British Cycling partner town Blackpool is one of the second tranche of government funded ‘Cycling Towns’, designated as such is 2009 with the aim of creating an environment more conducive to cycling.
The town, along with 11 others, received capital funding from Cycling England, until its abolition in 2011, resulting in a number of pro-cycling initiatives and infrastructure improvements, run under the council’s Cycle Blackpool initiative.
Cycle Routes
The primary route in the Blackpool in the National Cycle Network (NCN) route 62, which runs along the coast from Fleetwood in the north through Blackpool to Lytham and beyond. A branch of NCN62 runs inland through the town centre, Stanley Park and Blackpool Zoo.
A network of on-road advisory routes and traffic-free paths connect Blackpool with its outlying towns and villages, including ‘Explorer Routes’ through the town’s greenspaces. Cycle Blackpool’s maps show these routes in detail.
Cycle Parking
Blackpool’s ‘Cycling Town’ designation and funding resulted in a number of infrastructure improvements, including significant investment in cycle parking. Blackpool’s cycling maps show the extent of available parking in the town centre and outlying areas.
Cycling and Trains
As a result of the recent £15M nationwide investment in cycling/rail provision, Blackpool North Railway station has been allocated funding for 100 new cycle spaces to augment existing provision, including a sheltered swipe card access area, Sheffield stands and CCTV. In terms of taking bikes on trains, please refer to the individual rail operators' conditions.
Cycle Hire
As part of the Cycling Towns investment and run by Hour Bike, Blackpool has its own cycle hire scheme, to cater for those residents without a bike who’d like to give cycle commuting a try, as well as the thousands of tourists attracted to the town every year. Go here for more details.
Bike Shops
Cycle Blackpool’s maps show the location of the town’s bike shops or you can search for shops in the area using our online shop finder.
Commuting and beyond
British Cycling’s Sky Ride programme offers Sky Ride Local rides in and around the town; small group rides for people of varying abilities, led by friendly, qualified ride leaders. The Local rides run alongside the annual Sky Ride mass participation event, which sees the towns roads closed for the day and thousands of cyclists take to the streets.
Ride the Lights is the town’s annual nocturnal cycling celebration on the town’s world famous seafront, with thousands of riders enjoying the iconic illuminations on traffic-free roads.
Don’t leave home without...
Cycle Blackpool’s maps, available here in PDF format – they show the town’s comprehensive network of cycle routes, plus parking, shops and much more.
Blackpool North
Blackpool South
Links
Cycle Blackpool has a great website with lots of useful information for those wishing to take up cycling. This includes ey also have a bike mentor service available for would be commuters.
