Everton supporters will be safer on the busiest roads around Hill Dickinson Stadium next season after the installation of state of the art ‘smart lights’.
Just over 50,000 fans use the roads around the new stadium on a matchday, many on foot towards surrounding car parks, travel hubs and the city centre.
The quality of street lighting on some of the busiest streets has been an issue, particularly for evening and night matches. Work to address that has now taken place with the installation of a new lighting system that reacts to how busy the roads are.
How it works
The Traffic Adaptive Lighting (TAL) network has seen 152 new street lights installed along Derby Road and Great Howard Street. The lights respond to traffic levels. at peak times they shine at their brightest, and when quiet they dim.
The system should enhance safety for those walking between the ground and the city centre, while saving money and reducing energy use when demand drops.
More than 250 other street lights in surrounding roads have been replaced with special LED luminaires that can be controlled by Liverpool council, meaning the authority can also increase their brightness when matchday crowds need them most.
Listening to fans
The network has been installed by lighting specialist Signify, working with the council and McCann Limited, the authority’s street lighting maintenance contractor.
Lighting was an issue raised by supporters across the first season since Everton’s move to the Liverpool waterfront. It’s particularly important given the number of evening and night games scheduled each season.
What the council says
Councillor Dan Barrington, the council’s transport lead, said: “Since the Hill Dickinson Stadium opened, we’ve listened closely to fans who want a safe, well lit route back towards the city centre and key transport links.
“The new adaptive lighting along the busiest roads around the stadium means pavements are brightly lit when people need it most, helping everyone feel safer as they move through the area.
“Because the system responds in real time, we can also spot and fix faults quickly, keeping the route reliably lit on matchdays and beyond. And by adjusting the lighting to actual traffic levels, we’re cutting unnecessary energy use and delivering real savings for the city.”
‘A blueprint for smarter cities’
Simon Wilkinson of Signify added: “Our collaboration with Liverpool city council delivers immediate benefits through energy savings and improved visibility, while also serving as a blueprint for safer, smarter, and more sustainable cities across the UK.”
The bottom line
Fifty thousand fans. Evening kick offs. Dark winter nights.
Everton’s new home is state of the art. Now the roads around it are catching up.
The lights will shine brightest when the crowds are biggest and dim when the streets empty.
Safer. Smarter. Greener. A win for everyone, especially the fans walking home after a late kick off.
