undoubtedly no major issues at Sandhills, it did come with some caveats.
Many fans left early, some even before half-time, which is extremely unlikely to happen on a standard match day come August and beyond. The weather was fair and the ground was at half capacity, with no away fans.
Everton Football Club matchday test event at Everton Stadium at Bramley Moore Dock and nearby transport links. Photo by Colin Lane (Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
Come November, a Tuesday night, full ground and cold, driving rain, will services be prepared? Merseyrail said they will review their provisions ahead of the third test event this summer, with a view to upping services on the Hunts Cross line - which experienced higher demand than expected - and retaining eight car services on match days.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram thanked fans for their “patience and understanding” after the match. He’ll be hoping the planned footbridge will ease pressure on the station in the months to come.
Some kinks will need to be ironed out too. Microphones and speakers being an issue meant staff were having to shout to get people to their trains as fans made their way home.
Colin Chong, Everton’s interim chief executive, called the event a resounding success and said the club would continue to work with transport partners ahead of the third event and beyond. He said: “We will continue to engage with local authorities, city stakeholders and fan groups about the long-term travel plan, through the Transport Working Group.
“Today we’ve been able to continue testing key operational areas that will be a crucial step as we aim to deliver a world-class matchday experience.” My halftime fears were allayed by what I saw at Sandhills but greater challenges await as Everton’s transition from L4 to L3 grows nearer.