Sunday 10th November will be the next change to the timetable on the Blackpool Tramway as the Winter timetable is introduced. This marks another improvement in the tram service with the vast majority of services now running via North Station – including after 1900 each evening (as opposed to the current illuminations timetable which sees the extension not used post 1900 every day).
The timetable is a fairly simple affair and marks the end (at least for now) of the T2 and T3 services (the service which ran from Starr Gate and Fleetwood Ferry to North Station) with all but a few services in the early morning and late evening operating via North Station
The frequency is every 15 minutes throughout the day. All services are scheduled to run all the way from Starr Gate to Fleetwood Ferry with the intermediate Little Bispham service which has run during the illuminations not in operation. This does mean that Fleetwood has a much improved service in the evening as instead of just one tram every 30 minutes running that far all trams do so meaning the 15 minute frequency remains in place.
Monday to Friday the first tram from Starr Gate to Fleetwood Ferry is at 0500 and both this and the following tram at 0530 will run direct across North Pier junction, not going via North Station. All further departures will run to North Station though, starting from 0545. The 0545 is the first tram on a Saturday whilst Sunday starts off at 0645.
Going the other way and things kick off Monday to Friday at 0605 from Fleetwood Ferry and this will now give an early morning working from Fleetwood to North Station. Saturdays starts off at 0700 from Fleetwood with Sundays underway at 0800.
Another improvement is the overall journey times. Services going via North Station are given 70 minutes with those going direct having 60 minutes. Currently the full journey is given 75 minutes with those not serving North Station being given 64 minutes.
The date this timetable will run to hasn’t been revealed but in the press release giving details Blackpool Transport do state: “By introducing this more frequent and reliable service, we’re setting the stage for further improvements in 2025, so you can continue to count on us for efficient and affordable travel.”
- The new timetable as from 10th November can be downloaded at https://images.blackpooltransport.com/downloads/Tram%20Timetable%20-%20Nov%2024%20Download.pdf
It’s interesting to note the last 4 trams to Fleetwood appear to return to depot out of service. Is this the first time such a working pattern has happened?
Interesting note on the website version of the timetable:
“Express Evening trips from Fleetwood
There will be some express services late in the evening from Fleetwood. These trips leave Fleetwood Ferry at 23:45, 00:00, 00:15 & 00:30. These services will stop at all tram stops if signalled but are not timed along the route as they are express. These later trips will not call into Blackpool North Station.”
So they will pick you up on the way back if you hail them, but it’s get home as soon as possible and don’t hang about, with no intermediate time-points advertised or guaranteed.
You’d have to get to the stops in plenty of time which is not great at silly-o-clock on a typical January morning… Work on around 15 mins to CLV, 25 to BSP, 35 to NP being the quickest doable non-stop within speed limits.
This timetable means that, for people who are not travelling to or from North Station, their journey will take an additional ten minutes. For many typical central area Promenade journeys (eg Cabin to Central Pier) this will roughly double the journey time.
This is emphatically not the basis on which the extension was proposed. The published proposal by Blackpool Council can still be seen on their website at https://democracy.blackpool.gov.uk/documents/s31183/Appendix%207a%20-
To quote: “Following completion of the extension to North Station, these [ie the existing] services and timescales will be maintained. The proposed services to North Station will operate to a similar timescale with a peak service every 10 minutes. The services to and from North Station will alternate with northbound services towards Bispham and southbound services towards Pleasure Beach.”
What a contrast from what is now being provided.
Jonathan,
Are you surprised?I’ve been telling Blackpool Council/Transport for over 4 years that this whole project was and still is unworkable,unviable and economically a disaster just waiting to happen!I’m still waiting for any sort of coherent reply!
The next issue will be the question of what will happen early next year when the realisation that empty trams in winter are not is what is required!EXIT TRAMWAY EXTENSION!
I live a few minutes from North Station.I wonder how many using this site
actually live anywhere near Blackpool.
JackGledhill
Actually journeys will take a few minutes LESS than they do now as most journeys currently already go via North Station.
The original proposal was for a shorter journey to and from the station with transfer points – Bispham and Pleasure Beach were the last discussed but politicians and people with money got involved and demanded a full system access to North station. An intermediate Pleasure Beach to Bispham via North Station would have worked perfectly.
This whole North Station thing is getting ridiculous. Who wants a 10 minute diversion in their journey?
If all the trams need to go via North Station because there is such demand from rail travellers, then why were these thousands of travellers not catered for after 19:00 during the main illuminations season?
So now we have:-
Illuminations that are a shadow of their former selves
Historic buildings in the town centre being knocked down left right and centre
A feeble selection of heritage trams
And an even slower journey to Fleetwood!
perhaps the idea is by forcing everyone to travel to North Station then it will mask how few passengers actually want to get on or off there?
Whoever is running the once-great Blackpool these days should resign! My dog could do a better job!
Well nearly everyone has that diversion now (actually longer at the moment) and no major kick offs.
Blackpool Transport/Council.”With our revised timetable you’ll enjoy faster journeys!”Still waiting for a response!
This new timetable requires 10 trams. The fleet is 18 trams, including two new ones ordered for the North Station extension, so is the explanation a shortage of drivers? They do refer to further improvements in 2025 so we’ll have to wait and see.
Probably both a shortage of Tram Crew (Drivers and Conductors) in addition to a shortage of enough money to:
A) Run a Sufficient enough service.
& B) Hire enough Crew to run a Sufficient enough service