seasidersfan
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Absolutely. The summer service is every 10 mins and even that only uses 13 out of 18 trams.
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Blackpool Trams
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Sorry I was only looking at the winter timetable!
Clearly if there is demand then it would make sense to up the frequency, it just requires a bit of protectiveness.
Sam
DavidGrain
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This thread has gone quiet for the past six months. Can anyone give us an update on the work on the extension to North Station please. I am starting to think about planning a visit to Blackpool in the illuminations season this year. I presume the extension will still not be open then.
AngelicUpstart
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It's gone quiet because basically nothing is happening. The track is laid to Wilko's front door, final finishing work to pavements is going on. Nothing else will happen until Wilko's is demolished and rumours are rife that legal action is pending and going to delay that, so it could be years away. Totally typical of the ineptitude of Blackpool Council!
Apologies if it’s OT but do you know what the legal issues are?
AngelicUpstart
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Well for starters there are only rumours of legal actions, but if it's true it's almost certainly down to Wilko's agreed to vacate the site due to a new shop being built for them as an extension to the Hounds Hill Shopping Centre. They were initially due out last winter. However so far building work is conspicuous by it's absence.
Thanks, sounds like another fine mess on the horizon.
superkev
Established Member
Heads should roll at the council for what can only be described as a huge mess up.
Putting in the future noisy terminus in the middle of what I believe will be a hotel (if they manage to eventually demolish wilco) with a subway and steps to the station beyond must be the worst plan ever.
Why the track couldn't continue up Talbot road past Wilco to a terminus on the spare land next to the station is beyond comprehension
Someone ought to be sacked.
K
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Because that was supposed to become a new police station to replace Bonny Street.
Silver Cobra
Member
I did find it strange seeing tram tracks leading up to Wilko's front door when I last visited Blackpool 2 weeks ago (a year after my previous visit, when the tracks hadn't been laid along Talbot Road yet). I guessed that the intention was for Wilko to be demolished for the tracks to then continue towards Blackpool North station, which the plans in superkev's post confirm. With mentions of potential legal issues, clearly it's going to be quite a long while before this is all finished, if it will eventually be finished. Hopefully it won't become a white elephant.
seasidersfan
Member
It's getting on my nerves this situation. This link should be open by now and we should be talking about the next extensions to the tram system. Nowhere else would you have one shop get in the way of a multi million transport project. Why oh why can't Wilko be moved to one of the empty units in the town centre until the new complex is built. Latest council stance is work starts next year but I don't think they even know that for sure.
Meanwhile you have a route that despite only being in a relatively small area for light rail has been a big success and is begging to be linked up to more key areas (Lytham St Annes, South Fylde Line, Enterprise Zones, Fleetwood branch line, inland Blackpool etc) and this 500m link (albeit important) is being mismanaged so badly.
Meanwhile you have a route that despite only being in a relatively small area for light rail has been a big success and is begging to be linked up to more key areas (Lytham St Annes, South Fylde Line, Enterprise Zones, Fleetwood branch line, inland Blackpool etc) and this 500m link (albeit important) is being mismanaged so badly.
Mikey C
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Either way it's farcical that you'd go ahead and build 3/4 of the extension before demolishing the building necessary to complete the rest
Cliveblackpool
Member
This short spur to Blackpool's light rail represents very poor value for money atm.
As said the platform should be opposite Sainsburys / N Station.
Why build a terminus? all that is needed are platforms, with a double crossover past the platform, and track extended long enough to hold a tram on each track.
leaving possibility to extend to say Layton, and terminating eventually at one of the most popular all year round destinations - Victoria Hospital..... when funds allow.
The tram should have had one track on Springfield Rd, and the other on Talbot Rd and routed through the station yard - too late now.
The timetable for the new service could have problems, trams rammed from Prom effectively doing a 'tour de town!' People trying to board with luggage etc.
There is a real issue, when the service is at its peak, eg 'Switch on' weekend, festivals on Tower Headland - the service is terminated between Central Pier and North Pier.
Probably the best answer is to put the 'Switch on' etc back to Central car park, with a view to eventually create a huge covered arena on that site, maybe connected to South Station. The council atm is promoting a disappointing project on such a valuable site. 2 hotels, small multi storey car park, market, small flying theatre etc, which
could be placed on a good smaller sites.
As said the platform should be opposite Sainsburys / N Station.
Why build a terminus? all that is needed are platforms, with a double crossover past the platform, and track extended long enough to hold a tram on each track.
leaving possibility to extend to say Layton, and terminating eventually at one of the most popular all year round destinations - Victoria Hospital..... when funds allow.
The tram should have had one track on Springfield Rd, and the other on Talbot Rd and routed through the station yard - too late now.
The timetable for the new service could have problems, trams rammed from Prom effectively doing a 'tour de town!' People trying to board with luggage etc.
There is a real issue, when the service is at its peak, eg 'Switch on' weekend, festivals on Tower Headland - the service is terminated between Central Pier and North Pier.
Probably the best answer is to put the 'Switch on' etc back to Central car park, with a view to eventually create a huge covered arena on that site, maybe connected to South Station. The council atm is promoting a disappointing project on such a valuable site. 2 hotels, small multi storey car park, market, small flying theatre etc, which
could be placed on a good smaller sites.
