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£100m refit will see trams off until April
BLACKPOOL trams will be taken off line for five months as the track is closed for a £100m overhaul.
The stretch between the Pleasure Beach and Starr Gate has been closed since the end of summer.
But the rest of the 11 mile line will be closed down from November 9 and is scheduled to re-open on April 2 next year.
Coun Maxine Callow, cabinet member for tourism and regeneration said: "We are undertaking this essential work during the winter to minimise disruption and we hope local residents will appreciate this reconstruction will ultimately create a much better service.
"Blackpool fought hard to get this funding because the tramway is a vital part of improving the local economy.
"We're particularly pleased in the current economic downturn we've been able to continue with this work at a pace and with no cutbacks."
It is only the second full closure in the tramway's history, following on from two years ago when trams were halted for emergency repairs.
The winter stoppage will enable the reconstruction of around five miles of new track and an upgrade of the electrical infrastructure.
Work will also begin on 14 new signal junctions where the tramway crosses the road, a move to improve safety and cut journey times.
The first highway crossing to be affected will be at Little Bispham with work then continuing on the other crossings to the north of the Fylde coast up to Fleetwood.
The section of track between Central Pier and North Pier will be replaced to tie-in with the recently completed section between the Pleasure Beach and Central Pier. At the same time, electrical equipment between the Pleasure Beach and Central Pier will be modernised.
A replacement bus service will follow the Line 1 route from Starr Gate to Fleetwood and pull up at all stops along the Promenade.
It will run every 20 minutes during the day and every half hour in the evening.
Work has begun on a new tram depot at Starr Gate and contracts have been agreed for the delivery of 16 super-trams by 2012.
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Weather for Blackpool
Thursday 24 May 2012
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