Skip to main content

Blackpool tramway reaches five million passengers

Blackpool’s revamped tramway system is proving popular than ever, with ticket sales showing that five million journeys have been recorded so far since April 2016, building on the increases in passenger journeys since the tramway re-opened in 2012 and topping the five million passengers mark for the first time since 1994.
March 2, 2017 Read time: 1 min

Blackpool’s revamped tramway system is proving popular than ever, with ticket sales showing that five million journeys have been recorded so far since April 2016, building on the increases in passenger journeys since the tramway re-opened in 2012 and topping the five million passengers mark for the first time since 1994.

The news comes as work progresses to extend the tramway from the promenade up to Blackpool North train station.

Not only are more people using the tram network, but passenger satisfaction is also up; according to the latest figures by the Department for Transport,  96 per cent of people surveyed saying they enjoyed the experience.

The 11 mile tramway runs from Starr Gate in Blackpool up to Fleetwood Ferry, operating a service every ten minutes during the summer season.

It re-opened in 2012 following a major replacement of the track, creation of a new tram depot and arrival of 16 new Flexity2 trams. The new trams have level boarding, making them accessible for all disabled users, allowing for faster journey times and a more energy efficient service.

Related Content

  • New equipment aids clamp-down on drug drivers
    October 30, 2015
    The type-approval of roadside drug testing equipment could bring about fundamental changes to the way police tackle the problem as Colin Sowman finds out. It has been almost 50 years since the first drink-driving laws were introduced but the problem persists: the European Commission estimates that 25% of road fatalities in the EU are the result of alcohol consumption. Statistics from the UK show that 20% of drivers killed in road accidents in 2012 were over the blood alcohol limit for driving.
  • ‘Formation flying’ engineering trains used to upgrade railway
    February 16, 2017
    In a bid to increase efficiencies and reduce delays for passengers, the UK’s Network Rail is trialling ‘formation flying’ engineering trains to repair and renew the 20,000 miles of railway track it is responsible for maintaining. It says this new approach to engineering could potentially save taxpayer-funded Network Rail US$313,000 (£250,000) per week in costs by allowing trains to run at higher speeds once engineering is complete. The pioneering technique was used successfully at Sandy, Bedfordshire, on
  • Turning information into stories
    April 16, 2018
    IBTTA says its TollMiner tool can transform transportation planning. Here, the tolling organisation explains how it works – and what part it might play in Donald Trump’s infrastructure plan. Imagine being able to turn the black-and-white numbers in a spreadsheet into graphics and visualisations that tell a compelling story about essential transportation infrastructure. Having easy access to the solid, reliable data you need to plan surface transportation projects and assign project resources based on
  • Russia looks to ITS to curb congestion and reduce accidents
    May 7, 2015
    Major ITS installations are planned as the Russian capital Moscow grapples with extensive traffic problems. At the end of 2014, Russia’s first complex intelligent transport system (ITS) started easing traffic problems in and around the capital Moscow, following the implementation of the plans by the federal government and the city’s authorities.