Liverpool City Council (LCC) commissioned an independent review of the event planning of the Liverpool FC (LFC) Victory Parade held on 26 May 2025, led by Eric Stuart QPM BA (Hons), Director of Gentian Events Ltd. Stuart is one of the UK’s most respected crowd safety specialists, with more than 40 years’ experience in policing, global event safety reviews, and major inquiries including Wembley Euro Finals 2020 and the Manchester Arena Inquiry. He has no operational involvement with the parade and declares no conflicts of interest, bringing a fully independent, evidence-led perspective to this report.
The report makes clear that the Water Street vehicle incident, which occurred after the parade had concluded, sits entirely outside the scope of this review and was the subject of a separate police investigation and criminal court process. The perpetrator, Paul Doyle, acted alone and with intent, evading traffic management arrangements and is solely responsible for his actions.
This report presents a positive assessment of Liverpool City Council’s planning, management, and leadership of the 2025 LFC Victory Parade. Although the review makes clear that no large public event can ever be entirely without risk, it concludes that the measures in place for the LFC Victory Parade were robust and effective. The author emphasises that all events carry inherent risks by their very nature, but in this case, the planning, oversight and multi‑agency cooperation meant those risks were well managed throughout the day.
The report recognises the scale, complexity and unprecedented attendance of the event, with an estimated 1.2 million people in attendance, and large numbers travelling nationally and internationally, yet concludes that the Council and its partners delivered an event that was well planned, professionally managed and ultimately safe, despite extremely challenging conditions.
The overwhelming majority of parade attendees behaved well and enjoyed a celebratory day; many families described it as one of the best days of their lives. The report suggests that the behaviour of a small minority reflected broader national and global trends in post-Covid crowd dynamics. In this instance, the behaviour included climbing at height, pushing through barriers, and the widespread use of smoke devices and flares. The report emphasises that these issues are not unique to Liverpool or to football.
Stuart’s central message on whether a parade should be held in future is both clear and compelling:
“You could, you should, and I have no doubt you will do it again.”
Key Findings:
High-quality planning and documentation
Stuart praised the “high quality” of Liverpool City Council’s planning documentation, describing it as detailed, effective, and fully fit for purpose, and noting the scale of preparation, clear documentation, and well-developed contingency measures. The report highlights that the city’s extensive experience with major events – including Eurovision, The Giants, and previous parades – was evident in how the day was organised and managed.
Unprecedented crowd numbers created pressure points
The sheer scale of attendance led to significant crowd densities in parts of the route, placing pressure on crossing points, staff and infrastructure.
Strong multi-agency coordination
The review highlights exceptional partnership working between LCC, Merseyside Police, medical teams, security providers and the wider emergency services. Long-established relationships were pivotal in maintaining safety throughout the day.
Communications challenges
Noise levels and radio traffic volume meant some messages were not received on the ground, underscoring the need for dedicated channels and improved digital logging systems.
Professionalism under extreme pressure
Despite unprecedented attendance, significant noise, smoke, and multiple simultaneous incidents, event control and frontline teams demonstrated discipline, adaptability and effective communication. The report emphasises that agencies “worked extremely hard to keep people safe” and showed “honesty and professionalism” throughout.
Transport network pressures
Some rail hubs were overwhelmed during egress, despite additional services. Future planning should include earlier coordination with national rail operators and improved real-time monitoring.
Gaps in national legislation
Local authorities currently lack sufficient powers to address unsafe climbing, dangerous structures, and the open sale of pyrotechnics. National legislative reform is recommended.
Commitment to learning and improvement
The report is clear that Liverpool City Council not only embraces scrutiny but has a track record of sharing learning nationally. Stuart acknowledges the Council’s openness, its willingness to engage in detailed debriefing, and its determination to enhance planning for future large-scale events.
You can view the full report here and the FAQ’s below.
Why did Liverpool City Council commission an independent report?
Liverpool City Council has a long history of delivering events. We commissioned an independent review into the parade event planning process to provide actionable recommendations that enhance operational efficiency, mitigate risks, and improve the overall event success of any potential future Football Parades.
Why did you commission Gentian Events/Eric Stuart?
Eric Stuart, of Gentian Events, is an experienced event specialist who has delivered similar work internationally.
He has not worked substantively for the city council and does not seek work from the city council. This was important, as we wanted it to be independent.
More information about his work can be found here: www.gentianevents.com.
How much does the parade cost the council?
There was no cost to Liverpool City Council. LFC met all the council costs for the parade.
Who delivered the event?
LFC commissioned the council to deliver the event.
Did the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) review the event?
Yes. The Event Plan was presented to SAG on 7 May 2025 and was ratified by all parties.
Was there a formal joint agency planning process involving the Council, Police, and emergency services?