LOL The Irony
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I also would like to see it there but they want to build a cop shop there.
seasidersfan
Member
*In theory* the terminus arrangement could be extended through the new underpass if it was widened to open up the possibility of extending further. Other option would be to create a branch down Topping Street to go further inland.
But agree it's not ideal and we shouldn't be talking about this link anymore.
But agree it's not ideal and we shouldn't be talking about this link anymore.
Cliveblackpool
Member
I haven't seen it mentioned on this forum re proposal Wyre Dock redevelopment plan, which has been in talks for some time.
With it there is a plan to 'upgrade' transport links in Wyre, Blackpool, Fylde, and beyond.
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/605c9d_a7ad44348d4d4a37b9def59d274cc8e2.pdf
https://www.tramtalk.co.uk/wyre-dock
https://www.wyredock.com/
With it there is a plan to 'upgrade' transport links in Wyre, Blackpool, Fylde, and beyond.
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/605c9d_a7ad44348d4d4a37b9def59d274cc8e2.pdf
https://www.tramtalk.co.uk/wyre-dock
https://www.wyredock.com/
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It's actually been delayed by Blackpool Council's sheer incompetence. Wilko's was promised a place in Houndshill shopping center that hasn't materialised, so of course they won't move. The waste ground between the Sainsbury's petrol station and BPN is supposed to become a police station, which as you can tell, also hasn't materialised.
This was supposed to be completed by either this spring or next spring (according to the original plan) but 2021 is a more likely date. This all reminds me of the cock-up that was Fleetwood during the renovation.
DavidGrain
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I have not previously been a fan of Integrated Transport Authorities but it seems to me that the Fylde is desperately in need of one. I have looked at the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership's development plan 2019-2020 and the only reference I can find about transport in the area is the statement that the Tramway Extension to North Station will be practically complete by May 2019 (my italics),
seasidersfan
Member
Absolutely. The Fylde Coast is essentially one continuous area and it makes little sense that transport decisions are split between two authorities.
Hence reluctance to push for the tramway link to South Fylde as it requires multiple authorities to work together, which they don't like to do most of the time. It just holds back progress.
Ah, well. That's to do with Fylde people wanting to be kept separate from Blackpool people.
No parliamentary constituency in the area has ever connected Blackpool with Lytham. Same foundation why. The border between Blackpool and St Annes must never be crossed!
Its horrific isnt it - they shouldve moved them into the old Argos but apparently the little footfall there is stopping htem from doing so.
All the council really seem to care about now is developing the business zone by the airport to create 'jobs' but with traffic there already horrendous itll only get worse - they shouldve gone from Star gate right up to the airport with the tram to try and get people out their cars too but they dont seem to have a transport plan at all - or one that is totally inept.
Cliveblackpool
Member
Agreed... but it's three authorities! - Wyre (Lancashire), Blackpool (Unitary authority) and Fylde (Lancashire).
No effort to extend tramway to St Annes, Pontins at Squire Gate is now being built on, which would have made an excellent transport hub, and widen the road for a tramway extension to St Annes.
Blackpool Council now support South Fylde railway needs a passing loop, for 2tph and to operate as a fast service to Preston & beyond.
If you wanted to know just how daft Blackpool Council are right now then check this
https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/...-months-in-height-of-tourist-season-1-9876457
Its utterly astonishing that they have decided to do this now rather than doing it when the tram extension works started and now have blocked off a one way street which kid of worked for the buses. Saw loads of cars going up there only to turn round by B& M when they finally saw the signs. They simply have no idea
https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/...-months-in-height-of-tourist-season-1-9876457
Its utterly astonishing that they have decided to do this now rather than doing it when the tram extension works started and now have blocked off a one way street which kid of worked for the buses. Saw loads of cars going up there only to turn round by B& M when they finally saw the signs. They simply have no idea
seasidersfan
Member
Was more referring to Blackpool Council and Lancashire County Council (since Fylde and Wyre are part of LCC and transport decisions fall on them).
Shame really, if you ask me the SFL will never reach its potential without some form of light rail connection. The stop locations and distribution are not optimal given the dense residential population and lack of connection to Blackpool Town Centre, problems which light rail could solve and with a much higher frequency than 2TPH.
Passing loop might be short term win but long term wasted potential if it precludes tramway links (say via Burlington Road). There's probably a way the two could be compatible so let's hope that happens.
seasidersfan
Member
Apparently next year the trams are going to be rebranded into a "Palladium" livery (grey and yellow) to match Blackpool Transport's new bus fleet.
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I never understood why they were painted in Blackpool Council's colours. Cream & green would've been better.
Certainly would. The Paladium livery is just really dull to start with. They should all look like OMO 5 in it's final livery, the greatest tram livery of all time!
If they’d painted the trams in the Blackpool Bus livery of the time, wouldn’t it have been that horrendous black and yellow scheme?
I’m not a big fan of Palladium either, I don’t think the bus fleet has been the same since they scrapped Metro Coastlines.
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