Mansfield Road Gets A New Bus Shelter

John Woodman

Views of the newly installed northbound bus shelter at Mansfield Road stop with its pristine glazing and prominent illuminated advertising side panel.

A bus stop which faces on to the road junction for Poulton straight ahead and Bispham bearing left at the traffic lights on to Benson Road. Originally this location was the site of one of the Fylde coast's many windmills and originally called 'Hoo Hill'. It was in fact intended to become the terminus of the extended Layton tram route immediately after the end of World War One - with detailed track plans made ready for implementation. However the split in Council between Members supporting motor bus expansion versus the Tramways saw an embargo on further street tramway extensions post 1920. The extension would have served the railway station at the bottom of the hill where a level crossing allowed traffic to continue northward. - the station originally being named ' BISPHAM'.

The preference for glazing panels surrounding the shelter waiting area is a somewhat questionable design choice given the prevalence of local youths to practise their stone throwing technique on tempting targets. Signature graffiti markings also seem to mark territorial ambition of today's younger generation. Both being an expensive habit for the Local Authority to deal with. Certain areas served by Council buses - have become endangered locales for drivers and passengers with services being withdrawn after stone throwing incidents, Grange Park being just one example. It will be interesting to see how long the pristine state of the new shelter (above) endures.