Yes. A series of bespoke planning meetings took place alongside Joint Agency Group (JAG) and Safety Advisory Group (SAG) meetings, in line with national practice for events of this scale. These meetings began in January 2025.
However, a significant amount of parade planning had taken place in 2024. This work, the debriefs and the learning from the 2019 & 2022 parades were all taken forward to produce the event plans.
Who are the Joint Agency Group?
The Joint Agency Group is made up of everyone who works on an event. Membership for each event can change from event to event, but for the parade there were representatives from Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Northwest Ambulance Service, NHS Trust, Cheshire and Merseyside National Health Service, Merseytravel, Liverpool City Council, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, and Liverpool Football Club, as well as all of the support services such as the private medical team, site team, security team, independent safety officers, traffic management teams, cleansing teams, pyrotechnics etc.
Did you anticipate the volume of people who attended?
The report concluded that the numbers attending this parade were unprecedented and could not have been anticipated. Given the burgeoning popularity of the Club and the timing of the event, we planned for a significant uplift in attendees compared to the 2022 parade. It was reasonable to expect 30% more attendees; plans were implemented with that number in mind.
What things did you change after the last parade(s)?
The debrief process after each parade helps identify changes that will improve future parades. For example, for the 2025 parade, we used drones to track the route and increased operational resources by approximately 30%.
Were any recommendations disregarded for the 2025 parade?
No. All recommendations from previous event debriefs were implemented.
Why doesn’t the parade go around St George’s Hall plateau anymore?
St George’s Hall in 2005 had an exceedingly high density of attendees and would not be able to facilitate the increased numbers we have seen since.
Due to the significant numbers viewing the parade, we no longer have a static focal point and instead have a 15.6 km-long route around the city to provide significant viewing space so as many people as possible can get a good vantage point.
Was the event subject to national guidance, such as Martyn’s Law?
The parade was designated a mass gathering/crowded place, and all relevant national guidance was followed, including the Purple Guide, the industry standard for outdoor events.
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (“Martyn’s Law”) is not yet in force, as required regulations and statutory guidance have not been issued. Additionally, the Act would not apply to this parade, as it was non-ticketed and held on a public highway, rather than within a qualifying premise.
However, while the legislation is not applicable, the principles underpinning Martyn’s Law, placing public safety at the heart of event planning, were fully embedded in the approach taken.
Were rehearsals or exercises held?
Yes. A multi-agency tabletop exercise was held on 12 May 2025, attended by senior representatives from all key organisations involved in delivering the parade.
How long is the parade, and how does it compare to other football parades?
The parade route measured 15.6 km from Mather Avenue to its end on Wapping at its junction with Blundell Street. We believe this is the largest footprint of any club football parade.
What did the traffic management plan consist of?
The Traffic Management Plan comprised a sequence of hard and soft road closures and traffic diversions, as well as road closure signage, traffic cones, traffic stewards, traffic personnel accredited through the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS), and traffic management vehicles, which were further supported by police vehicles at some key junctions when available.
Road closures are determined by the Traffic Management Plan and are put in place when safety, crowd movement, or operational needs require them. They are lifted once the area is safe to reopen.
How were the plans monitored?
They were monitored and supported in the Joint Control Centre through the extensive use of CCTV, drones, and radio communications. LFC also provided a live feed into the control room from their helicopter, alongside body-worn cameras and vehicle cameras.
Was Dale Street part of the plan?
Dale Street, although not on the actual parade route, was part of the wider city plan.
Why wasn’t it closed?
Dale Street has never been fully closed for parades, as it is not on the parade route and is a major route to keep traffic moving through the city centre. It is approximately 800m long to its junction with Water Street and is a key arterial route for public transport.
Robust traffic management was in place, which ensured the junction with Exchange Street East was closed, with traffic diverted up to Tithebarn Street, with access also open to North John Street. This enabled people to exit the city centre and allowed the flow of public transport to get people home from the parade.
Was Water Street closed?
Water Street (where the incident happened) was fully closed along its 300m length, with hard and soft road closures and traffic diversions, including a 3.5-tonne mobile Heavy Vehicle
Mitigation traffic management vehicle.
Water Street was a red route for emergency vehicles only. Feeder roads into Water Street were all closed to traffic and staffed by stewards and traffic management infrastructure to enable the crowds to filter out when the event finished.
How did Paul Doyle get through?
As was clear from the testimony at his trial, Paul Doyle drove with criminal intent, ignoring traffic management and taking advantage of routes which had been cleared temporarily to enable emergency vehicles to pass through.
The cornerstone of any traffic management plan is lawful compliance by motorists. Paul Doyle drove with intent past all road closures and followed an ambulance which was responding to an emergency incident. He pleaded guilty to all offences he was charged with and was sentenced in December 2025.
