Blackpool Trams News

[JD2168]

Looking at visitors to Blackpool from Greater Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham and the West Midlands, the novelty of a tram ride will not hold much sway these days.

True, my main interest when I see the Trams in Blackpool is when the Heritage Trams run along the route.

 

[davehsug]

True, my main interest when I see the Trams in Blackpool is when the Heritage Trams run along the route.

Maybe, but a tram is a tram at the end of the day and still infinitely preferable to any other urban transport. I'm probably a bit sad, but I still regard central Manchester as a wonderland these days!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Maybe, but a tram is a tram at the end of the day and still infinitely preferable to any other urban transport. I'm probably a bit sad, but I still regard central Manchester as a wonderland these days!

With all the Metrolink problems that surfaced in 2024, I have heard different words to "wonderland" used to describe that particular tram operation...

 

[davehsug]

With all the Metrolink problems that surfaced in 2024, I have heard different words to "wonderland" used to describe that particular tram operation...

Of course. I speak as ony an occasional visitor & passenger.

 

[Ant158]

Looking at visitors to Blackpool from Greater Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham and the West Midlands, the novelty of a tram ride will not hold much sway these days.

A novelty maybe not, but visitors from these places with more frequent, turn up and go trams in most cases, will want to use the tramway in Blackpool for practical reasons, such as not having to walk from the hotels to the Pleasure Beach with kids in tow. There is still the novelty factor of the heritage trams, especially the balloons as many remember these from their childhood trips to the resort.

 

[Harvey B]

Looking at visitors to Blackpool from Greater Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham and the West Midlands, the novelty of a tram ride will not hold much sway these days.

A novelty maybe not, but visitors from these places with more frequent, turn up and go trams in most cases, will want to use the tramway in Blackpool for practical reasons, such as not having to walk from the hotels to the Pleasure Beach with kids in tow. There is still the novelty factor of the heritage trams, especially the balloons as many remember these from their childhood trips to the resort.

Novelty or not. It still doesn't give BTS an excuse to be running a less than Adequete service of a half hour frequency in the middle of the summer Holidays.

A flat 15 minute service which serves all stops would the most ideal giving the current situation of Limited Budgets & Limited Staff.

Is there anything preventing them from introducing a flat 15 minute Service going between all stops? If so, Why can't they temporarlily mothball the diversion to North Station, or the Street Section in Fleetwood?

 

[Tramfan]

Timetable for the illuminations is now up on the Blackpool Transport website

Tram - Fleetwood to Starr Gate

Timetable for Tram - Fleetwood to Starr Gate

www.blackpooltransport.com

Some positives - appears that the service is amended during the day so that all services are diverted via North Station.

The frequency increases to every 10 mins in the evening between Starr Gate and Little Bispham.

Some negatives - the split T1, 2, 3 service still operates first thing. The first arrival at North Station from Fleetwood is the same time as now. The first arrival at North Station on weekdays is now 1 hour later, and North Station isn't served at all after about 7pm.

Also, some of the running times are all over the place - the little Bispham trams in the evening get 1 minute to get from Tower to Pleasant Street. There are still some random large gaps in places, such as 2 20 minute gaps southbound just at the time all the North shore hotels spill out in the morning.

Overall, I'd say it definitely looks like an improvement over the current one, and I'm pleased to see a 10 min evening frequency. I also think it will help having double the frequency from North Station going each way - the current 30 min service isn't exactly a good advert for the new extension, and I've seen people turn up then walk away upon hearing how long they have to wait.

Hopefully this proves to be more successful and can be built upon next year.

 

[Harvey B]

Some positives - appears that the service is amended during the day so that all services are diverted via North Station.

An excellent change. But Why have they waited until until the Illuminations starting to bring in? Why couldn't they have kept a 15 min through frequency in place when the extension opened?

The frequency increases to every 10 mins in the evening between Starr Gate and Little Bispham.

Another excellent change. Badly needed given how awful last years Illuminations timetable seemed

Some negatives - the split T1, 2, 3 service still operates first thing. The first arrival at North Station from Fleetwood is the same time as now. The first arrival at North Station on weekdays is now 1 hour later, and North Station isn't served at all after about 7pm.

I wonder why they're running t2s and t3s up until 9am?
I think it makes sense for NS to be mothballed in the evenings when everyone will want to go between stops on the prom.

