Cleveleys Park: Buses

Prior to bus deregulation in 1986, Cleveleys Park, in common with other local areas of Cleveleys (and Fleetwood) was in the operating area of Ribble Motor Services. 

October 1986, "15 days before the deregulation of local bus services, Ribble introduced its Minilink brand to Fleetwood." - This gave the area the "F6 Cleveleys to Cumberland Avenue via Cleveleys Avenue and Northumberland Avenue". 

January 1987, "The F6 was completely re-routed now running to Poulton via Cleveleys Avenue, Cumberland Avenue, West Drive, Four Lane Ends, Thornton and Little Thornton. " "F6 hourly Cleveleys to Poulton every hour"  - thanks to source.

 

Fylde Transport then ran services between Cleveleys Park and Mereside Tesco. These were transferred when Blackpool Transport took over Fylde Transport in 1993. 

In April 1988 the 5 doubled from half hourly to every 15 minutes and was split as the 5A/5B with a two-direction terminal loop at Cleveleys Park. 

In 1996 the branded ‘Handybus’ Optare Excel minibuses were introduced by Blackpool Transport on the service to Cleveleys Park and services operated around the area in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions (44A and 44B).

 

Between 1996 and 2000 fares between Fleetwood and Marton Mere or Tesco included Cleveleys Park on services 44A, 44B, 333, 444. 

Different service numbers were used during the evenings and on Sundays as tendered services. 

 

From 2022, Metro Coastlines were introduced and  Blackpool Transport bus services were branded as various ‘Lines’ with each vehicle being designated individual colours. Line 3 ran from Mereside Tesco to Cleveleys centre and was colour-coded light blue.  Line 4 was a darker ‘Cadbury’ blue colour that ran from Mereside Tesco to Cleveleys Park. The branding of each route was gradual (see Fylde Bus Blog: Line 4: From Baby Blues to Cadbury Blue.)

 

The routes of Lines 3 and 4 varied in many ways throughout their length but there were some common sections. Line 4 operated on a daytime frequency of every 20 minutes, reduced to hourly during the evenings and on Sundays. This pattern of service continued to operate until the daytime service was reduced to every 30 minutes during the Covid pandemic and has remained at this level since.

 

In the late 1990’s Cleveleys Park was served by Excel buses 333 and 444 going around clockwise and anticlockwise around the estate. 

Since 2018 the Cleveleys Park service changed from the 4 to the 3 service to improve reliability issues that the 4 was experiencing. Service 4 was terminated at Cleveleys, Service 3 was extended to clockwise only around the estate.

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