'He’s being set up to fail' | Controversial Bramley-Moore Dock parking zone to be changed | Metro Mayor tells Evertonians 'bear with us'

By Dan Haygarth | 03/03/25

?Hello,

In today’s Liverpool Daily Post, David Humphreys has investigated challenges facing Liverpool’s special educational needs and disabilities sector and how the city council is responding.

In other news, the council has announced a number of changes to a hugely controversial parking zone that has been put in place around Everton Football Club's new stadium. And sticking with Everton, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram asked Evertonians to “bear with us” following criticism around public transport infrastructure following the Blues’ first test event at Bramley-Moore Dock.

Thanks for reading.

'He’s being set up to fail, this is my baby we’re talking about'

David Humphreys has investigated the challenges faced by families with children on educational health care plans (EHCPs) across the city, revealing how parents are being left exhausted by a "constant battle" to secure the right provision for their children in special education.

This comes after the Labour government’s education secretary told the ECHO more needs to be done to support local authorities to improve outcomes in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) amid continuing financial pressures. Council chiefs have also spoken of their desire to do better for children across Liverpool but stressed there is a place for young people with educational health care plans to “thrive” in mainstream settings.

As of October last year, more than 8,000 children and young people up to 25 in Liverpool were recorded as receiving an ECHP – a legal document which describes their special educational needs. This has more than doubled in the past three years when around 4,000 children were noted as requiring SEND support in February 2022.

In its own education and inclusion position statement set out in September 2024, the city council recognised how Liverpool has “seen a rapid and sustained rise in applications” for EHC needs assessments. According to that document, the greatest need is for pupils with: Autism (4.9%); Speech, language and communication needs (4.8%) and Social, emotional and mental health problems (4.3%).

Currently there are 13 sites across Liverpool with provision to provide support for children and young people with EHCPs but more and more families are finding they are losing out on places in specialist provision, which they argue is against the best interests of their children. Lyndsey Shields, from Speke, told us her son Oliver would not be able to secure a place in a specialist provision and would face going into a mainstream school.

She said: “Oliver has severe complex health needs and is 100% dependent on an adult. He needs to be given his medicines and we’re being told the school can’t cater for his needs.

“He’s being set up to fail, this is my baby we’re talking about. We’ve fought to get him to where he is today, he’s come on loads.

“We feel like we’re not being listened to. I have done nothing but cry since I found out. I’m having to fight for everything for my child.

“We shouldn’t have to do this for our kids, it’s what they need to develop. A specialist provision can help him to walk, with his social skills and relationships.

“There is so much they can offer. For us to be told he doesn’t meet the criteria has put the weight of the world on my shoulders.”

To read the full article, click here.

Controversial Bramley-Moore Dock parking zone to be changed amid growing anger

Liverpool City Council has announced a number of changes to a hugely controversial parking zone that has been put in place around Everton Football Club's new stadium, reports Liam Thorp.

The new parking zone came into force last month as the first test event was held at the Bramley-Moore Dock arena, which will start welcoming Blues fans for matches from the start of next season. But the new rules have caused huge anger and upset for those living, working and running businesses in the local area.

Under the scheme, more than 4,000 residents and 3,000 businesses are being asked to apply for the relevant parking permits to comply with what is called an Experimental Traffic Order (ETRO). The ETRO will run for an initial 18 month period.

The most anger for those affected by the new rules has come from the fact that the restrictions will be in place at all times and not just on days when Everton are playing at home or when other events are being held at the ground.

Multiple business owners have told the ECHO they could go under if the rules are not changed and that they are already seeing a huge drop off in custom because of the restrictions. Nearly 19,000 people have signed a petition in objection to the proposals in their current form.

The council today said that based on feedback from businesses and residents in the city’s North Docks community, as well as initial findings from the first test event, the local authority will now implement changes to its operation.

The proposed amendments include:

1. Applications for more than 10 business permits will be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Business permits cost ￡50 each. Resident and visitor permits are free.

2. Safety-focussed enforcement of the zone on the second test event, on Sunday, March 23. (The council says this will allow more time for businesses and residents to apply for permits and for the council to investigate the level of appropriate enforcement during events.)

3. An existing 1-hour limited waiting restriction will be extended to 2 hours, where possible.

4. Permit parking will be introduced in the Pumpfields area (ie. the Blackstock Street, Paul Street, Pall Mall and Chisenhale Street areas.)

The council warned the process to modify the ETRO to implement these recommendations (including new signage) will take at least 2-3 months to enact. While the changes have been welcomed by affected businesses, they argue they still don't address the key issue of the restrictions being in place at all times.

A council spokesperson said the ETRO "enables the council to make these changes flexibly in the light of experience and analysis of their impact. Further changes may be made following the further two test events, in March and May, and up to August 2026."