Also looking at the southbound Fleetwood to Starr Gate Timetable, it seems as though North Pier will be skipped throughout the day. Does anyone know why? If it's to make up time, etc, It probably seems the most logical thing to do

Overall, I'd say it definitely looks like an improvement over the current one, and I'm pleased to see a 10 min evening frequency. I also think it will help having double the frequency from North Station going each way - the current 30 min service isn't exactly a good advert for the new extension, and I've seen people turn up then walk away upon hearing how long they have to wait.

I do agree. Overall, the Illuminations timetable is an excellent first step. It's just a shame that they couldn't have brought back a 15 min frequency for the start of the summer hols (or better still, keeping the 15 min frequency and not getting rid in favour of the silly split timetable). Hopefully the 15 min daytime frequency is back and here to stay permanently. I don't think it'd be a wise move to revert to the T1,2,3 frequency afterwards

It also appears that this timetable is in effect from the Sunday but not the Saturday? Does anyone know why?

 

[Tramfan]

Also looking at the southbound Fleetwood to Starr Gate Timetable, it seems as though North Pier will be skipped throughout the day. Does anyone know why? If it's to make up time, etc, It probably seems the most logical thing to do

I assume (hope) that it's an error, can't see them not stopping at what must be one of the busiest stops on the system - in recent years they've actually had security guards limiting the number of people on the platform at once, and making everyone queue to get on.

 

[JD2168]

Much better to see an increase in frequency for the Illuminations. All journeys via Train Station is better than now & gives a better overall service than at present.

 

[Harvey B]

Much better to see an increase in frequency for the Illuminations. All journeys via Train Station is better than now & gives a better overall service than at present.

Seems ridiculous as to why they even got rid of it in the first place. They should have never gone for the T1,2,3 timetable

 

[totally]

An excellent change. But Why have they waited until until the Illuminations starting to bring in? Why couldn't they have kept a 15 min through frequency in place when the extension opened?

Another excellent change. Badly needed given how awful last years Illuminations timetable seemed

I wonder why they're running t2s and t3s up until 9am?
I think it makes sense for NS to be mothballed in the evenings when everyone will want to go between stops on the prom.

Also looking at the southbound Fleetwood to Starr Gate Timetable, it seems as though North Pier will be skipped throughout the day. Does anyone know why? If it's to make up time, etc, It probably seems the most logical thing to do

I do agree. Overall, the Illuminations timetable is an excellent first step. It's just a shame that they couldn't have brought back a 15 min frequency for the start of the summer hols (or better still, keeping the 15 min frequency and not getting rid in favour of the silly split timetable). Hopefully the 15 min daytime frequency is back and here to stay permanently. I don't think it'd be a wise move to revert to the T1,2,3 frequency afterwards

It also appears that this timetable is in effect from the Sunday but not the Saturday? Does anyone know why?

It is usual practice for any Blackpool Transport Timetable changes to take place on a Sunday. There are a number of bus route changes taking place on Sunday 1st September. Thus I suspect that whoever has done the inputting has not read their own notice that the tram timetable changes should take place from Saturday 31st August!
Overall these changes are positive although I still cannot understand why there is no service from Fleetwood Cleveleys and Bispham to the station before a 9.15am arrival. . It is disappointing that there is to be no evening service after 7pm from Blackpool North. Walking to the promenade in the evening is exactly what I would not wish to do, to that extent much of the point of the extension as a means of regular transport for those who live near the route is negated. Still I'm sure taxi drivers will be pleased.

 

[Harvey B]

It is disappointing that there is to be no evening service after 7pm from Blackpool North.

The change isn't permanent, It'll only last until the end of the Traditional Illuminations Season (Until the end of October half Term when the Illuminations used to end before they got extended in recent years) and it should return to normal come November. The majority of Illumination punters won't want to be diverted by North Station, although I question why they couldn't just simply run an evening shuttle between Manchester Square/central Pier and North Station

 

[philthetube]

I have seen a couple of tram replacement buses about recently, when the tramway is open.

Does anyone know if these were extras to cope with demand, or replacing cancelled services.

 

[splashoutradio]

There have been a number of bustitutions due to resourcing issues, lately. Blackpool Transport are very good at publishing them online and on thier socials, but if course, that requires passengers to have access and regularly check for updates.

Here are today's alterations: https://www.blackpooltransport.com/service-updates#7243d763-8c30-4a72-9864-b35c62724c86

 

[davehsug]

I did notice on of the reserve fleet running on the webcam this afternoon, had Tower on the blind.

