Very badly managed and organised. I was there on Sunday, and will be there most Friday nights/Sundays travelling back from London and back to London. It was bordering on dangerous by 2.15, with another 25 minutes till the train was due, a huge crowd of people waiting for the London train, as expected, but no barriers put in place, so everyone trying to surge to the front, in the end there was about 7 ques of people, and then when they let us down onto the platform everyone tries to run down and push there way down the steps at once.
There was plenty of room in the room before the platforms 1-4, if they want to crowd manage, do some tape, get people zig zagging around the tape, you'd fit 300-500 people like that. Then first come, first serve.
Signage is shocking to, it wasn't to bad around the Merseyrail bit. But as soon as people got of the London train, people looked totally lost, nobody knew where to go, so it probably took a good 20-25 minutes to clear a train that would normally clear in 2 minutes. The signage around platform 1-4, and lack of screens showing people whats leaving from what platform was shocking.
They've had months to plan for this like everybody says, but unfortunately they've totally messed it up. If it were me, I'd have huge temporary screens at the bottom of the Platforms listing which train is departing which platform, that way passengers changing for different trains know immediately where there going.
Oh whilst I think about it, the merseyrail bit - I reckon there were 2-300 people ready to get on the train from South parkway back to Liverpool/Southport. The problem is, how are people meant to get of the train, with big suitcases, when the platform is full? It was ridiculous, and again bordering on dangerous, as the 2-300 people surged forward to try nab a seat on the train, whilst people were still getting off, and there was no where for people to go, and about 2 staff members trying to control the surge forwards to allow passengers with huge suitcases to get through, it didn't work, so passengers who had got of, were left standing in between doors, whilst people got onto the train. Basically if you think you could rush across from Merseyrail to platforms 1-4 - you'll be badly mistaken, it easily took me 20 minutes.
If you are travelling merseyrail ensure you go for carriages 1-2 (Nearest to the drivers door) as this is where the steps are up.