In response to feedback from businesses, the council said it will also explore the scope for on-street pay and display parking bays in key locations. A further series of improvements, identified from the first test event, will also now be implemented, including:

1. A review of the event traffic management plan on road closures ahead of the second test event. This is to ensure closures are enacted and communicated more effectively.

2. Improvements to street lighting on walking routes to and from the stadium.

3. Improved pedestrian wayfinding signage between Sandhills station and City Centre stations and the stadium.

4. Temporary signage to shuttle bus and taxi rank locations.

Following these amendments and improvements, the council said its Highways team will continue to monitor the impact of the ETRO to determine whether this has positively assisted businesses, visitors, and public opinion and if other amendments are required.

The new measures introduced in the zone, which spreads out via a 30-minute walk from the stadium, operate between the hours of 10am to midnight each day. North of Boundary Street, the zone is operative August 1 to June 30. South of Boundary Street it is operative 12 months of the year. This is except for the Great Homer Street area, which operates 8am to midnight all year round.

The ETRO is to run until August 2026, but Liverpool City Council says it will be seeking to review and amend the measures within the first six months before the new football season begins in August. The measures can be made permanent before August 2026, subject to agreement.

Under the scheme, Blue Badge holders can park for as long as they need to within the permit parking areas in the experimental zone, and for up to 3 hours on a yellow line (unless a loading ban is in place). Badge holders can also park on yellow lines, unless there is a loading restriction, but they will need to clearly display their badge and blue parking clock as well as ensuring the vehicle is not causing an obstruction.

For Blue Badge holders wishing to attend a football match at the stadium, Everton FC is in the process of exploring how it enhances its current parking offer to complement other transport arrangements such as the free shuttle bus service for disabled fans.

Responding to the planned changes, Paul Blair, who owns the Blackstock Market and Hot Water Comedy Club venue in the affected area and has led the campaign against the restrictions said: "The initial changes announced by the council are welcomed, particularly the extension of loading times from one hour to two hours and the ability to apply for additional business permits.

"These adjustments make sense for match days, where the original restrictions were far too limiting. However, the core issue remains—the unnecessary parking restrictions in place 365 days a year, even when there are no events at the stadium.

"There are over 3,000 businesses and 4,000+ residents affected by these restrictions. This is not just about Blackstock Market or Hot Water Comedy Club—this is about thousands of businesses across the North Docks area that are being impacted daily. These restrictions are harming staff, customers, deliveries, and visitors every single day, not just on match days.

"The council has still not explained why these restrictions are needed all year round. If this is about event management, then restrictions should only apply on event days. Instead, businesses are being forced to deal with punitive parking rules every single day, even when the stadium is empty. The only real solution is to remove all non-event day parking restrictions immediately."

Metro Mayor tells Evertonians 'bear with us' as he appears on Royal Blue podcast

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has asked Evertonians to “bear with us” following criticism around transport infrastructure following the Blues’ first test event at Bramley-Moore Dock. Last month, 10,000 Toffees fans became the first people to sample what life will be like for the club when they make the move from Goodison Park to the banks of the Mersey this summer after 133 years in L4.

While the stadium proved to be a roaring success with match goers, questions were raised about the viability of transport infrastructure around the new 52,888 seater stadium, particularly focused on Sandhills station and the rail network. Criticism was flung at Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram around the development of the new fan management zone at the station which is expected to be completed in time for August’s first league fixture.

In a bid to answer some of those concerns, Mr Rotheram appeared on the ECHO’s Royal Blue podcast with host Ian Croll and political editor Liam Thorp and discussed the fall out from the first of three test fixtures at the new ground. The former Labour MP began by setting out what the stadium could do for the regeneration of the wider docklands area.

He said: “Well I think I’ve had conversations with the three owners who have been involved in Everton over the last few years and the one thing they’ve got in common is that, it’s not just a stadium, it’s a statement of intent and a catalyst for the wider regeneration of that area. At the moment it’s called North Liverpool South Sefton corridor, we’re going to come up with something a bit more appropriate, but the potential of it is greater than the redevelopment around Old Trafford and we’re not waiting for a stadium to be built, it’s already there so I think there’s a real potential for a renaissance of what was once a prosperous area.”

The Mayor - a Liverpool fan - admitted not everything had gone perfectly but stressed the nature of a test event was to find the issues that needed to be fixed. He said: “There’s lots of lessons to be learned and the first one is we need to identify exactly what it is that we’re doing to alleviate some of the problems that people have quite rightly highlighted but the fan management zone next door to the station is to do exactly that.

“It’s not like this has just been developed in the last few months or weeks, this has been in the planning for three years. Those plans are that it will be done in three phases, the first phase is already complete, the next one will be happening in the next few weeks, there’s going to be a footbridge that goes over to the other side of Sandhills’ platform.” Further works will include toilet provisions, large screens and a fixed stage alongside concession stands to make the queuing experience “less fractious.”

To watch the podcast, click here.

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