Getting Around Town

Blackpool extends a warm welcome to all its visitors – we hope that you enjoy your stay. While you’re here we’d like you to use non-car transport.

Why are we encouraging people to use non-car transport?

· A safer and more relaxed atmosphere for visitors
· Reduced congestion and driver stress
· Better air quality and reduced greenhouse gas emissions
· Less competition for parking spaces

This leaflet contains details of Blackpool’s transport services. The resort is compact helping people to walk or cycle. There are high quality buses and the legendary trams.

Bus

Bus services connect most hotels to all the attractions. The Council’s Tourist Information Centre and Blackpool Transport Services’ office on Market Street (behind the Town Hall, next to BHS) have timetables and discounted fare passes. Get yourself a Metroguide bus map, which is also a convenient street map.

Here’s the bus services to the major attractions:

· Pleasure Beach 1,2,16
· Sandcastle Waterpark 1,2,2c
· George Bancroft Park and climbing walls 2,2c,5
· Blackpool Tower and circus 1,5,6,7,10,11,14,16,68
· Stanley Park 4, 16,20
· Model Village and Zoo 16,20
· Solaris Centre & Great Promenade Show 2,16,20

Watch out for the open top buses when the weather’s nice.

Cycling

The resort is flat making it easy to cycle around. There is town centre cycle parking and at many attractions and shops.

Cycling is permitted on the South Promenade, ideal to view the Great Promenade Show, and between North Pier and Anchorsholme, ideal for spectacular sea views. Follow the National Cycle Network signs from outside the Town Hall, through Stanley Park to the village of Staining and the Lancashire countryside.

The newly rebuilt central seafront area will provide cycling opportunities when it is complete.

Rail

The resort’s principal Blackpool North railway station offers direct services to Liverpool, Buxton, York and Manchester Airport. Change at Preston for other inter-city destinations.

There are taxis and bus services convenient for this station.

Blackpool is supporting the South Fylde Line Community Rail partnership so watch out for promotions for trips to St Annes, Lytham, Preston from Blackpool South railway station sited on Waterloo Road (line 2 and 5 bus).

Walking

Stroll on the Promenade and take in the contemporary sculpture collection, visit the resort’s three magnificent piers, check out the Sandcastle waterpark, or just catch the sea views and Blackpool’s famously bracing breeze.

Walking in Blackpool is getting more pleasurable as pedestrian areas and improved crossings are provided.

The following areas are fully pedestrianised:

· Bank Hey Street
· Birley Street
· Church Street (w)/Adelaide Street West

There is pedestrian priority in Abingdon Street/Church Street. A new pedestrian plaza at Waterloo Road will be built during the spring of 2008.