Liverpool City Council is implementing a matchday parking zone around Everton's new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock. More than 4,000 residents and 3,000 businesses have been invited to apply for the necessary parking permits before the official launch of the zone.

An experiment benefiting residents and fans

The new regulations will be introduced under an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO), which will take effect with the first historic test match at the new £500 million stadium later this month. The ETRO will be in force for up to 18 months, during which time the council will review its effectiveness through its transport and highways team.

Residents will be able to apply for a parking permit for each vehicle registered at their address, along with one additional visitor permit, all free of charge. Businesses, on the other hand, will be required to pay an annual fee of £50 per vehicle, with a limit of up to 10 vehicles. The parking zone will cover an area within a 30-minute walking radius of the new Everton stadium, located near historic Dock Road. It will also include the Ten Streets district, part of the city centre, and the Great Homer Street area in Everton.

The new parking regulations, which were subject to public consultation at the end of 2022, include the introduction of residential parking zones, new taxi ranks, additional matchday bus stops, and further parking restrictions. The operating hours of existing parking zones in Great Homer Street, Ten Streets, and Love Lane will also be adjusted. Additionally, two new parking zones for industrial areas will be established to the north and south of Boundary Street.

© CP OVERVIEW

The city continues to seek new solutions

The primary goal of the new parking zone is to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and enhance safety around the stadium. These measures are also part of a broader plan to modernise Liverpool’s city centre parking system. The council’s transport and highways team has already begun installing new road signs in preparation for Everton Stadium’s first test match on Monday, February 17.

Liverpool City Council has invested over £20 million in road infrastructure around Bramley-Moore Dock. This includes the construction of a dedicated cycle path running from Liverpool city centre to its northern boundary in Bootle, passing right by the new stadium. Liverpool’s local government is also working with Sefton Council and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority on an urban development project that aims to deliver over 10,000 new homes and social infrastructure stretching from the city centre through the area surrounding the new stadium to Bootle and Walton.

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is also collaborating with Merseyrail, Network Rail, and Everton FC to develop a new pedestrian management zone and an additional entrance to Sandhills station, aiming to facilitate access to public transport for fans and event attendees at the new stadium.

Councillor Dan Barrington, Liverpool’s cabinet member for transport and connectivity, highlighted that Everton stadium will have a significant impact on the Ten Streets district and the Kirkdale community. He pointed out that while economic benefits will be substantial, managing the large crowds attending matches and events will be crucial. The North Docks area has never had to accommodate such large visitor numbers within short timeframes, but thanks to the experience gained from managing crowds at Goodison Park and Anfield, the city has the expertise to handle the challenge.

The introduction of the new matchday parking zone will allow the city to apply proven traffic management strategies that have successfully facilitated the movement of tens of thousands of people during sporting events for years. Councillor Barrington added that the parking zone will impact not only residents and businesses but also Everton supporters. Thanks to their feedback, solutions have been developed that take into account the needs of all stakeholders.

© CP OVERVIEW

A massive success for a unique initiative

All the stones that will form an emotional pathway commemorating past and present Everton fans at the new stadium have now been completely sold out. This means an impressive 36,000 personalised bricks will fill the south stand of the stunning new venue, forming Everton Way. The last remaining bricks were purchased just after construction work on this unique feature began, with the first dedications already laid last month.

The stones feature inscriptions full of love and friendship, marking births, weddings, lifelong dedication to the club, and memories of loved ones—ensuring they will symbolically become part of Everton’s move to the banks of the River Mersey. Everton Way has been incredibly popular from the start. The first batch of bricks sold out rapidly, and overwhelming demand from fans who missed out led to the opening of additional sales windows and an extension of the pathway. Those who purchased stones will find out exactly where they have been placed once the project is completed this summer.

Kevin O'Brien, director of Intaglio Creative Limited, the company overseeing the project, emphasised the remarkable scale of the initiative. When you stand at the beginning of Everton Way and look towards the river, you can see that this is a project of an entirely different calibre. Over the past ten years, I have been involved in many similar initiatives across the country, but here we are talking about 1,400 square metres and 36,000 individual stones—making this undoubtedly the largest personalisation project in the UK.

© CP OVERVIEW