SINTROPHER Partner Meeting

WP2 WorkshopWP2A15 Economic Feasibility of

Fylde Coast TramTrain and Tram-Rail Options

Contents

• Context: Existing tram and rail infrastructure

• Phase 1 (complete): Outline economic feasibility of options• Tram extension to Airport• Tram extension to South Fylde Line• Tram train on South Fylde Line• Tram extension to North Fylde Line• Tram train on North Fylde Line

• Phase 2 (ongoing): Detailed economic feasibility of options• Business and stakeholder consultation• Demand for travel • Local economic effects• Wider economic benefits

Tram Extension to Blackpool Airport

Airport Passenger Demand

Mode of Travel To/From Blackpool Airport

33%

23%

13%

22%

5%

1% 3%

Car (alone)Car (with friend/relative)Car (dropped off)TaxiBusTrainWalk

Geographic Distribution of Airport Passengers

• 92% from outside tram catchment

Tram Extension to Blackpool Airport: Conclusions

• Airport passenger demand seems to have peaked• Geographic distribution of passengers is not aligned

with tramway

• Potential demand for tram extension is too low to demonstrate a fundable business case

Tram Extension to South Fylde Line

Preferred Alignment: New Road

Passenger Demand: Rail

Blackp

ool South

Blackp

ool Plea

sure

Beach

Squire

s Gate

St-Annes-

On-The-S

ea

Ansdell

& Fa

irhav

en

Lytham

Moss Sid

e

Kirkham

& W

esham

Salw

ick0

50

100

150

200

250

Annual Entries & Exits (000s)

Bus network

• 8+ buses per hour between St Annes/Lytham and Blackpool

• Frequent bus service which penetrates much deeper into urban areas than the tram

Passenger Demand: Bus

• Bus carries 90% of the passenger demand between north+central and south parts of Fylde Coast

Trips Rail Bus Total

Daily 360 3,000 3,360

Annual 132,000 1,100,000 1,232,000

Curtailment of Heavy Rail on South Fylde Line

• Some existing rail passengers are disadvantaged • ‘Least worst’ place to curtail is St Annes

Origin of trips Tram train to Preston

Tram to St Annes Tram to St Annes (with BPN link)

Preston +20,000 -20,000 -

Through Preston -5,000 -5,000 -5,000

Intermediate +20,000 +1,000 (Min.) -3,000

+1,000 (Min.)-3,000

Net position +35,000 -27,000 -7,000

Tram Extension to South Fylde Line

• Existing demand on SFL is small• Business case dependent on transfer from large

existing bus market

• Funding opportunities: Interchange only: no case Extension to St Annes/Lytham: possible business case –

also good as intermediate step towards full tram train Tram train: currently too expensive, option for future

Tram Extension to North Fylde Line

Preferred Alignment: Talbot Road/High Street

Passenger Demand: Rail

Blackp

ool North

Layton

Poulton-Le

-Fylde

Blackp

ool South

Blackp

ool Plea

sure

Beach

Squire

s Gate

St-Annes-

On-The-S

ea

Ansdell

& Fa

irhav

en

Lytham

Moss Sid

e

Kirkham

& W

esham

Salw

ick0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

Annu

al E

ntrie

s & E

xits

(000

s)

Blackpool North Passenger Origins/Destinations Within 800m of Tramway

North; 29%

South; 24%

Outside buffer; 48%

Mode of Travel To/From Blackpool North

3% 1%

13%

23%

15%

42%

2%

Car (alone)Car (with friend/relative)Car (dropped off)TaxiBusWalkOther

Tram Extension to North Fylde Line

• Large potential market: 1,600,000 passengers per year 53% with origins/destinations close to tramway 65% currently walk or use bus to access the station

• Disadvantage to existing passengers travelling north-south or vice versa through North Pier 35% existing tram passengers in high season 30% in low season

• Business case depends on relative attraction of extension versus disadvantage to existing ‘through’ passengers

• Funding opportunities: Tram train: expensive with little added benefit Interchange: business case appears plausible

Ongoing Work: Phase 2

• Business consultation• Public consultation• Wider economic benefits• Spatial distribution of economic benefits• Social and Distributional Impacts• Demand forecasting• Ticketing• Low Cost Alternative

• Engineering/Design/Costs (by Mott McDonald)

• Outputs: Detailed Option Comparison Business Case