From platform to the promenade: Northern teams up with Blackpool Transport to offer combined train, tram and bus tickets

TRAIN operator Northern is teaming up with Blackpool Transport to offer a new combined train, tram and bus ticket, offering seamless onward travel opportunities to and from Blackpool's main Stations.

Rail users will soon be able to travel on Blackpool's buses and trams simply by buying an add on alongside their train ticket on Northern's app, website, at ticket machines and from ticket offices across the Northern network.

From Monday, 7 July, the add on tickets can be bought online or on the Northern app by entering:- 'Blackpool North Bus / Tram' or 'Blackpool South Bus / Tram' as the destination or starting point.

The tickets can be bought for onward travel from most places on Northern's network, including from:- Preston, across Lancashire, Manchester, Leeds, York and beyond.

Though rail users have been able to buy tram and bus tickets from Northern's ticket offices since 2022, it is the first time that customers will be able to buy these tickets for onward travel digitally through the operator's app and website.

Bus and tram stops are located directly outside Blackpool's 2 main rail Stations, with frequent services connecting key destinations like:- North Pier, Pleasure Beach, Starr Gate, Fleetwood, and Cleveleys.

It comes as both Northern and Blackpool Transport have just taken part in:- 'Better Transport Week' that ran from:- 16 June to 22 June 2025, which was a week promoted by the Campaign for Better Transport aimed at promoting sustainable, accessible and affordable transport options.

James Clough, Finance and Commercial Director for Blackpool Transport, said:- "Anyone taking the train into Blackpool can now look forward to a more seamless travel experience when using public transport to get to work or for a visit to the town's top attractions. Since the first trams to North Station in June last year, we've recorded more than 250,000 trips to and from the stop, so this new joint ticket option is sure to prove a hit with train, tram and bus users."

Alex Hornby, Commercial and Customer Director for Northern, said:- "Whether you are visiting for historic piers, top attractions, fish and chips or iconic landmarks, Blackpool is quite rightly one of the most popular tourist and leisure destinations on the Northern network. Rail customers will be able to transfer from the rails to the rollercoasters with less fuss, thanks to our revitalised partnership which will make travelling to; and around; Blackpool as seamless as possible, especially given that the Blackpool North tram stop is based no more than a few steps away from our Station. One combined ticket will now take you from the train to destinations around town and beyond, creating a truly integrated, multi-modal transport network across train, tram and bus."

Tickets can be bought on the Northern website and app from:- Monday, 7 July 2025, or at ticket vending machines and Station ticket offices.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,650 services a day to more than 500 Stations across the North of England, incuding from both Liverpool Lime Street and Southport Stations on Merseyside.

Public invited to shape the future of Liverpool's historic waterfront

HOW can Liverpool's world famous waterfront be developed and improved is the subject of a major new public consultation.

Liverpool City Council is posing the question as part of an 8 week consultation, which runs until:- Friday, 8 August 2025.

The Council appointed highly acclaimed urban design and landscape architecture firm, West 8, together with BDP, to develop an ambitious and visionary plan that sets a benchmark for waterfront regeneration in Europe.

Now the public are being asked to provide feedback on a draft waterfront Vision and Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

The Vision sets out bold proposals for the future of Liverpool's waterfront over the next:- 20 to 30 years, placing local communities at its heart. It also seeks to create a more inclusive, accessible and thriving waterfront. The Vision is underpinned by three core principles:

Connected; Reconnecting neighbourhoods to the Mersey, ensuring everyone can access and enjoy the waterfront.

Free and Green; Prioritising free to access public space and green infrastructure to support climate resilience.

Growth; Supporting high quality, heritage sensitive development that creates places to live, work and play and benefits the whole city.

A key focus is to improve connectivity and linkages, both:- North / South and West / East, and to create new public realm with an emphasis on quality of place. The vision will also address conservation and enhancement of the natural and historic environment, as well as climate change and the Council's ambition to deliver net zero by 2030.

The draft SPD will translate this Vision into planning guidance, design principles and development parameters covering such matters as movement, active travel, green and grey infrastructure, identity and character of different areas along Liverpool's waterfront.

Once adopted, the SPD will be a material consideration in the determination of planning applications and will guide public and private investment.

The draft plans have been informed by meaningful engagement with Liverpool's communities, residents, and businesses and key stakeholders, such as Liverpool BID Company, Grosvenor, Tate Liverpool, and major land-owners such as Peel Land and Property, National Museum Liverpool, the Canal and River Trust, General Projects, and Liverpool Yacht Club.

This public consultation provides a further opportunity to provide views and help shape the final Vision.

Liverpool City Council will be inviting key stakeholders and the public to an engagement event on:- Monday, 7 July 2025, at Liverpool Town Hall.

A copy of all consultation documents will be available to view during normal working hours at the following locations:-

Cunard Building, Brunswick Street, Liverpool, L3 1AH
Liverpool Central Library, William Brown Street, Liverpool, L3 8EW

They can also be downloaded at:- Liverpool.Gov.UK/WaterFrontVision.

Feedback can be provided by email at:- Planning.Engagement@Liverpool.Gov.UK.

You can also write to:-

Liverpool City Council
Planning Policy Team
Cunard Building
Water Street
Liverpool
L3 1AH

After the consultation period closes, the final Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) will be prepared and reported to Liverpool City Council's Cabinet by Autumn 2025. If approved, the SPD will be adopted as part of the Council's planning framework, supporting the Liverpool Local Plan and informing the consideration of planning applications within the waterfront area.

Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said:- "Liverpool is blessed to have one of the world's most iconic waterfronts and it's our duty to ensure its future development befits that status. Our vision for the riverfront is to honour its heritage whilst embracing innovation. This plan should be both a celebration of our rich maritime history and a blueprint for embracing its potential, helping to grow communities and create new jobs. We've already had some great conversations with a number of stakeholders and now we need to hear the views of our residents. Their feedback will help guide this exciting new chapter in our waterfront story and help ensure everyone continues to enjoy and benefit from this amazing asset for generations to come."

Councillor Nick Small, Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Development and Growth, said:- "Liverpool's waterfront is instantly recognisable and a principal reason we're one of the UK's most visited cities and one of the most filmed in Europe. It has been transformed over recent decades and is once again a huge part of the city's economic engine. Now with this new plan we all have a chance to play our part in shaping its future. The ambition, scale and scope of what is being planned from Festival Gardens to beyond Everton's new stadium has the potential to transform all the communities connected to the Mersey. It's not often we have the chance to make history but helping to shape this waterfront plan is that moment, and I hope people embrace this consultation to make this and plan the best it can possibly be."

What are your thoughts on this news topic? Email our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Mastodon, Facebook, or Twitter. Please do let us know as we love to hear your views....