Everton crowds drive new Sandhills station capacity bid 2026

Key Points

• Plans for upgrading Sandhills station have been put forward by Merseytravel, an organization based in Liverpool.
• The plans were necessitated by rising passenger numbers due to the relocation of Everton FC to its new stadium.
• Sandhills is the closest railway station to Everton’s stadium, which has a capacity of 54,000 people.
• Sandhills station is owned by Merseyrail.
• Passenger numbers increased from 2025/26.
• A new footbridge has been erected in preparation for handling football fans.
• The next step that Merseytravel has taken is to seek permission for additional capacity upgrades.
• Among the measures include queueing points for specific destinations.

Everton (Liverpool standard) August 21, 2026 — Merseytravel has submitted plans to increase capacity at Sandhills station after passenger numbers rose in connection with uk/local/everton/">Everton’s move to Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

The submitted proposals concern additional passenger-management measures at Sandhills station, which has faced higher demand following Everton’s relocation to its new home at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Merseytravel’s application follows the installation of a new footbridge and seeks further capacity and queueing improvements for people travelling to and from matches.

The Merseyrail-operated station is the closest rail stop to the 54,000-capacity Everton stadium. The development has placed greater focus on how supporters are moved through the station before and after fixtures, particularly during the 2025/26 football season, when demand increased.

According to the information provided in the development brief, a new footbridge has already been installed at Sandhills station to accommodate supporters. Merseytravel is now seeking permission for additional works intended to provide more capacity and introduce destination-specific queueing areas.

No named journalist, publication report or direct statement from Merseytravel, Merseyrail, Everton or planning officials was included with the supplied information. The details below are therefore attributed to the submitted plans and development brief rather than to unverified comments from an individual or media outlet.

Why has Merseytravel submitted Sandhills station upgrade plans?

Merseytravel has submitted the Sandhills station upgrade plans in response to a rise in passenger numbers linked to Everton’s relocation to Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Everton’s stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock has a reported capacity of 54,000. Sandhills, on the Merseyrail network, is the closest rail station to the venue. Its proximity means the station is expected to play a major role in carrying supporters travelling to and from home fixtures.

The plans are linked specifically to demand recorded during the 2025/26 football season. While the information provided does not state the precise number of additional passengers using the station, it identifies increased demand as the reason for seeking further improvements.

The proposal is not limited to a general expansion of station facilities. It forms part of a crowd-management approach designed around the movement of large groups of football supporters at a station serving a major sporting venue.

What improvements are proposed at Sandhills station?

The Sandhills station upgrade plans include further capacity measures and destination-specific queueing areas.

The plans follow the earlier installation of a new footbridge. That bridge was introduced to help accommodate supporters using the station in connection with Everton fixtures.

The further proposals are intended to build on that work. Although the supplied details do not specify the exact physical design, number of queue lanes, construction timetable, funding, or scale of any expanded passenger areas, the stated purpose is to improve the station’s ability to manage larger numbers of people.

Destination-specific queueing areas would allow passengers to be separated according to where they are travelling. In a matchday setting, this could support the organisation of people arriving at the station, leaving the station, or moving towards different rail services. The development brief describes the approach as part of Merseytravel’s crowd-management strategy.

How is Sandhills station linked to Hill Dickinson Stadium?

Sandhills station is the closest rail stop to Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

The stadium is Everton’s new home and has a capacity of 54,000. Its location means rail travel is expected to be an important option for supporters attending fixtures, particularly those travelling through the wider Liverpool City Region and connecting with Merseyrail services.

The increased number of passengers identified during the 2025/26 season has prompted Merseytravel to consider further station improvements. The authority’s application recognises that the movement of crowds is not confined to the stadium itself; it also affects transport interchanges used before kick-off and after the final whistle.

Sandhills is operated by Merseyrail, while Merseytravel has submitted the capacity plans. The supplied information does not set out whether the proposed works would affect train timetables, fares, service frequency, station access routes, or nearby road traffic arrangements.

What are destination-specific queueing areas?

Destination-specific queueing areas are proposed spaces intended to organise passengers based on their onward route or destination.

At Sandhills station, the measure is included as part of a broader strategy to manage crowds associated with Everton matchdays. Separate queueing arrangements can help direct passengers towards relevant services or station routes while reducing the need for all travellers to wait in the same area.

The development brief does not state precisely which destinations would have dedicated queues, how the areas would operate on non-matchdays, or whether they would be staffed. It also does not confirm whether any changes would apply only during Everton fixtures or during other major events at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Any final design, operational arrangements and conditions would depend on the planning process and the relevant permissions being granted.

Has work already taken place at Sandhills station?

Yes. A new footbridge has already been installed at Sandhills station to help accommodate supporters travelling in relation to Everton matches.

The footbridge is identified as an earlier response to increased matchday demand. Merseytravel’s latest proposal would represent a further stage of work, focused on additional station capacity and queue-management arrangements.

The current application demonstrates that the transport response is continuing as passenger patterns develop around the new stadium. However, the supplied information does not give a date for the footbridge installation, the cost of the work, or details of its operational impact.

Background: Why has Everton’s stadium move changed local travel demand?

Everton’s move to Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock has altered the locations through which supporters travel to attend home matches. With a reported capacity of 54,000, the stadium creates significant demand for transport infrastructure around the waterfront site.

Sandhills station has particular importance because it is the closest rail station to the stadium and is operated by Merseyrail. During the 2025/26 football season, the station experienced increased passenger numbers connected to Everton’s relocation.

A new footbridge has already been installed to support supporter movements. Merseytravel’s latest submission seeks to continue that work through capacity improvements and destination-specific queueing areas designed to manage crowds more effectively.

Prediction: How could the plans affect Everton supporters and rail passengers?

If permission is granted and the proposed measures are delivered, Everton supporters using Sandhills station could encounter more structured queueing arrangements on matchdays. The intended effect would be to manage the movement of larger crowds through designated areas rather than relying on less organised passenger flows.

Regular Merseyrail passengers could also see changes at Sandhills during busy periods, particularly when large numbers of supporters travel to or leave Hill Dickinson Stadium. The extent of any effect will depend on the final approved design, the times when queueing arrangements are used, and how the measures are operated.