In this review I have summarised the main ways of getting to, and around in, Blackpool. Most of my direct experience has been by public transport as I have only recently passed my driving test and have not driven much in Blackpool. I have, however, seen my parents driving around and parking.
CAR Blackpool is easily reached by car having it’s own direct link to the national motorway network at the M6 along the M55. Once in Blackpool driving around varies depending on the time of year. During the Summer Holidays the numerous car parks can get full and during the illuminations the promenade is a slow moving traffic jam after dark. For the town centre we have usually parked on the Hounds Hill or West Street multi-storey car parks. There are also a large number of open air car parks running south from the town centre to South Shore along seasider’s way. These can be convenient for giving access to Central Promenade and the Pleasure Beach.
TRAINS Blackpool can be reached by train to Blackpool North and Blackpool South stations. Blackpool North station is just to the east of the town centre and Blackpool South Station is at South Shore. Train fares vary widely and ticketing is now very complicated and somewhat competitive. However, as an example of rail fares to the town for a normal adult please see below: Manchester Airport to Blackpool – a standard cheap day return is about £15 and an open return about £18. Preston to Blackpool is about £6 return on an open ticket. London to Blackpool can vary so much depending on promotions that are valid at the date
of travel. A saver return can be as low as £64 and an open return can be as much as £220. Glasgow to Blackpool can also vary depending on promotions that are valid at the date of travel and a saver return can be as low as £55 and an open return in excess of £90. I have not travelled the full route to Blackpool from London or Glasgow, but they are both on the west coast mainline and services are regular to Preston. However, I have travelled the rail journey from Preston to Blackpool on many occasions. The Blackpool South trains run about every hour and I have usually found them punctual, although the operators do tend to use some of the older two carriage trains on this route. From Preston the train goes through Kirkham, Lytham, St. Annes. Squires Gates (for Blackpool Airport), the Pleasure Beach and Blackpool South which is an ideal stop for South Shore, the Football Ground (Bloomfield Road) and the Odeon Cinema on Rigby road. The Blackpool North train takes you via Kirkham and Poulton le Fylde into the Town Centre of Blackpool, which is only a short walk from the railway station. Trains running through Preston to Blackpool North tend to be more comfortable than those going to the South Station and usually originate from further afield at Manchester Airport or Leeds.
BUSES Stagecoach Buses and National Express Coaches connect Blackpool to the rest of England.
METRO COASTLINES Operates the Buses and the famous Blackpool Tramway. The Tram runs from Starr Gate (at the southern end) with stops along the way to Fleetwood at key places like the Pleasure Beach, South Pier, Central Pier, The Tower, North Pier, Bispham, Cleveleys and Fleetwood. From Starr Gate to Fleetwood is timetabled as about an hour each way. Trams are great for watching Blackpool illuminations and those with open tops run regularly. Of course for those without a car, or if you just want to get around without taking the car, Blackpool also has an extensive network of bus routes. I have used the bus many times on different routes and they are generally very frequent services. Most of the staff are courteous, but as with all customer based organisations there are sometimes some exceptions. Individual route prices are difficult to explain, but I don’t believe they would be considered unreasonable in this day and age. I believe the Chancellor has also been helping with fares for Old Age Pensioners in recent budgets. As an indication of special fares there is a one day travel card that is available for use on all routes at £5.75 for an adult or a three day travel card at £14. A one day Family ticket, which is valid for up to 2 adults and 3 children, or 1 adult and 4 children, also costs £14. Travel Cards are on sale at the Blackpool BusTravel Office on Market Street (next door to British Home Stores) and at agents in Blackpool which display the Paypoint sign. Many other tickets are available for various bus fare zones within Blackpool from the Bus Driver.
