How is the Council managing traffic congestion?
The Council's pioneering street lighting and traffic control
private finance initiative arrangement has enabled a five year programme to rebuild all the resort's traffic light controlled junctions and integrate them into an Urban Traffic Management Control (UTMC) system. As all junctions are incorporated into this system, any congestion that develops can be managed effectively.
Automatic Traffic Counters provide traffic flow data to enable any long-term developing congestion to be identified. Congestion at particular pinch points can be resolved by minor capacity increases, provided that sufficient space and resources are available, particularly at major junctions.
Blackpool has the easy access that its
visitors look for. The Council will make sure that Blackpool’s visitors and goods can get to the resort and that local people can get to their jobs, schools and shops. New road and parking space will be provided if opportunities arise. Regeneration and development projects are appraised throughout the planning process, ensuring that the traffic they generate will be accommodated within the road system and that public transport serves them adequately.
Congestion in Blackpool is seasonal and intermittent, depending on peaks in tourism activity, The Council manages the road system to cope with this, aware that continued tourism success depends on a good arrival experience for visitors. At the time of writing, signage to attractions is being revised and a variable message sign system to help people get to the car park they need is being considered.