Hectic Activity on Talbot Road

Road resurfacing ongoing together with new sidewalk edging in a schedule which requires completion in the next three days.

Lines of contractor trucks and vans on Talbot Road today

The scenes on Talbot Road around the important junction with Dickson Road and Topping Street provide views of frenzied contractor activity in an effort to complete the road surfacing before next Monday. This will allow traffic flow to the south and west of the by now infamous Wilko property whilst work begins on the eastern side of the site.

It would appear that serious delays have caused demolition of the Wilko structure and its multi level car park (rarely used) to be deferred. Understandably this will have an immediate knock on effect of delay to the tram extension opening to its new terminus next to Blackpool North. Once the immediate road resurfacing work (see below) is dealt with and traffic flow returns (in part) - attention will focus on the track connection from Talbot Square on to the promenade line and the two way junction.

The possibility of a temporary terminus being used on Talbot Road using a crossover close to the Dickson Road junction is being mooted - complete with loading platform. This would at least allow trams to traverse to and from the promenade although far from satisfactory for passengers, pedestrians and other road users. A section of roadway at this point has yet to be removed suggesting the potential for interim tram crossover being installed as a 'stopgap' measure. Below : cropped view from the Wilko store entrance looking out on to Talbot Road with tar macadam surfacing being laid around the tram rail.