First trams tested on Blackpool's new £22m Talbot Gateway extension

At 10pm, trams turned onto Talbot Road for the first time since the 1960s to test the new tracks which connect the promenade tramway with Blackpool North railway station.

The extension will leave the existing route at North Pier via a two way double track junction and cross the Promenade to Talbot Square. A new terminus is also being built on the site of the old Wilko’s store, which was demolished in September 2020.

Tramway contractors Sisk completed the first stage of works on the extension between 2018 and 2020, installing 500 metres of new tramway and repaving Talbot Square.

But last night was the first time trams had been used in live tests, with Blackpool Council saying it is confident the tramway extension will be ready to operate next winter.

“There will be more testing tonight and all being well we are hopeful that the extension to the tramway will be operational late this year/early next year,” said a spokesman for Blackpool Transport.

The £23m extension is part of a larger £250 million Talbot Gateway regeneration project, which includes the construction of a four-star, 144-room Holiday Inn hotel and Marco Pierre White restaurant.

The Council says the extension will benefit both residents and visitors to the resort, with more trams on the network and more frequent services.

The extension will connect North Station to the seafront, providing a direct link to Blackpool’s shops, hotels and leisure attractions, as well as easier commuting for residents.

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