 

[Harvey B]

I did notice on of the reserve fleet running on the webcam this afternoon, had Tower on the blind.

That's be Tram 718 running between Starr Gate and Tower Northbound, and North Pier and Starr Gate Southbound.

The current timetable thats been in place since the opening of the extention to North Station has created a 25 minute Gap where there's no trams at all between North Pier (Southbound) and Starr Gate.

Without this, anyone waiting at Tower would be waiting up to 25 minutes for a Tram to take them to the Pleasure Beach

 

[ValleyLines142]

Folks, made a complaint about two months about a conductor who was very abusive/threatening towards me and my family, made a complaint and hadn't heard anything, chased it up a month later and they said they'd chase it up but still haven't heard anything. What's my next steps? I'm going to assume Rail Ombudsman won't cover light rail?

 

[Towers]

Folks, made a complaint about two months about a conductor who was very abusive/threatening towards me and my family, made a complaint and hadn't heard anything, chased it up a month later and they said they'd chase it up but still haven't heard anything. What's my next steps? I'm going to assume Rail Ombudsman won't cover light rail?

Realistically, very little. BT will do whatever it is they do or don’t do with your complaint, and that’ll be about it.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Realistically, very little. BT will do whatever it is they do or don’t do with your complaint, and that’ll be about it.

I'll chase further. Thank you anyway

 

[Towers]

I'll chase further. Thank you anyway

Fingers crossed for something constructive

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I'll chase further. Thank you anyway

Check your DMs...

 

[ValleyLines142]

Check your DMs...

Yes, I have seen. Many thanks!

 

[cool110]

The council have published a press release about the first 100 days of the Holiday Inn, including usage figures for the North Station stop.

The hotel sits above an improved underpass connecting passengers from Blackpool North train station with a new tram stop and extension connecting to the Blackpool tramway along the Promenade. Since opening in June 2024, over 80,000 trips have started or ended at the new tram stop.

 

[Harvey B]

The council have published a press release about the first 100 days of the Holiday Inn, including usage figures for the North Station stop.

So the extension is popular then? Thats going to be surprising to those who have doubted it

 

[Howardh]

So the extension is popular then? Thats going to be surprising to those who have doubted it

My thoughts were it would be popular if the frequency of service was good enough. Thinking why wait 15-20 mins when you could walk to the prom and get one there quicker? Is there anywhere to sit/shelter other than the train station itself - and is there any indication on the station that a tram is due??

If frequency is limited, is there an opening for heritage trams to start from there?

 

[Tramfan]

My thoughts were it would be popular if the frequency of service was good enough. Thinking why wait 15-20 mins when you could walk to the prom and get one there quicker? Is there anywhere to sit/shelter other than the train station itself - and is there any indication on the station that a tram is due??

If frequency is limited, is there an opening for heritage trams to start from there?

Yeah I agree that having an increased frequency should help increase numbers more - there will be a departure every 15 mins north and south from next weekend as all services are going to be diverting there. This is therefore double the current frequency.

I really think they need to adjust the timetable to facilitate some arrivals at North Station from Fleetwood earlier than 09:10, as this is useless for anyone commuting.

Unfortunately, there is no live tram departure information anywhere, at any of the stops, or online/app. You used to be able to track the trams on the app/website, but they removed this a long time ago, stating something about finding something more reliable

 

[Howardh]

Yeah I agree that having an increased frequency should help increase numbers more - there will be a departure every 15 mins north and south from next weekend as all services are going to be diverting there. This is therefore double the current frequency.

I really think they need to adjust the timetable to facilitate some arrivals at North Station from Fleetwood earlier than 09:10, as this is useless for anyone commuting.

Unfortunately, there is no live tram departure information anywhere, at any of the stops, or online/app. You used to be able to track the trams on the app/website, but they removed this a long time ago, stating something about finding something more reliable

In this day and age I find that final point inexcusable! Surely there should be a priority of getting a "tram coming" screen at the major stops and the station?

 

[Tramfan]

In this day and age I find that final point inexcusable! Surely there should be a priority of getting a "tram coming" screen at the major stops and the station?

Completely agree! Twofold really, that the technology exists and that in this day and age, people expect to be able to access information such as this immediately.

 

[cool110]

Surely there should be a priority of getting a "tram coming" screen at the major stops and the station?

As has been said here before, last time they put a tender out for one they go no bids. No one makes one that's suitable for harsh environment of the seafront.