Going somewhere? Blackpool Transport is the Fylde Coast public transport provider. They are responsible for the service buses and the tramway along the coast. Here’s a brief overview of what, where, why and how – and links to further information. Their Blackpool buses network is one of the best in the country and combined with the Blackpool trams provides excellent transport around the town.
The current, new fleet of latest-spec Enviro buses will soon be changing to a new fleet of electric vehicles. Book tickets and follow your bus via the app, and look out for new real-time signage. Carrying over 10 million passengers annually in Blackpool, it’s a great, low-cost way to get from a-b. With a daily or weekly pass it’s an affordable way to get around when you’re on holiday. Hop along the prom from pier-to-pier or get to Stanley Park and the Zoo – there’s a bus for all of them!
New to the area? Not used to public transport? Take a look at Blackpool Transports highlights below (and some recent news) then head off to their website to find out more
- Trams to Blackpool North Station
- Bus Fares remain at £2 until December '24
- Reduced Price Fares with Blackpool Transport
- Bus Diversions for the Illuminations
- Jobs at Blackpool Transport
- Getting around with Blackpool Transport Buses and Trams
- Blackpool Transport gets ‘on board’ the Bystander Green Dot Programme
- Awards for Blackpool Transport
Trams to Blackpool North Station
As of Sunday 16 June 2024, you can once again travel by tram along Talbot Road to Blackpool North Station. The change comes after the formal opening event on Wednesday 12 June with invited guests and dignitaries.
The previous Layton Tramway Route along Talbot Road closed in 1936. But now you can travel through to Blackpool North Station from the promenade and Fleetwood/Starr Gate. It also means that all passengers who arrive via train will have direct access to the Tramway. To support the additional journeys created by the extension, two new Flexity-2 trams have been added to the running stock.
After a settling in period, from Sunday 10 November 2024 trams now run every 15 minutes between Starr Gate and Fleetwood Ferry. That’s all day, every day between 6am and midnight. All tram journeys also serve Blackpool North Station, improving connectivity at the new Talbot Gateway hub.
Changes to the timetable also bring faster journey times. The full end-to-end trip from Starr Gate to Fleetwood takes just 70 minutes.
Jane Cole is Managing Director of Blackpool Transport. She said “Since the opening of the new Tram Hub at Talbot Gateway we have been listening to customer feedback. By monitoring travel patterns we can run the best timetable possible to meet the needs of our customers. It’s the second improvement to the tram timetable in the last 6 months, and we’ll continue to listen to feedback and make enhancements during the winter months”.
Bus Fares remain at £2 until December ’24
Bus operator Blackpool Transport confirms that the cost of single bus fares in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre will remain at £2 per journey as part of the Government £2 fare cap. It was due to end in October 2023, with tickets set to increase to £2.50 per journey. But the scheme’s been extended by the government until December 2024. So the good news is that Blackpool Transport will continue to support and remain involved in the discounted scheme.
The popular £2 cap offers a saving of up to £0.90p per journey. It applies to adult single tickets, with child tickets remaining at £1.50 per journey. The extended £2 fare cap applies to all Blackpool Transport bus routes, including longer distance routes between Fleetwood, Poulton and Preston. Single fares can be bought onboard using contactless payments or cash. Or through the Blackpool Transport mobile app as a bundle of 10 single tickets.
Jane Cole is Managing Director of Blackpool Transport. She said “We will continue to voluntarily support the government £2 fare cap and we’re delighted to be able to pass on continued savings for our many customers. The discount makes it really cost effective for customers who travel with us less frequently. For our customers who travel with us frequently each week, our adult and child saver tickets continue to offer phenomenal value for money compared with other methods of travel”.
View the fares and read more information at blackpooltransport.com.
Reduced Price Fares with Blackpool Transport
Take advantage of the Travel to Work Scheme
The Travel to Work Scheme lets you access all BTS tickets for a discounted price. Use them on all Blackpool Transport buses and Blackpool Trams, to make every journey for a little less.
Are you an employer on the Fylde Coast?
If you’re a business or work in the Fylde Coast with a workforce of more than 5, you can join this scheme to benefit from better value travel. Access non-stop discounts on 1-day, 7-day and 30-day tickets. And get a one-time 50% off an adult day ticket when you first join!
