Blackpool Tramway to start running again Sunday 19th July

After 112 days of no trams running in Blackpool (except for engineering trips and some familiarisation runs) it has been announced that a reduced timetable will run again from Sunday 19th July. This will just be the core Flexity service for now but is hopefully the sign of an improved service to come for all trams on the Fylde Coast.

A tram service last ran in Blackpool on Saturday 28th March after which time it was suspended with any intending passengers advised to catch the no. 1 Prom Bus instead. With passenger numbers falling to record lows on public transport across Blackpool at that time it wasn’t a problem for social distancing on the buses but with passenger numbers increasing, as well as the “reopening” of Blackpool for visitors the time is now for the trams to return to service.

The full timetable which will operate hasn’t been announced yet but it will be at a 20 minute frequency with last trams around 1930. There will also be extra safety measures in place and changes to the number of seats on board, as well as how board and pay for your ticket, but these will be advised closer to the date of reopening.

With government advice remaining only travel if totally necessary it isn’t clear who this service will be aimed at. It would probably be fair to say that a trip along the Prom to go to the Pleasure Beach can’t be considered an essential journey! But by then there may have been further changes to government advice.

At this stage only the Flexity service will resume with Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours not yet in a position to run again. There would never have been a scenario where the heritage service returned before the core service so this news can at least be seen as a step to return for the heritage trams. When any updates on Heritage Tram Tours returning to action are announced we will bring them to you on British Trams Online.

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