Illumination Diversions 2026
Blackpool Illuminations return on 4 September this year, lighting up the town for another spectacular season. You can find all the travel information you need here.
During periods when it is expected to busy some of our bus services will operate diversion routes to help keep traffic moving and to minimise disruption for our customers.
Please check the latest travel information before you travel, so you can enjoy the Illuminations and other events with ease.
Our Illumination Diversions will be switched on at the following times:
Switch on Event Friday 4th September
For the illumination switch on buses will be on diversion from 11:30am however bus services will continue to use their normal stops on Clifton Street, Abingdon Street, Market Street and Corporation Street up until 18:29.
During the Switch On our tram service will also be operating a split service from 11:30am until 11:00pm. During this time trams will run between North Station and Fleetwood and Manchester Square and Starr Gate.
Friday and Saturday between 4th September and 31st October
Every Friday and Saturday, bus services will divert from 6:30 pm.
Light Pool Festival 25th - 29th October
From Sunday 25th until Thursday 29th October due to Half Term/ Lightpool Festival bus services will divert from 6:30pm.
Bus Diversion Information
Illumination bus diversions will affect services 3, 4, 5, 5C, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14.
Please see below for full details on the diversion routes that each of the services will take.
Town Centre Stopping locations
If you usually catch your bus from Blackpool town centre, when the illumination diversions are in place, where you catch your bus from may change.
The below table shows you where to catch your bus, and we will also be sign posting the main town centre stops which will detail where to catch your bus.
If you need any help planning your journey during the illuminations our customer experience team are here to help, you can either email them at [email protected] or call them on 01253 473001.
Full Details of Bus Diversion Routes
Services 3, 4
Services towards Cleveleys will use their normal route and can still be caught from Abingdon Street.
Services towards Mereside will use their normal route to Dickson Road, from there it will use Talbot Road, Cookson Street, Caunce Street and Grosvenor Street before using the normal route.
(Clifton Street is not being served, catch your bus from Dickson Road).
Services 5
Services towards the Hospital will use their normal route to the mini roundabout at Gymnasium stop will then divert via Grasmere Road, Condor Grove, Park Road and Church Street, you can catch services from Abingdon Street, from where they will continue to the normal route.
Services towards Halfway House will use the normal route to Talbot Road, then divert onto Bickerstaff Square using the stop outside the Post Office (on Cookson Street opposite the Holiday Inn). Then will continue to divert via Grosvenor Street, via Park Road and Reads Avenue before returning to the normal route at Central Drive.
Service 5C
Service 5C will use St Johns Square as its town centre terminus and services towards Knott End can be caught from Abingdon Street.
Service 6
Services towards Grange Park will use the normal route to Condor Grove, then divert via Park Road, Church Street and will use the stops on Abingdon Street.
Services towards Mereside will use their normal route to Church Street, then after Topping Street, turn right into Talbot Road, right into Cookson Street where it will use the stop outside the Post Office. Will then continue to divert via Caunce Street, Grosvenor Street, Park Road and Reads Avenue before returning to the normal route at Central Drive.
Service 7
Services towards Cleveleys will use the normal route to the mini roundabout at Gymnasium stop then turn right on to Grasmere Road, left onto Condor Grove, left onto Park Road and left onto Church Street to use Abingdon Street stops.
Services towards Lytham will use the normal route before turning into Cookson Street where it will stop outside the post office. It will leave town via Caunce Street, Grosvenor Street, Park Road, Reeds Avenue to Central Drive.
Service 8
Services towards Blackpool will use Talbot Road, drop off at the temporary stop outside post office on Cookson Street and the Co-Op at St Johns Square.
Services towards Cleveleys will use the stops on Abingdon Street before returning to Talbot Road then use the normal route.
Service 10
Services towards Blackpool will Divert at Condor Square then use Park Road, Church Street and drop off in St Johns Square.
Services towards Lytham will commence from Abingdon Street then use Talbot Road, Cookson Street, Caunce Street, Grosvenor Street, Park Road, right onto Reeds Avenue, and Central Drive and follow normal route from there.
Service 11
Services towards Blackpool will turn right on to Tyldesley Road (missing out the Manchester Square stop), right onto Rigby Road, left onto Central Drive, to terminate at New Bonny Street.
Services towards Lytham will depart from New Bonny Street opposite Coral Island, left Bonny Street left Chapel Street right Central Drive, right Rigby Road, left Tyldesley Road left Lytham Road and follow normal route from there.
Service 14
Services towards Blackpool will use Talbot Road, drop off at the temporary stop outside post office on Cookson Street and the Co-Op at St Johns Square.
Services towards Fleetwood will use the stops on Abingdon Street before returning to Talbot Road then use the normal route.