Goodbye to Crossley's Bridge

Blackpool's superlative buses on the 'Palladium' Service 9 & 9A seen here at Bispham Library stop. Actually the Library moved one stop south to Bristol Avenue some years ago with the bus shelter retaining its original title.

Only 48 hours to go before road traffic access over Crossley's Bridge linking Bispham with Layton is terminated. One Sunday 6 November the bridge is permanently closed to all traffic which will result in significant travel disruption for a period of nearly six months.

Blackpool Transport MD, Jane Cole, can be heard on the 9 and 9A bus service announcing alteration on this important route from Sunday. The 9 will detour via Warbreck Hill Road and Devonshire Road to reach Talbot Road (and omitting Layton of course). The last time I recall bus services traversing Warbreck Hill Road was in the days of the 15A which ran from Bispham Tram Depot on Red Bank Road to Victoria Hospital via Bispham Road to Crossley's Bridge and then turning sharp right up Warbreck Hill Road as far as the Gynn where it joined Dickson Road trams

into Blackpool. It was a favourite bus service of mine as it allowed viewing of both North Station bound trams as well as Marton trams in Abingdon Street and Church Street. There may well have been subsequent services since those days but I wasn't around to notice.

The first of the new bridge parapets has been installed on the eastern side Plymouth Road on the southern descent towards Grange Park - giving a glimpse of the considerable civil engineering work which is required for this important piece of infrastructural improvement. Warning signals advise motorists of imminent road closure and no doubt alternative ways of traversing north and south bound from next week will have been checked out. The problem is that there are few alternatives. Devonshire Road is certainly going to be the scene of extensive traffic jams in peak hours and no doubt this will extend along Warbreck Hill Road from Bispham Road. Fortunately the holiday period is over reducing the volume of vehicles in part.