Blackpool Council have confirmed that a new tramstop will be built at Norbreck North following an extensive campaign by local residents following the removal of a stop at this location as part of the upgrade of the tramway. Local residents and councillors had claimed that the removal of this stop caused them great inconvenience as there was a 1km gap between stops at Norbreck and Little Bispham.
Initially Blackpool Council had said they had no plans to reinstate the stop but would review it at a later date and it appears that the review has now taken place. The new stop is due to be constructed over the winter and is due to be in place by Easter 2016.
The major campaign to reinstate the stop has been led by local ward councillors, Maxine and Peter Callow, who had given £25,000 from their budget to campaign and they are now delighted they have been victorious. Speaking in the Blackpool Gazette, Cllr Maxine Callow, said: “We are absolutely delighted with this good news. We have been told the stop will be reinstated before Easter next year. The people in the area, along with councillors, have been lobbying for over four years for the reinstatement of this tram stop, and it will mean a lot to the people living round there. There are a lot of elderly people and people with young children who have had to walk a long way to get a tram. When the weather is bad or they have shopping, it has been very inconvenient.”
Further details – such as the cost (which will not only include the physical cost of building the stop but also having to reprint all maps etc.) and location of the new stop – will in all probability be released in due course but for now it can be confirmed that Norbreck North will once again be the map for the Blackpool Tramway.
Yes, it’s good to hear that Norbreck tram-stop will return, but what we desperately want is for the Council to withdraw its collective digit and get the station extension under way. For it to take all this time is a tribute to British bureaucracy, lack of drive and incompetence.
Did they not do a survey of stops and removed the little used ones? Am I the only one who wonders just how many of these hordes of people will actually use it? The current distance is hardly a crisis – I’ve walked much further abroad where stops are nowhere near as close as in the UK. Most new UK systems aren’t that close either!
This of course opens up the minefield question of when is a tramway not a tramway.As far as I know Blackpool is stop by request.So if there is nobody wishing to board or alight at the new stop then there is no loss to the timetable.
Whereas with the metrolink system was initially a light rail system but is now classed as a tramway.Yet they stop at every stop even if there is nobody boarding or alighting.I know 1km doesn’t seem that far so you could say that the farthest they have to walk is half a Km.But not everybody lives on the sea front,so might have to walk half a mile just to get to the sea front then walk down to little bispham.That is a long way for somebody with a dodgy hip or knees.
Err What side roads off the prom at Norbreck North?? There aren’t any. Which may have a bearing on the very low useage on the old system. Side roads only resume at Little Bispham. As for it being a request stop not delaying the service somebody is assuming the drivers must have incredible eyesight and Extra Sensory Perception to be certain there is no waiting passenger in the shelter or leaning on the far side of the lamp post etc.etc. far enough away to pass at line speed. Also where there is an added stop it adds a pedestrian crossing which can only be approached at a restricted speed “in case”. Please it’s obvious! I am saddened that there is a need to remind enthusiasts who read this site of such basic truths.
Why does everybody have to take a bit of light hearted comments so seriously.I was just generalising on the situation and trying to create a bit of interest to the subject.The local residents seem to think there is a need to reinstate the stop.I have only ridden on the new blackpool trams a couple of times.The first time I made the mistake of not indicating that I wished to alight at the next stop.By the way thanks for the lecture on driving a tram.
There has long been a ginnel, (narrow passageway, for non northerners!) which allows pedestrian access from a large housing estate behind the promenade properties, which exits onto the prom directly opposite the old Norbreck North tram stop, as well as a signal controlled pedestrian crossing to facilitate safe crossing of the carriageway. Whether the new stop will see more use than the previous one remains to be seen.
Having looked at sattelite mapping, there are no side roads on this section of tramway, and i suggest most people heading to the tram would use those stops closest to where they come on to the main road. Very few houses actually on the sea front road that would make a stop cost effective, compared to those house behind and more accessible from existing stops.
With regard to the elderly and those with disabilities living in the few sea front houses, would they really use the tram, or use a taxi or car? And those coming from behind would definitely use car, bus or nearest existing stops.
With regard to driving trams, been there and done that at speeds up to and at 50mph and still managed to serve request stops when requested to, or when i had seen someone at the stop. A straight line such as the B&F should pose no problem for a tram driver paying proper attention, nor should a pedestrian crossing.
Reading these comments of the proposed Norbreck tram stop,I would also like to add to the fact that this campaign to re.instate the stop has been going on for quite some time.From the early 60s,there has been a public right of way between the promenade houses.I remember in the past locals getting on or off the trams at this point.I also happen to remember Trams full of visitors on their way to Fleetwood market leaving locals waiting,and waiting.This announcement to re.instate the tram stop has been spear_headed by many residents and with the introduction of their free tram and bus passes,the whole thing will be a blessing.That stretch of promenade can be extremely cold and windy in the middle of winter,esp when having to carry the “Aldi” and “Lidle” shopping bags.I don’t think that adding the old tram stop is going jeopardize the Blackpool tram system.
The thing hat puzzles me is that despite new modern trams, new permanent way and the elimination of about 15 stops the new service is no fat than the old one. 59 minutes end to end as opposed to I think it was 63 minutes when the old system closed, although at one time it was abou 55 minutes about 15 years ago.
Should read no faster than the old one, although it could be argued that the Flexities are ‘fatter’ than the traditional cars!