What was the response time to the incident?
The response from the emergency services, supported by staff and suppliers of the parade, as well as some members of the public, was immediate. This was due to the bravery and commitment of all those involved and the robust planning for the event, which enabled a high presence of emergency service personnel positioned to respond to incidents rapidly.
Do flares and smoke bombs have restrictions?
Flares and smoke bombs are not the same. Flares burn with an open flame and pose a significant fire and safety risk, while smoke bombs create coloured smoke that can impact visibility, crowd safety, and individuals with respiratory conditions. However, both flares and smoke bombs are prohibited at events, and for future parades our communications plan will reinforce why neither can be used safely in large crowds.
Will transport be looked at for future parades?
This year’s parade saw far higher attendance than in any previous parade. Bad weather and the Water Street incident meant large crowds tried to leave at the same time, further exacerbated by Liverpool ONE and Queens Square bus stations also having to close longer due to the sheer volume of people still in the area. Lime Street handled over 170,000 passengers, TransPennine had its busiest day ever, and Merseyrail deployed all 51 trains, carrying more than 140,000 passengers, with 23 extra trains added to support the egress.
For future events, planning will look at starting the parade earlier, improving real‑time messaging on waiting times, and managing queues more effectively to help people reach the right platforms.
Will there be another football parade?
We note the advice from Eric Stuart in his report that: “You could, you should, and I have no doubt you will do it again.”
Football parades are challenging. However, Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Football Club recognise wholeheartedly the historic and cultural importance of these celebrations. It would be wrong to let one man’s actions ruin an experience that is baked into the psyche of this city. We will therefore consider the recommendations from the report and, with our partners, work towards options for the future with both Premier League clubs.
Will fan groups be engaged with in future planning?
As part of our planning, we will engage with fan groups via the Club. This insight will help shape our communications approach and support targeted messaging to address known challenges, ensuring the event is better informed by fan perspectives.
Are you still confident about delivering events?
Absolutely. We have extraordinary partnerships in this city and have delivered major events of scale for the last 20 years. Since the parade, we have delivered several major events, including River of Light, Armed Forces Day, Pride, Service of Remembrance, the Christmas period, and Chinese New Year, and we have since been chosen as a host for the Tour de France Grand Départ 2027.
We firmly believe that Liverpool remains the best city in the UK for the hosting of major events, with strong and effective partnerships, policies, and expertise in place. All major events are an opportunity for learning and help to make the next major event even more successful.
What happens now?
We will share this report with central government, as some of the challenges and issues we faced will be similar in other areas if their local club wins a national competition or a national team wins an international competition. We will also share with other cities.
What could be changed as a result of this report?
Within the independent review, Eric Stuart noted:
- There was high-quality, detailed and effective planning with clear documentation.
- The traffic management plan and event documents were comprehensive and easily understood.
- There were well-developed contingency measures which reflected the scale of preparation.
Social media (up until the parade finished at 6 pm) was overwhelmingly positive, with those attending having a fantastic time. - Planning was thorough and complete, and the numbers who attended could not have been anticipated other than by those with remarkable hindsight.
- Partner and agency relationships are ones of great trust and professionalism harnessed over many years of collaborative working on events.
- Interviews showed great honesty, transparency, and professionalism.
- Gaps in national legislation – Local authorities currently lack sufficient powers to tackle unsafe climbing, dangerous structures, and the open sale of pyrotechnics.
- National legislative reform is recommended.
Eric Stuart recommends:
- The parade is to take place earlier in the day, where possible, to enable a slower egress for public transport.
- Strategic intelligence gathered from hotels, transport providers, and airlines to inform and understand projected numbers more fully.
- Harder and stronger messaging regarding climbing at height.
- Consideration as to whether there are any statutory or discretionary powers to limit off-sales of glass/alcohol from supermarkets/shops or delivery of alcohol via scooters/e-bikes during future football parades, recognising the need to balance public safety with existing licensing frameworks.
- Explore digital efficiencies to support the Event Control log.
- Key personnel on the ground to wear Air Tags/tracking devices to enable Event Control to quickly locate them if visibility is reduced or crowd conditions make identification difficult.
Several recommendations can only be delivered by the national government; they are:
- Banning flares in open spaces.
- Control over scaffolding and the ability to compel building owners to take legal responsibility.
The Leader of Liverpool City Council, Cllr Liam Robinson, has written to the Home Secretary to highlight these recommendations and to ask that they be considered by the government.
Need futher support?
We recognise that the incident on Water Street on 26 May 2025, continues to have a lasting emotional, psychological and physical impact on many individuals, including families, children, and witnesses who experienced this first hand. If you have been affected by what has happened, please visit kindtoyourmindliverpool.co.uk where there are a range of advice and support tools.
