Blackpool Transport reveals investment plans for depot

The proposals also confirm Blackpool Transport’s commitment to staying on the site following speculation it may relocate.

The land had been designated for possible future housing development, but that has been removed from the council’s latest Local Plan.

A planning application has now been lodged with the council to upgrade the East Garage at Rigby Road, bringing together maintenance facilities currently dispersed across three buildings on the site.

Work is expected to take a year to complete, and is the first phase of a five year vision for the depot.

A spokesperson for Blackpool Transport, which is owned by the council, said: “We intend to stay on this site as it is close to the town centre and the refurbishment of buildings like East Garage is less expensive and quicker (one year) than building a new bus depot.

“The new look East Garage could be used for the maintenance of either diesel or zero emission buses.

“The vision is to have a fleet of zero emission buses which could be either electric or hydrogen fuelled vehicles by 2030. More research is needed to decide which one is right for Blackpool Transport.

“This is a large scale project that will take at least five years to complete and the planning permission application is a preliminary step towards rejuvenating Rigby Road Depot. “

The application is seeking permission for a two storey side extension and a two storey front extension of East Garage, as well as improvements including new doors, windows and cladding.

Documents submitted with the application say it is “necessary to pull all the current elements, housed in the three dispersed areas into one fully inclusive building facility.”

They add the proposals are “the first step in Blackpool Transport Services’ vision for the future development and improvement of the current Rigby Road site.”

The East Garage was built in the mid 1980s to service and maintain the council’s bin lorries, which now operate out of Layton depot.

Blackpool Transport said it could not reveal the cost of the project because it is currently out to tender.

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