Liverpool and Manchester City fans to be given 100 free buses for Wembley FA Cup semi-final | Football News

The FA will provide 100 free buses for Liverpool and Manchester City fans travelling to Wembley for their FA Cup semi-final.

There have been calls from fans the mayors of both cities to move the game as there are no direct trains to London from the North West on Easter Weekend due to pre-planned engineering works.

To help with travel arrangements, the FA will provide up to 5,000 Liverpool and Manchester City fans with free travel to London for the game, which takes place on Saturday April 16.

Supporters travelling to watch Man City against West Ham in the Women’s FA Cup semi-final on the same date at Chigwell Construction Stadium, east London, will also be provided with “a number of free return bus services”.

An FA statement read: “The FA is pleased to announce that a limited number of free return bus services will be provided for both the Emirates FA Cup and Vitality Women’s FA Cup Semi Finals involving Liverpool and Manchester City on Saturday 16 April to support fans from the North West who wish to travel to and from London.

“The FA will charter 100 buses from Anfield and the Etihad Stadium respectively to Wembley Stadium and back. This will ensure that up to 5,000 Liverpool and Manchester City supporters will be able to travel to Wembley Stadium free of charge for their Semi Final tie.

“In addition, The FA is working with its partners at National Highways to ensure that the road networks are running as efficiently as possible over the Easter period. Hundreds of miles of unessential roadworks will be put on hold to help supporters enjoy the occasion and enhance their journeys, and these motorists are encouraged to make sure that their vehicles are roadworthy before setting off.”

FA rejects calls for venue change

The FA has rejected calls from two prominent North West politicians for the FA Cup semi-final between Manchester City and Liverpool to be moved away from Wembley.

Supporters groups from both clubs have complained about having to travel to London for the last-four clash over the Easter weekend.

Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram, the mayors of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool city region respectively, wrote a joint letter to the FA earlier this week calling for a rethink and offered to help facilitate a venue change. They say fans have been put in “an unfair position” facing “excessive cost and inconvenience”.

The letter read: “Without quick, direct trains, many people will be left with no option but to drive, fly, make overly complex rail journeys or book overnight accommodation.

“When you factor in the rising costs of fuel, it is clear that supporters of both clubs attending this game will face excessive cost and inconvenience – and that is before any environmental impact is considered.

“There are also significant logistical and safety considerations. With thousands of fans making the long journey south, there will be huge numbers converging on the M6, which is likely to be stretched to capacity by bank holiday traffic. A single accident would risk the entire motorway being brought to a standstill and fans missing the kick-off.

“Over the last year, we have heard the slogan ‘football without fans is nothing’ many times. If this decision is left to stand, and people are either priced out of this game or unable to attend for other reasons, those words will be meaningless to many.

“We believe the most obvious solution is to move the game to a more accessible stadium and offer to work constructively with you to make that happen.”