The bus routes are described by line numbers and a map of all the routes can be found on the Metro Coastline website at www.blackpooltransport.com. For help with getting around Blackpool a brief summary of each line is given below: Line 1 (Summer Only) – This bus service follows Blackpool Promenade parallel to the tramway from Pontins past Starr Gate, the Pleasure Beach South Pier, Central Pier, the Tower, North Pier, Bispham and Anchorsholme to terminate at Cleveleys. The total length of the journey is timetabled as about 45 minutes. Line 2 - This bus service runs from St.Annes Square past Station Road, Waterloo School, Devonshire Square, Abingdon Street, Blackpool North Station, Victoria Hospital, Staining Road End, Longhouse Lane, Poulton le Fylde Teanlowe Centre, Thornton Centre, Hillylaid Crossing, Pheasants Wood and Cleveleys Square. The total length of the journey is timetabled as about 1 hour and 40 minutes. This is a complicated service with some services going through St Annes, Lytham and on to Kirkham and Wesham. At the other end some buses go to Knott End Line 2C - This bus service runs from Station Road (in the south) past Waterloo School, Devonshire Square, Abingdon Street (Central Blackpool), Blackpool North Station, Victoria Hospital, Staining Road End, Longhouse Lane, Poulton le Fylde Teanlowe Centre, Thornton Centre, Hillylaid Crossing, Pheasants Wood, Cleveleys Square, Shard Lane Corner, Ryecroft Corner Hambleton, Seven Stars Stalmine, Saracens Head Preesall and on to Knott End Ferry. The total length of the journey is timetabled as about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Station Road to Knott End Ferry. Line 3 - This bus service runs from Tesco at Marton past Laurel Avenue, Dickson Road, Egerton Square, Gynn Square, Bispham Hotel, Bispham Technical College, Cleveleys Square, Tennyson Avenue, Church Road to Gardeners Arms Pub Thornton. The total length of the journey is timetabled as about 1 hour 10 minutes. Line 4 - This bus service runs from Tesco at Marton past Dickson Road, Egerton Square, Gynn Square (North shore), Bispham Hotel, Norbreck Shops, Cleveleys Crescent to Cleveleys Park. The total length of the journey from Tesco to Cleveleys Park is timetabled as about 1hour and 10 minutes. Line 5 - This bus service runs from Blackpool’s Victoria Hospital past Layton Square, Talbot Road, Market Street, Waterloo Hotel, Royal Oak, Farmers Arms to the Halfway House in South Blackpool). The total length of the journey from Victoria Hospital to Halfway House is timetabled as about 40 minutes. Line 6 - This bus service runs from Tesco at Marton past St.Georges School, Spen Corner, Corporation Street, Layton Square, Pilling Crescent, Layton Square, Market Street, Bloomfield Road, Asda and back to Tesco. The total length of the journey is timetabled as about 1 hour 30 minutes. Line 7 - This bus service runs from Saltcotes Road at Lytham past Lytham Square, St Annes Square, Halfway House Hotel, Waterloo Hotel, Corporation Street, Topping Street, Devonshire Arms Hotel, Bispham Library to Cleveleys. The total length of the journey is timetabled as about 1 hour 15 minutes. Line 10 - School Road, Common Edge Road, Hawes Side Lane and then the reverse of the above to Corporation Street. The total length of the journey is timetabled as about 30 minutes. Line 11 - This bus service runs from Saltcotes Road at Lytham past Lytham Hospital, Lytham Square, Ansdell Library, St Annes Square, Farmers Arms, Somerfields, Corporation Street, Topping Street, Layton Square, Bispham Library, Blackpool and Fylde College to Cleveleys. The total length of the journey is timetabled as about 1 hour 30 minutes. Line 14 - This bus service runs from Fleetwood Ferry past Broadwater, Four Lane Ends, Sixth Form College, Market Street, Spen Corner, Boundary, Spring Gardens to St.Annes Square. The total length of the journey is timetabled as about 1 hour 30 minutes. Line 15 - This bus service runs from Poulton le Fylde Teanlowe Centre past Castle Gardens, Norcross Offices, Bispham Technical College, Bispham Village, Gynn Square, Springfield Road, Blackpool Victoria Hosptial, Staining Bibby Drive to Tesco Marton. The total length of the journey is timetabled as about 55 minutes.
City Sightseeing Tours offer an open top bus that you can hop on and off as it goes around Blackpool’s main attractions and out to the zoo. The cost of a day ticket is around £6-50. I have used this service and it is a wonderful way to travel on a sunny day from central Blackpool to the zoo.
Additional ways of getting around in Blackpool are Limos and Taxis. I have little experience of these as they tend to cost a bit more than I can usually afford.
In conclusion, I think Blackpool has an extensive range of transport options for getting around. There are options to suit all budgets from Buses and Trams to Limos and Taxis.
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Aug 18th, 2007
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