Service Changes, 417 on the 20 and Metrorider disposals

Further details of the changes from Monday have been obtained. Route 1 will be extended to Starr Gate and the 1A will be withdrawn. As the Promenade will not be open between Cocker Street and North Pier southbound; the 1 will be diverted at Pleasant St via Dickson Road, Springfield Road and Talbot Road. The evening service on route 9 has reduced running times of 29 minutes each way (as Sunday evenings) will be operated with two buses until c2100 then one after.

Diversions will continue to be in force in Cleveleys affecting:

• route 1 which uses Princes Way and Rough Lea Road between Little Bispham and Cleveleys northbound
• route 7 which uses Promenade and Princes Way between Anchorsholme and Cleveleys Bus Station northbound
• route 9 which runs via Crescent East, Ancorsholme Lane and Crescent West to avoid crossing Victoria Square towards Cleveleys Bus Station
• route 16 which runs via the same route as the 9 but also via York Road crossing to terminate at Victoria Square

Meanwhile in Fleetwood, tram works have virtually finished but one impact has been the seemingly permanent diversion of route 14 to run from Fleetwood Queens Terrace via Kent Street to North Albert St - this was its traditional routing until the late 1990s and buses no longer serve the tram tracks at Pharos Street.

Also today Olympian 417 was noted on route 20:

417 makes a rare appearance on route 20 at the Corporation Street terminus - this service will reduce to a two bus operation with a 45 minute frequency on Monday



Meanwhile yesterday two former Blackpool Metroriders went for scrap at Inglemere Metals from The Busworks. 507 had been used as a site office during 2010; while 513 had been used as a store and also donated its engine to another project. Sister bus 503 is shortly to go for scrap having also been used as an engine donor. This will leave the survivors as:

502 - Classic Bus North West - awaiting repaint

505 - Island Rover, Isle of Scilly

509 - Preserved

510 - Preserved

512 - Blackpool Transport engineering vehicle

589 - Preserved

590 - LTT, Preserved