Concerns continue to mount over Liverpool FC parade after new image emerges

Irish Daily Mirror

2 days ago

Concerns are escalating over the handling of Liverpool FC's Premier League victory parade, which culminated in a car ploughing into throngs of fans, resulting in nearly 80 injuries.
A total of 79 pedestrians, including children as young as nine and an elderly individual aged 78, were injured when a vehicle struck fans on Water Street following the victory parade on Monday, May 26.
In the wake of Monday's distressing events, questions have been raised about various aspects of the parade's organisation, safety measures, and traffic management protocols. The parade drew around one million people to Liverpool's streets as the team bus traversed a 15km route.
Many are questioning how the vehicle managed to enter Water Street, which was pedestrianised for the event. However, concerns extend beyond this incident, with attendees raising issues about other parts of the route where cars and larger vehicles shared the road with large crowds.
Specifically, the decision to keep one side of Queens Drive open has come under scrutiny. Given the sheer number of attendees, vehicles - including Heavy Goods Vehicles - were on the road simultaneously with many pedestrians, reports the Liverpool Echo.
A concerned father, who attended the parade with his five year-old son, has shared photographs with that show large lorries and coaches driving along Queens Drive around 20 minutes prior to the team bus passing through. The images depict people and children in the road as vehicles are passing, raising serious safety concerns.
Reflecting on the situation, the father remarked: "Looking at it now after what had happened, how on earth is a lorry allowed to drive through hundreds of people lined on both sides of the road?".
Echoing his concerns, a former Merseyside Police officer, who joined the parade with his children near the Jolly Miller pub, revealed: "As soon as we got to the Jolly Miller I could see that they had closed the inbound carriageway, where the parade bus would come through, but they hadn't closed the other side."
This led to numerous vehicles, including many Heavy Goods Vehicles, attempting to navigate the crowded road amidst a large number of people who were effectively trapped due to the crowd's size.
The former officer noted: "There were lots of us asking what was going on, why were these vehicles being allowed through when there were so many people in the road? It instilled a bit of fear and anxiety. I couldn't believe they were still allowing traffic through that area."
Following the alarming incidents during the parade in Water Street, questions are now swirling about the safety protocols established by the organisers.
Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims from Merseyside Police shared details of the preparations for the parade, remarking: "In the lead up to this event we have been working closely with event organisers and a robust traffic management plan was put in place for the parade which included a number of road closures throughout the route and the city centre."
Liverpool City Council has not yet released an official comment on questions surrounding its safety measures, but acknowledged receiving correspondence from elected officials on the issue, noting that council officers will respond in full shortly.
On Friday, 53 year old Paul Doyle appeared in court, facing several charges in connection to the incident at the parade; he is being held on remand and will return to court for his plea hearing in August.