Using public transport provides you and your employees with a host of benefits. From solving parking issues to keeping people healthy and living a more environmentally aware life. The BTS Travel Scheme is another incentive you can share with staff. No subscription or sign-up fees, just better-value travel for local employees. Just fill in this form and Blackpool Transport will email you with further updates.
Here’s a few reasons to join the scheme:
- Completely free to join
- Save over £160 each year
- Unlimited travel across the Fylde Coast
- No parking hassles
- No contract, no strings
- Carbon reduction
- Catch up on ‘me time’ whilst travelling
- Promote better health & wellbeing
Get a Tangerine Ticket on Match Day!
Back for the 2024/25 season, so anyone travelling to the Bloomfield Road area can get discounted travel and save on the hassle of parking.
The Tangerine Ticket is valid for supporters heading towards the game up to 3 hours before kick-off or up to 2 hours from when the whistle blows. Simply ask the driver or conductor for a ‘Tangerine Ticket’ when you board. It allows you to travel to or from areas around Bloomfield Road for £1.50 per journey by bus and £2.00 on the tram. Services 5, 5A, 5B, 6, 11, 11A & 11B and tram will get you close to Bloomfield Road. Plan your trip using the journey planner!
Get a ‘Bus 2 Save’ Ticket to Affinity!
Blackpool Transport’s new ‘Bus 2 Save’ ticket gives you 10% off at selected stores at Affinity Outlet, Fleetwood.
Ask any bus driver on the Blackpool Transport network for a ‘Bus 2 Save’ ticket. You can then claim your 10% discount on your next trip to Affinity Outlet. Use it in these stores
Bus Diversions for the Illuminations
The Illuminations light up the famous Golden Mile each autumn – which means that Blackpool is extra busy! So to keep you moving, some of the Blackpool Transport bus routes will be diverted in the town centre during the evenings.
Switch on times change as the nights get darker so bus services will be diverting earlier as Autumn/Winter approaches. It might also mean a change to where you normally catch your bus so make sure to check the list of stopping locations so you’re also in the right place for your journey.
Trams run as normal throughout the illuminations – but they do get busy in the evenings. Please leave yourself plenty of time for your journey.
Jobs at Blackpool Transport
It isn’t just about driving at Blackpool Transport. Conductors, Tram Drivers, Engineers, Cleaners and Admin staff all play a key part too.
If you’re looking for a new challenge look at the openings for multiple roles in Customer Experience, Heritage Team and opportunities to join the frontline team.
Holders of PCV licenses with a valid CPC can start their roles on £25k per year as part of Blackpool Transport’s enhanced wage structure.
The current rate, which could increase pending pay talks, will see holders of a PCV licence, valid CPC and relatable experience start their initial training with a salary of up to £25k per year. The intensive training program with the company’s professional team will have you on the road within three weeks. The average driver at Blackpool Transport currently earns up to £30,000 with overtime available. Don’t forget you can also train to drive the Blackpool trams too!
Blackpool Transport is also looking towards the future introduction of electric buses across the Fylde Coast. The enhanced offering of pay is an opportunity to welcome new colleagues to the business during this exciting and evolving period.
James Clough is Financial and Commercial Director. He said “As a business, we are always looking to improve our services. In January, we plan a change to our network to make customer journeys clear, easy and efficient. To do this successfully, we are looking to enhance our resources of PCV licence holders and have put together an attractive offer to join our team for the exciting developments ahead.”
Interested in applying for Blackpool Transport’s vacancies? Including trainee PCV drivers without a licence. Visit www.blackpooltransport.com/careers for full information and an online application process.
Getting around with Blackpool Transport Buses and Trams
Getting around Blackpool and the Fylde Coast couldn’t be easier with buses and trams operated by Blackpool Transport.
They’re for local people and tourists, all year round. The great transport network means you get to enjoy everything which Blackpool and the surrounding areas have to offer. It’s a cost-effective way of travelling around the Fylde Coast. Easy to follow timetables make your journey easy and pleasurable.
New to the area? New to buses?
Did you know that you can plan your journey, with clear easy steps, using the Blackpool Transport website?
It’s very similar to using Google maps to plan a route. Tell it where you want to travel from and where you want to go to and it will give you directions, including which transport to catch where.
