A section of Anfield Road has been closed to vehicles, but despite Liverpool Football Club's intentions to shut the stretch of road, this was not their doing.
For the past five years, a section of road around the Reds' stadium — stretching from Alroy Road to Skerries Road — has been closed. The chunk of road has been shut to drivers since the summer of 2021 when work on the expansion of the Anfield Road stand at the stadium started.
Construction and reopening plans
After numerous delays, that construction was eventually completed in 2024, and while the section of road has reopened to pedestrians and cyclists, it remains closed to vehicles. The club wants to keep it this way.
Earlier this year, the Reds submitted plans with Liverpool City Council seeking the permanent closure of the road. It is a move that sparked anger amongst local residents and their political representatives, who said they were promised the route would reopen when the stand was completed.
Council decision and temporary closure
Having initially been deferred, the council's planning committee indicated they would be minded to reject the club's plans to close the road at a meeting in July. They will be asked to make a final decision at a future meeting, although no date has yet been set.
In the meantime, the section of road has been closed to motorists — but not by the club. Last week, Liverpool City Council brought in a temporary road closure, officially shutting the road, with signs placed in the area notifying people about the closure on Friday.
Club's response and rationale
The notice from the council informs people that it now "temporary prohibits all motor vehicles from proceeding along the lengths of road specified below, except for vehicles under the direct control of Liverpool Football Club."
The notice says it will be in operation from October 9 to November 19 and will be followed up in due course with a Temporary Traffic Regulation order that is due to end on May 19 2028.
Liverpool FC is keen to stress that this was a decision made by the council's Highways department and was not a decision in the gift of the club or made by the club. The club has consistently argued for the 'placemaking' benefit of keeping the section of road free of vehicles, which it says will also provide greater accessibility to the nearby Stanley Park and compliment the wider regeneration of the area.
An update posted on the club's local residents hub on its website reads: "We wish to make local residents aware of a decision made by Liverpool City Council to close a section of Anfield Road adjacent to the stadium.
"The private road – which will continue to be managed by LFC - has been closed since June 2021 throughout building works and the completion of the redevelopment of the Anfield Road Stand. It was opened to pedestrians and non-motorised vehicles in December 2023.
"Liverpool City Council as Highway Authority has confirmed in writing that the Club has provided the new highway as proposed and detailed in the approved planning permission, development plans and associated legal agreements with the Council.
"Following this confirmation that the section of the road in the vicinity of the stadium has been built in accordance with planning requirements, it will remain free from traffic and be retained as a public realm for use by pedestrians and cyclists.
"We thank residents for their input and patience on this matter."
