Everton are preparing to move into their new £800m stadium next season but there have been some concerns raised by fans around the travel conditions outside ground, with a connecting bridge and nearby train station causing issues
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Updated 11:18, 24 Mar 2025
Everton fans outside their new stadium
Everton fans have admitted concerns over travel conditions outside of their new stadium after the second test event
Everton fans have voiced concerns about travel conditions outside their new stadium after attending the second test event this weekend. Supporters flocked to the £800m ground at Bramley Moore Dock to see their Under-21s take on Bolton Wanderers' B team on Sunday as the Toffees prepare to move in next season.
But they were left frustrated while trying to leave the 52,888-capacity stadium after claiming they had to wait by a nearby bridge because it couldn't handle the crowd's weight.
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Fans uploaded pictures of a huge crowd being held up by the Bascule Bridge on Regent Road while they were being gradually let through.
Some were left alarmed given the chaotic scenes with just 25,000 fans in attendance, which is just half of what Everton will have with a capacity crowd next season.
One wrote: "This needs sorting in my opinion. Having to stop every few steps because the bridge can't handle more weight. This will be chaos at full capacity. They had four years to sort it."
READ MORE: Everton's new stadium evacuated 65 minutes into second test eventREAD MORE: Everton prepare next step for their new stadium ahead of move to 'citadel for the future'
There were also fears about congestion outside of the Sandhills train station, which serves fans attending the stadium, with some claiming they waited for hours to get inside.
"Queues all the way down the road and this is only 25,000 fans," wrote another supporter. "Need to sort something fast before next season."
A third said: "It's inadequate. I'm a local resident and it's bad enough on a sunny day when loads decide to go to Southport and also Aintree races. Factor in this is a dry day, wait till it's winter, lashing down, people aren't going to want to wait in a conveyor belt for a train."
Fans were forced to wait by a nearby bridge that could not take the weight of a huge crowd
Fans were forced to wait by a nearby bridge that could not take the weight of a huge crowd
There were also concerns about congestion at the Sandhills train station
There were also concerns about congestion at the Sandhills train station, despite only half of the stadium's capacity attending the game
There was also a gloomy prediction from another fan if authorities could not address the issue.
''Test event or not. It's a joke and unsafe for everyone," the post read. "@MetroMayorSteve pls sort all this. STOP the single lane main roads causing massive traffic issues and open up the roads nearby so people can park. Sandhills CANNOT cope otherwise and there WILL be a disaster on your watch."
There were also complaints after the first test event last month when the Under-18s played Wigan in front of just 10,000 supporters - with Sandhills station again causing issues and being declared "not fit for purpose".
Other supporters slammed the club's fanzone as "a disgrace" and were left baffled by the amount of portaloos around the stadium.
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