We asked it to take us from Cleveleys Bus Station to St Annes Station. First of all it gives you a choice of departure/arrival times and shows the route –
We opted for the 7.04 departure time, clicked on that and it told us exactly what to do, including bus numbers and how far we would need to walk. Very clever!
Tickets and Live Updates with the Blackpool Transport App
Do you use the Blackpool Transport app? It’s a great way to plan your journey and buy tickets. It also includes live updates.
With the app you can buy a range of tickets in advance with your smartphone. Then simply activate the ticket just before boarding any Blackpool Transport bus or tram. It also allows you to plan your journey, find the best route and even has a disruptions page.
Did you know? You can log into the Blackpool Transport wifi while you’re on the bus. Watch its journey to know exactly where you are. Sort of sat-nav for bus passengers!
Bus Travel Information
Individual timetables, guides to all services and network maps are widely available across the Fylde Coast. Find them at the main Blackpool Transport offices at Rigby Road. You’ll also find printed timetables at community buildings across the Fylde Coast.
- Single bus fares. Click here for current prices
- Saver tickets of various kinds are available for regular travellers (more details below). Click here for details
- Routes and timetables here
Concessions: Pass holders of the English Concessionary Travel scheme can travel free on Blackpool Transport buses. Use your pass between 9.30am – 11pm Monday to Friday, anytime on Saturdays and Sunday or Bank Holidays.
Hop on Board with Contactless Travel & Fare Capping
No cash? No problem! You can use contactless payments on Blackpool Transport buses and trams. And, daily capping means that no matter how many times you travel and tap with us in a day, you’ll never pay more than the cost of a day ticket!
Contactless payment arrived at Blackpool Transport in February 2021 after years of investment. Then in September 2022 daily capping came in on all of your Tap&Go and single contactless fares.
How to use Tap, Cap & Go
- When you board the bus or tram simply tap your contactless payment card or device onto the contactless payment machine. You don’t need to ask for a ticket but remember to smile and say hello!
- When you leave, remember to tap the same card or device you used when you boarded on the ‘tap out’ reader. You will be charged the correct and lowest fare for your single journey every time.
Full details about Tap, Cap & Go is for Adult single fares only. If you need a Child or Young Person ticket, just pay onboard using contactless payments or in cash.
Blackpool Transport Hub
Improvement works on Corporation Street returned many routes to the centre of Blackpool. Use the transport and bus hub at Market Street and Corporation Street for inter-connected bus services and travel.
Timetables are available from the Blackpool Transport app and website, Blackpool Transport Customer Centre on Market Street or from the Tourist Information Centre at Festival House.
Dogs on Buses and Trams
Many of you love to take your dog with you onto the trams and buses. Dogs are welcome on Blackpool Transport vehicles. Please keep them on a lead and keep their feet off the seats!
If you travel frequently with your dog you can now buy a 7 Day Rover, a new saver ticket for your pooch. Save 25% of the cost of buying daily tickets for your four legged friend. More information about the 7 Day Rover here
Blackpool Tram Information
The tramway runs along the Fylde Coast from Starr Gate at the southern boundary of Blackpool. Trams travel along the full length of Blackpool seafront, through Cleveleys to Fleetwood.
We caught a couple of Blackpool trams, running along the promenade at Blackpool. Take a look – this was filmed in July 2020.
Blackpool Transport gets ‘on board’ the Bystander Green Dot Programme
Blackpool Transport Services Ltd has joined forces to help spread this message across their fleet of vehicles and to users of public transport. The aim of the Bystander Green Dot Programme is to create a safer environment for everyone. ‘Green Dot’ is a prevention strategy that sits under the Blackpool #ItStopsHere movement – a community safety programme for safer streets.
Green Dot is a community responsibility approach. A violence prevention strategy depending on the power of bystanders to prevent violence and shift social and cultural norms. This initiative focuses on reducing the number of people in our community who experience power based personal violence, by mobilising community members as active bystanders. It’s underpinned by the importance of safe intervention, including both direct intervention to disrupt behaviour, or indirect intervention to seek help from a friend or professional.
