Although we aren’t expecting any real progress on trams returning to Blackpool North Railway Station on the Blackpool Tramway until at least next spring, there is still work ongoing around the new tram terminus. As well as the hotel, contractors are continuing to work on pedestrian access from the railway station and that’s where our latest photo from the scene comes from.
Pedestrian access from Blackpool North will be provided via a subway whilst there will also be access from road level with a ramp and stairs leading down to the level of not only the tram terminus but also the hotel and restaurant.
And speaking of the hotel, photos have recently been released of the first completed bedrooms at the Holiday Inn with fitting out of the structure now starting to see real progress. It is also now possible to book a room to stay there from next June. The statement released at the same time does note that rooms may be available earlier than this and if they are details will be released in due course.
No official word on the tramway extension opening but spring 2024 has been mentioned in various places as a possibility. (But as we’ve been here several times before we won’t be definite on that until we see a tram running up Talbot Road again!)
A bright and sunny October day in Blackpool for this photo which shows the ramp and steps leading down to the level of the tram terminus. The subway is under the zebra crossing seen on the road to the left of this shot. (Photograph by Peter Dockerty, 25th October 2023)
A view of the subway with paving now in place. (Photograph by Peter Dockerty, 26th October 2023)
Pedestrian progress, then, as usual.
So, it seems to be a subway under a wing of the new hotel, then a pedestrian crossing across a busy and then another intimidating subway under another busy road. Plus quite a walk. Hardly a convenient tram-train interchange. Why did they not have the trams terminating right next to, or in front of, the station entrance? See East Croydon for how it should be done.
No second subway,only the one on the hotel site leading to the pedestrian crossing. Not too far to walk about 30 yards.
This is to support Max Hampson entirely in his assessment of the situation at Blackpool North station new tram terminus….except that the tram terminus isn’t at Blackpool North station but a good long walk for anyone carrying cases! Another British cock-up! Can’t we do ANYTHING sensibly these days? (See HS2 for answers.)
Whilst I would agree that the positioning of the terminus is not ideal what has to be borne in mind is that the area immediately in front of the station entrance is in Network Rail’s ownership and serves the combined roles of taxi rank, pick-up/drop-off zone and car park approach.
With you 100% on that. There is absolutely no way that the tramway terminus could be anywhere else. If it were to proceed up towards the Sainsbury store, there would be the problem of accessibility given the difference in height between Talbot Road and the Station entrance. If it were to proceed directly from where the current terminus is situated, besides the conflicting traffic issues outside the station, High Street would have to be permanently severed to allow for the height needed for trams to pass through.
The terminus could and should have been outside sainsburys. plenty of room, in view of intending passengers, little difference in height to current terminus and it would have had the option of carrying on to the hospital etc. It would also have been open long ago!
All I’m going to say is the original North Station route closed in the 1960’s because it was unecomomical and easier to run a few buses for the limited number of people who after a long train journey were prepared to stand and wait for yet more public transport. Why they think anything has changed is the great unknown of our time.
Tram to Marton anyone? 😉
The big difference between the old North Station route and the current extension is that in terms of potential the original route only really served destinations on the northern fringes of the town whereas the new route opens up potential journey possibilities both north and south.
Just to point out that a station tram terminus is supposed to be AT a station so that passengers do not have to drag luggage a long way. When one is spending a large amount of money to create a tram terminus from new AT/FOR A STATION, it seems logical that the said terminus should be AT the station. But, as I said, this is Britain not France or any of a number of other European countries.
In an ideal world the terminus would be right outside the station concourse like East Croydon but the ideal option isn’t always feasible. Blackpool Council examined several alternatives when planning the scheme but accessing the station front directly presented a number of problems including the loss of road access to the station. To be honest compared with walking distances at many so-called interchanges the distances here are not that great. Some commentators seem to totally ignore the practical difficulties of providing perfect solutions to real problems.
Steve why would it lose road access? You would lose the road which is currently closed as it would need a cutting but that’s all.
That subway will be full of vagrants & it will be used as a urinal by all and sundry leaving the various nightspots just meters away. Welcome to Blackpool!
PS how late is this extension?
Well said Jez, yes soon after the grand opening ceremony it will be an overnight halt for vagrants. The planners could have not designed a better structure for a place to Urinate or throw up on your way home from a night out in Blackpool. Well done Guys just what we need to greet our incoming visitors on the next day, piles of Carrots and Beer with puddles of Urine (or worse). BTW anyone tried to find a Public Toilet in the Town since about 1990?………………recipe for a fine old mess coming our way.