Four Years in the making - new trams for old

New Blackpool to Fleetwood tramway launched

Blackpool’s new tramway has officially opened today.

The four year project to replace 11km of track, create a new state-of-the-art depot and introduce 16 new trams is set to launch after a £100 million investment. Funding came from Department for Transport, Blackpool Council, Lancashire County Council and INTERREG IVB North West Europe Programme.

Transport Minister Norman Baker MP officially cut the ribbon to mark the tramway open before 40 lucky ‘golden ticket’ competition winners boarded for the first passenger journey to Fleetwood.

The first passenger journey set off from the Blackpool Tower tram stop, accompanied by a tour guide and included a short stop at Cleveleys, before arriving at Fleetwood for a welcome party.

Norman Baker said: “Trams are good for passengers, good for the local economy and good for the local environment - and the travelling public enjoy using them.”

“Blackpool has a long and proud history of tram use, indeed its tramway is among the oldest in the world. We want to ensure that the future of tram use in the town is even brighter and that is why I was happy to give £68 million towards this fantastic project. Blackpool’s trams are absolutely on the right track.”

Cllr Fred Jackson, Blackpool Council Cabinet Member for Street and Transport, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that Blackpool’s iconic tram system has been saved. April 3 is such an important day in the town’s history, it’s the day Blackpool has a state-of-the-art tramway system for residents and visitors to use.

“The new trams are marvellous and offer residents so many more opportunities in terms of speed and accessibility. It’s now a viable mode of transport for people travelling to work, school or shopping.”

So Fred, we are all going to send our children to Rossall because that is the only school almost directly on a tram stop? We can then all go shopping in the Charity Shops in South Shore and Fleetwood, unless we bum a ride into Preston where there are some decent boutiques and retail outlets.  Or do we revert to the Tinter Net? Or go to Trafford Park or Bolton?  

As for workplaces!?!?  Where is there a reasonably sized employer anywhere near this wonderful mode of transport that has 50% of its territory swamped in brine?  Are you providing ‘passes’ for the over-aged cockles and disabled shrimps?  Perhaps the occasional flounder can crawl up the beach and have a dab, under a mackerel sky, of touring the delights of North Fylde.  Not even a Fisherman’s Friend to be seen on this route.

County Councillor Tim Ashton, Lancashire County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: "The new Blackpool to Fleetwood tramway is a world class transport system and a great tribute to everyone who shared our vision to replace what was fast becoming an obsolete system with a tramway fit for the future.

"We've realised an opportunity to invest in a tramway which will do as much to boost regeneration by improving our residents' commuting and travel options as it will to support existing traders and grow tourism.”

So where is the link to the railways or even more useful, a loop round the coast to Preston and some of the outlying villages?  Blackpool North is expected to close for a year and all train services will follow the cattle wagon route into single lined South.  Blackpool will become more dependant on the motorcar and fewer visitors will return to the shambollick transport system we have endured for years.

The passenger trams will open to the public from Wednesday 4 April. Passengers will have the chance to explore 11 miles of coastline on Blackpool’s new trams, which are set to enhance the resort and improve transport links.

Blackpool’s new trams have been built by Bombardier in Germany. The 16 ‘Flexity 2’ lowfloor articulated trams are 32 metres long and split into 5 sections, seating 74 passengers with space for wheelchairs and pushchairs and standing room for 150.

The new trams will not only be more comfortable, they will also speed up journey times with a more efficient acceleration rate, which could help to reduce some journey times by up to 15 minutes.

And just like in the centre of Blackpool, a nightmare and so unwelcoming to those in wheel-chairs!  How does the average wheelchair user get directly to this wonderful service, especially in South Shore where the trams are protected by a long railway line?  Ah!  Yes.  On the bus!  So somewhere they have to get off a bus, cross a particularly dangerous road and wait for a tram that could or could not be full?  I wonder who tested all these problems?  Definitely not a disabled member with brains.  And as an aside, what happens to this wonderful service in winter when there's a high sea, the rain and sleet is pouring down and it is howling a gale?  Has anyone ever in winter, after dark, in a typical refreshing evening, counted the number of passengers on this service route?

In addition to the 16 new Bombardier trams that will be running on the tracks people will still have a chance to enjoy the heritage trams.

Heritage tours will commence on Good Friday and initially operate every weekend and Bank Holidays until the school summer holiday at which point they will operate daily.

More important, how far behind schedule is this mess?  How many businesses in Blackpool and Fleetwood have gone bust because of the disastrous transport maintenance scheme or have thrown in the towel and moved to other places?  Lord Street has been HELL for many small businesses, yet I hear not a word of comfort from Councillors who have not the slightest notion of how to conduct enterprise with their own money.  They are wonderful at wasting public finances!  Ineptocracy, now where have I read that? (All in green taken from the official Blackpool Borough website)