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Port celebrates the return of the tram
THE tram link will return to Fleetwood on Monday after a nine month wait.
And port businesses are confident it will give them a timely boost.
The link, just to the end of Lord Street at Fisherman's Walk, should have been open in April.
But thieves made off with 135,000 of overhead cable, delaying the re-opening of the tramways.
Continuing work on the tracks for the new supertram service means trams will not run down Lord Street to the ferry terminal until next Easter.
The return of the trams was welcomed by Derek Eaton, vice-chairman of Fleetwood Chamber of Trade.
He said: "It's very good news.
"The trams are the economic lifeline of Fleetwood.
"I know the full service is coming back next Easter and there seems to be a determination by Blackpool Transport to get them up and running.
"The revenue they must be losing on market days must be considerable and everyone wants to ride on a tram.
"When they have a mixture of old and new trams it's going to be fantastic.
"It can only be good.
"I am confident we have a good future once we get the trams back again.
"The improvements to Lord Street on the sections of track they have finished is tremendous and they have even bent the track to bring them back to the roadside where the new tram stops are."
At the 3 One 6 Caf near Fisherman's Walk, cook Joe Chantrell said: "I think the trams coming back is going to help us.
"People will go over to Freeport and then come back and walk down Lord Street.
"You see the buses full going down Lord Street so a lot of those people will switch to the trams.
"It's going to be great when the trams come back."
Monday's first tram will roll into Fleetwood at 8.54am.
Town centre traders say they have suffered badly from lost takings as work has continued on new tracks.
But after initial delays, work on the new tram tracks through the town is progressing on schedule.
Workers are currently busy on Lord Street from the junction with Kemp Street to Victoria Street and on North Albert Street.
Future phases will complete the link to the ferry dock and it is hoped the work will be complete before the end of the year.
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Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
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Wind direction: West
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