Blackpool Transport Services, the operator of Blackpool's heritage trams (a subsidiary of Blackpool Council), announced on December 6, 2024, that all heritage tram services would cease immediately. This news has drawn attention from railway enthusiasts and residents in the Northwest of England.

The announcement, made on their official website, cited conflicts between the current safety systems and the maintenance requirements of the heritage trams as the reason for this difficult decision. The website also immediately suspended bookings for all heritage tram services, including the popular illuminated tram tours during Christmas. While tram depot tours are currently closed for winter, it remains unclear if they will also be affected.

The decision has sparked widespread criticism, with accusations that Blackpool Transport is abandoning what some consider a "loss-making project." Local residents expressed disbelief, with comments such as, “Ridiculous”, “There was never any real conflict”, and “Even less reason to go to Blackpool now, and wasn’t much before”.

During a visit to the tram depot this summer, staff revealed that the depot was in poor condition and space was being reallocated for electric buses. They also disclosed operational difficulties, suggesting that this decision had been a long time in the making.

【黑池懷舊電車停運】

經營黑池懷舊電車嘅黑池交通服務公司（隸屬黑池市政局）前日（20241206）宣布，由即時起停止所有懷舊電車服務，引起英國鐵路迷及英格蘭西北地區居民注意。

前日，其官方網頁宣布相關消息，指由於現時嘅安全行車系統與維修同懷舊電車有衝突，經考慮後作出此艱難決定。網頁亦即時停止預訂各種懷舊電車乘搭服務，包括聖誕節最受歡迎嘅發光電車遊。電車廠遊因冬季暫停開放，未知會否受到影響。

消息傳出後，引嚟各界批評，指責黑池交通服務唔再投資呢個「蝕本項目」，亦有英國本地人稱「難以置信」、「從來兩者都冇衝突」、「冇懷舊電車嘅黑池甚麼都不是！」

小編今年夏季到訪電車廠，雖然職員冇話停運，但其車廠狀況甚差，需要讓返空間畀電動巴士，亦透露經營困難，有今日嘅決定都並非一朝一夕嘅事。

Link：https://blackpoolheritage.com/heritage-operations-update/

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