The project has been sped up as Everton’s new home begins life near the station
Around 30,000 people are expected to use Sandhills station when Everton’s brand new Hill Dickinson Stadium on the banks of the Mersey operates at full capacity for the first time next weekend. August 9 will mark the first time the 52,769-seater ground will be full as the men’s first team play their inaugural official match at their new home.
This will mark the third and final test event ahead of the club’s first home league match away from Goodison Park in 133 years. The first two events – the latest of which was held in March – highlighted challenges the influx of tens of thousands of fans would place on the region’s rail network over the coming years.
In a bid to deal with the large number of users at the station on the edge of the city centre, plans were announced for a new footbridge to smooth the flow of passengers. Initially there had been a target for new infrastructure ahead of the European Championships in 2028 with Everton’s new stadium one of the host venues.
With the new season around the corner, Merseyrail has expedited the delivery of the scheme, with the majority of the new bridge installed on site in just two days. The ECHO was given a first look at the project ahead of the final two pieces going in overnight.
In November last year it was confirmed that the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority would provide £4.2m for what was referred to as the Stanley Dock Rail Access (Sandhills Station) project. This included wider plans for what has become the new footbridge, as well as new landscaping, the installation of a fan management zone and wider improvements.
Many people have challenged Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram on why a new platform couldn’t be installed at the station, to which he pointed out the island nature of its location. Chris Maher, Merseyrail’s chief financial officer, joined the ECHO on the visit and highlighted that while many believe Sandhills to be a modern station, it is actually situated on a Victorian archway, which contractors had to brick up to allow for the concrete blocks to be installed to support the towering footbridge at the southern end of the platform.
Chris also pointed out how a historic sandstone wall that surrounds the edge of the station also had to be rebuilt. He said: “The original plans were for 2028 for the Euros, then brought forward to October, then the first game in August and now the final test event.
“We’ll have to put temporary covers down as we finish but we’ve never once stopped a train for any of this.” Chris added why this was so important: “If you lose Sandhills, you lose the northern line.”
Mike Jones, head of network development for Merseyrail, explained how the contractors took over the site last weekend with steps and columns installed. Additional work took place on Monday and Tuesday – including stairs onto the platform – before under the cover of darkness last night, one of two footways were installed connecting the platform to the stairway.
The second piece, weather depending, will be put in place tonight into Friday. Mike said: “Everything’s gone really well, then it’s focusing on making it ready and usable for the third test event.
“We’ve had the right mitigation in place and put plans in place to give the contractors freedom to work.” As part of the redevelopment, passengers will be taken down to a new landscaped area that is currently a building site, which Chris explained would be lit up and made accessible for queuing during events and matchdays.
Green signage in the fan management zone will be made blue – for Everton of course – and there are plans in time to install a canopy above open queuing areas. During non-matchdays, the footbridge will be gated off and passengers will be instructed to use the regular subway entrance.
Chris said there had been positive conversations with all parties involved, including the city council, combined authority and Everton. He said: “We’ve worked closely with the fans forum, it’s just going to make it a lot easier and flow better.
“We’ll have a lot more eight car services running at the Mayor’s request.” It is expected services will change according to home fixture requirements, including the 2pm kick off for the first home game on August 24 and an 8pm kick off on September 27.
