Everton’s new stadium was signed off five years ago so why are train station improvements only being made now?

Liverpool Council's planning committee has approved proposals to expand the queuing area at Sandhills train station to accommodate fans traveling to Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium. The need to ensure best value for taxpayers was cited as the primary reason the improvements took five years to submit after the stadium received initial planning permission in 2021.

The approved Merseyrail project expands the station's queuing space by 150%, allowing an additional 2,000 supporters to queue safely. Liverpool Council principal major projects planning officer Simon Crawshaw noted that the station would face severe overcrowding without these upgrades, which also include an additional entrance and a matchday footbridge.