Blackpool Transport
Service 1 increased to 8 buses from 7 due to extra summer running time and loses early morning journeys. The 2C is withdrawn completely in the evening, and runs Blackpool to Poulton only on a Sundays (5 buses).
The 3 and 4 now share 15 buses due to the extended daytime 3 route via Faraday Way. The 9 will now use 10 buses in the morning peak due to the half hourly extension to Victoria Hospital which also runs in the evening and on Sunday. 9 buses will run between the peaks when running time is lower. From Clifton Street the 9 will run via Abingdon St, Talbot Road, Cookson Street, George Street, Grosvenor Street, Church Street, Newton Drive, Whinney Heys Lane to Hospital entrance. Returning via Whinpark Avenue, North Park Drive, Newton Drive, Church Street, Topping Street, Deansgate, Cookson Street, Talbot Road to Clifton Street. The 9 is reduced to every 15 minutes on Saturdays.
The 10 and 17 share 6 buses due to the extension to Poulton. The 10 runs hourly St. Annes to Poulton Monday to Saturday daytime, the 17 similarly every day daytime and also hourly Blackpool to Poulton in the evening. Sunday daytime 17s are interworked with the 2C at Poulton.
The 14 now has just four workings to/from Peel Park each morning and each afternoon Monday to Friday following the end of financial support from DWP.
The 15/16 now serve Staining with the 15 running via Stanley Park, Zoo, Hospital perimeter road (reinstated after being dropped in 2015), Main Entrance, Whinpark Road, Newton Drive, Staining, Marton Mere then as present route to Blackpool except running direct via Whitegate Drive not Stanley Park. The 16 does the opposite (except for Whinpark Road) and the terminus has reverted to Corporation Street. 7 buses are required.
Catch 22 Bus
Services 12 and 21 resume for Easter. The 12 runs to last year's timetable - every 20 minutes to Cleveleys Mon-Sat (4 buses) and Cabin on Sundays (3) and will run daily from 22nd March to 3 April. The 21 also uses last year's timetable with a 40 minute service daily from Good Friday to 4 April - albeit with no service on Friday 1 April.
4 April sees the 12 and 21 merged with a new 21 providing a 20 minute Cleveleys to Tower service extending alternately to Blackpool Zoo and Pleasure Beach on a 40 minute frequency.
New route 24 will operate half hourly M-F with a break for lunch. Two buses are required. The last two journeys to Poulton extend to Hospital. An hourly weekend service is provided with one bus, again with the last bus to Victoria Hospital.
The 22's extension to Fleetwood will require six buses, again there is a break fo lunch. The last Fleetwood to Cleveleys bus will continue as the 24 to Victoria Hospital.
Coastal Coaches
New service 77 operates from St. Annes to Victoria Hospital, a link provided by Fylde and later Carriages and indirectly by Phoenix North West in the 1990s, but one not directly provided since. Technically users could have reached the Hospital on service 76 but via most of the Fylde district!
The 77 runs from St. Annes Square via St Davids Road North, Heeley Road, Kilnhouse Lane, Spring Gardens, Queensway, Common Edge Road, Highfield Road, Asda, Clifton Road, Tesco, Langdale Road, Preston New Road, Park Road, Condor Grove, Whitegate Drive, Newton Drive to Hospital. First bus is 0700 from St. Annes and 0800 from Hospital with 1700/1800 resp as the last departures. 50 minutes running time is allowed. 2 buses are required and is believed they will interwork with the 78 at St. Annes.
The 78 is extended hourly from Wesham over the route of 76 to Poulton with one journey in the morning to Sixth Form College and one back in the afternoon. Evening and Sunday journeys are withdrawn.
