Member Article

Tram plan on track after Blackpool council gives green light to funding

Plans for an £18.2m extension to Blackpool’s tram system look set to progress following a decision by the town council to fund £4.7m towards the scheme.

Under the plans, the resort’s tram lines would be extended from the North Pier to Blackpool North railway station.

The Department for Transport is to provide the other £16.4m of funding.

Councillor John Jones, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “It is part of our regeneration plans to attract people and businesses to Blackpool and making it the hub of the Fylde.

He added that it tied in with a £220m transformation of the north of the town centre, opposite the train station, known as the Central Business District. It was originally called the Talbot Gateway.

He said: “This is part of our regeneration plans and hopefully will boost the economy.

“The new gateway is looking great and you get a real city feel there and if businesses move to Blackpool they want to see we are moving forward there.

“It will mean you can jump on a tram from Starr Gate and get to North Station and likewise from Fleetwood.”

Mr Jones said producing the business case could take three years but work on the new track would take only six months.

A £100m upgrade of Blackpool’s tramway finished last year, with new computerised trams extending the fleet of old heritage vehicles, which continue to run for tourists.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .