Opposition group want a tram to connect to Everton Stadium
A new tram line should be built from Liverpool city centre to Everton’s new home at Bramley-Moore Dock, according to the leader of the city’s Liberal Democrats.
After a difficult few days for Liverpool’s transport chiefs amid a slew of announcements regarding the coming provisions around the Toffees’ new stadium, the city’s largest political opposition have put forward their proposals for fans to get to and from the ground from August.
The decision to implement a wide-ranging parking zone within a 30-minute walk of Everton Stadium was met with a backlash from neighbouring businesses last week.
Merseytravel and Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram also faced heat after the proposed fan zone measures – a series of metal fences – at Sandhills were unveiled. Now, Cllr Carl Cashman has proposed his solution to the issues.
He said, “Labour has also failed to come up with a proper plan for parking around the stadium. We really need a tram line.”
“I have been contacted by many businesses who are affected by the council’s plans, some of whom have been in that area of Liverpool for over 50 years. After an interesting conversation with an expert on trams, there’s clear evidence that a tram would work in Liverpool and would create low cost, low carbon travel alongside huge investment.”
More than 4,000 residents and 3,000 businesses are now being invited to apply for the relevant parking permits ahead of the zone going live under an Experimental Traffic Road Order (ETRO) to coincide with the historic first test game at the £500m venue.
The ETRO will run for up to 18 months and during that period will then be reviewed by the council highways and transportation team. Residents will be able to apply for a permit for each vehicle registered at their address, plus one visitor permit, for which there will be no fee.
Businesses will be charged an annual fee of £50 per vehicle, up to a maximum of 10. Gill Locke, of Atlantic Leisure on Grundy Street, said such a move could lead to her business having to close entirely.
In October last year, Liverpool Council signed off on a planning application for the creation of a fan management zone at Sandhills. As the nearest Merseyrail stop for the new stadium on the banks of the River Mersey, it will be a key transport hub for Blues and visiting fans getting to and from the arena and city centre.
As a result, special arrangements are being made to accommodate the numbers of people expecting to use the narrow access to Sandhills and its single island platform. However, a video by Mr Rotheram was lambasted by Blues’ fans when it showed a series of metal barriers situated on land outside the station.
Cllr Cashman added, “We really are getting the bog standard here from Labour. Putting up a fence at Sandhills does not count as doing anything that people want.”
Last Summer, the Metro Mayor unveiled plans for a “Glider” rapid transport unit that could connect Liverpool city centre and Liverpool Airport as well as Anfield Stadium and Bramley-Moore Dock. The ten-wheeled vehicle, first dubbed a trackless tram, will undergo tests on the road around the stadiums, the airport and on the Wirral to identify how it could become a fixture by the time EURO 2028 rolls around in which Liverpool will play a significant part.
