Blackpool fears: ‘Bus plan will have awful impact on businesses’

Businesses on Watercourse Rd and Thomas Davis Street in Blackpool are worried about the implications of BusConnects plans for the area.

Proposed plans would see the two streets operate as bus gates — short lengths of standalone bus lane restricted exclusively to buses, taxis, and cyclists, as well as emergency vehicles.

Business owners and residents alike are worried that these could cause problems in the area, with a number of local businesses talking to The Echo about their concerns.

“It’s ridiculous really,” said Brian Barry of the Furniture Centre on Watercourse Rd.

“There will be bus gates right outside the front door so basically there will be no traffic along the road at certain times. 

“They are talking about removing the loading bay at the front of the shop. Will we have no way of getting furniture in or out of the shop?

“It will have an awful impact on businesses. People will avoid the area now to avoid a fine,” he said.

The Furniture Centre is one of many shops along Watercourse Rd that relies on potential customers having access to the road in order to visit the shop and purchase stock.

“There will be a bus lane in front of the shop, and no one will know . If someone decided to get furniture and they aren’t sure about the peak times they will avoid us so they won’t run the risk of getting a fine in the post.

“Similar problem for people going to the chemist, the off-licence, and O’Reilly’s garage.”

Mr Barry said he worries for the future of longstanding businesses in the area.

“From going to the meetings, we learned that there’s over 1,000 years of service from all the businesses in Blackpool and most of them are family businesses,” he said.

“That’s over 1,000 years of paying rent, wages, rates, Vat, and PRSI and the plans would kill a load of them.”

Christina Ambrose of Sweetness Hair & Beauty and Laser Clinic on Watercourse Rd is also concerned.

“We are just after surviving covid and, with the rise of inflation and diesel prices and electricity going up, we had to raise the prices slightly for our clients and they are still here,” she said.

“It feels like we’re getting cut off at the head.”

The plans would remove parking spots along the two roads, which would be an obstacle for Sweetness’ customers and employees.

“We would have clients from Cope [Foundation] that come down regularly,” said Ms Ambrose.

“They are used to us, they laugh and joke with us but they need to be dropped at the door. They come down in groups of six with the carer.

“Even with the elderly ladies, they can’t walk and don’t get on buses.

“They get dropped at the door and they get dressed up. This is their social outing.

“We do a lot of hair loss work. Mostly with women in their 70s and 80s and they need to be dropped at the door,” said Ms Ambrose.

They also provide a free wig service in partnership with the Little Princess Trust, which attracts customers from all over Ireland including Kerry, Galway, and Tipperary.

Thomas Dennehy of Dennehy’s Seafood on Great William O’Brien St said he is worried that the proposed plans will create difficulties for his customers.

“I have a lot of elderly people coming in, they drive, and they haven’t great mobility. 

“They need to pull up close to the shop and pop in and with the BusConnects plan that might not happen, and it would be awkward to get here,” he said.

“People generally don’t bring fish home on a bus. Not only for the smell but it’s a temperature-controlled product and it needs to be refrigerated as soon as possible.”

Mr Dennehy said he is worried that increased traffic on his street might force customers to go elsewhere.

“As they are talking, there won’t be cars on Thomas Davis St and Watercourse Rd and this road could get busier as a result, which could stop people pulling in.

“People just like to park close and collect their fish and get on with their day. At peak time it's very busy but there’s very little traffic during the day.”