Palladium Launch and Service Changes

Citaro 551 at the customer launch of the new Citaros

Citaro 551 at the customer launch of the new Citaros

The new Palladium branded Mercedes Citaros have been launched with a stakeholder launch on Thursday and a public launch today, the latter featuring 551 on display in St John's Square. The new buses will enter service on route 5 from Sunday 31 May - a minor route change sees the service no longer operate along Lindale Gardens - which becomes bus-less for the first time since 1934. Buses now return from Halfway House via Squires Gate Lane, Common Edge Road, Highfield Road.

The remaining Excels are expected to be withdrawn, 217 joined 226 yesterday - leaving nine in service. They are expected to be kept in store as reserve vehicles.

Details of the service changes from 28 June are emerging. Route 2 is withdrawn, but the 2C remains. Route 10 is extended from Midgeland Road to St. Annes Square via the 17 route - the latter is reduced to hourly so the 10 and 17 will combine to a half hourly route.

New Northern circulars 12 and 13 will operate up to half hourly. The 12 will run from Corporation St via Talbot Road, Grosvenor St, Church St, Newton Drive, Hospital (current 2) then replacing the 16 route via St Walburgas Road, Fulwood Square, Chepstow Road, Gateside Drive, Dinmore Avenue (resintating the former 16 route), Poulton Road, Plymouth Road, Bispham Road, Ingthorpe Avenue, Ashfield Road, Kincraig Road, Faraday Way, Norcross Lane, Fleetwood Road, Poulton Road, Tithebarn St to Poulton. From here it returns to Blackpool via the current 2 route serving Highcross Road, Staining and the Hospital.

The 13 follows the 12 route from Town Centre to Hospital then takes the loop via Poulton in the opposite direction back to Hospital then Blackpool Town Centre.

The Southern Circular 15 also follows the 12 from Corporation Street to Hospital, then via East Park Drive with a double run to Zoo via Woodside Drive, South Park Drive, Preston New Road (again reinstating the former 16 route), double run via Mythop Road to Marton Mere Park, Clifton Road to Tesco then again via the 16 route along Cherry Tree Road, Highfield Road to Harrowside. Buses will run via Harrow Place, Promenade and Clifton Drive and resume the 16 route via Bond Street, Station Road, Lytham Road, Waterloo Road, Whitegate Drive to the Saddle. From here the 15 will serve Knowsley Ave, West Park Drive, Mere Road, Whitegate Drive, Church Street back to Corporation St. Route 16 does this in the opposite direction.