Bystander Intervention teaches five basic steps:
- Notice the event
- Interpret the situation as a problem
- Assume personal responsibility
- Know how to help
- Step up
Green and Red Dots
The analogy of a green dot is used to illustrate any choice, behaviour, attitude, or statement that promotes safety and can prevent violence. A green dot is simply an individual choice at any given moment to make the community a safer place. Red dots occur when an act of violence or harassment occurs. Before these events, there are often many warning signs.
Back in 2023, Blackpool Council launched a bystander intervention programme. They were the first UK local authority working towards a Bystander Green Dot community. Blackpool Transport is supporting the campaign by promoting a simple message on public transport. One small act can have a big impact to help keep people safe.
Blackpool Public Health’s trainers have provided a Green Dot Briefing which Blackpool Transport has rolled out to all staff. It equips them with the knowledge on how best to deal with any reported incidents by passengers. The ambition is to deliver the training across the whole town. The training was created by Alteristic, a US non-profit consultancy, and launched in 2006 at the University of Kentucky. The training programme explores the barriers that individuals feel may prevent them from intervening.
Blackpool Council’s Public Health team offer regular Green Dot training opportunities to local businesses, organisations, community groups and individuals. To find out more about the training programme, email publichealth@blackpool.gov.uk
Other Blackpool Transport news
Awards for Blackpool Transport
Celebrating Victory in Innovation and Resilience at the 2023 Lancashire Tourism Awards
The Fylde Coast transport operator was awarded the prestigious award at the 2023 Lancashire Tourism Awards on Tuesday 6 February 2024. The Resilience and Innovation award recognises businesses within the tourism industry that have demonstrated great innovation, resilience and adaptation during and after a crisis or period of adversity.
Blackpool Transport’s resilience and innovative initiatives, such as the reimagining of its network and local Travel to Work discounts, have navigated industry challenges and positioned the company as a trailblazer in the field.
Jane Cole is Managing Director for Blackpool Transport Services. She expressed her gratitude, saying, “Receiving the Resilience and Innovation award is a tremendous honour for Blackpool Transport. It reflects the hard work, dedication, and strategic thinking of our entire team. This recognition is not just an award; it is a celebration of our commitment to delivering exceptional services while navigating through challenging times.”
The Lancashire Tourism Awards, known for recognising excellence and innovation in the tourism sector, serves as a benchmark for outstanding achievements across the county. Blackpool Transport’s victory in the Resilience and Innovation category further solidifies its position as a leader in the Fylde Coast’s transport and tourism landscape.
Blackpool Transport wins UK Bus Operator of the Year 2022
Not one but TWO prestigious titles were scooped by Blackpool Transport at this year’s UK Bus Awards. And they’ve been dedicated to the hard working and dependable teams, who continue to keep Blackpool moving despite the challenges of the last few years.
Blackpool Transport are winners of the UK Bus Operator of the Year and Gold Award winners of the Top Shire Operator of the Year. Presented on Tuesday 15 November 2022 in London, they’re some of the most prestigious awards in the UK for the industry. Operators from far and wide compete in multiple categories. Blackpool Transport’s win follows a pause in the awards scheme over the last two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
James Carney is Finance and Commercial Director at Blackpool Transport Services. He said:
“To be recognised and awarded as the UK Bus Operator of the Year is a true achievement for everyone at Blackpool Transport. Despite still recovering from the pandemic and facing national challenges, the award reflects the ‘going the extra mile’ ethics that our colleagues show daily.
“Every employee of Blackpool Transport, no matter where they are within the business, should be proud that their efforts and dedication has been recognised at a national level.”
The winner of the UK Bus Operator of the Year is selected from the highest-scoring contestants in the Top City Operator, Top Independent Operator and Top Shire Operator Awards.
Continuous Improvement
In 2016, Blackpool Transport made a commitment to the local authority, the people of Blackpool and the millions of visitors to the town. They said they would implement a continuous replacement programme for the 140-strong bus fleet. Since then, Alexander Dennis (ADL) has supplied 55 Enviro400 City double deckers and 33 Enviro200 single decker buses.
Working closely with Blackpool Transport, ADL has adapted its buses to the operator’s premium ‘Palladium’ standard. There’s free Wi-Fi, e-leather seating, wood effect flooring and both audio and visual stop announcements.
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