Harrow Place Tram Stop

patavery

14 Nov 2025

Stop here for lots of pretty orbs (Mirror Ball and solar system sculpture)

4

4

Date of visit: October 2025

I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment and moving around.

Overall Rating

Good

I think the Blackpool tram stops are generally good, but one of the things that I find most frustrating is when there is no easy and safe way to cross the road to and from the platforms. I was therefore delighted to find pedestrian crossings at either end of the platforms at Harrow Place. Mind you – it is still a little bit of a walk, or wheel in my case, from the end to the platform to the crossing, but 50 to 100 metres away is much better than non-existent. I took the tram (and tram replacement bus on my second try) to Harrow Place to visit the Solaris Centre, as I wanted to see the café and the Changing Places toilet, but I was a little too late on my first try and on my second attempt, they were closed because of the storm (that had also suspended the tram). I still enjoyed visiting Solaris Park and the lovely solar system sculpture there, though, despite the awful weather. Harrow Place tram stop is also close to the Mirror Ball, which is opposite the pedestrian crossing north of the platforms, but if you want to get close to it, bear in mind that there are only stairs leading up to it at that end. For step free access, you will have to go all the way south past the platforms until you get to the bus stop. There you will be able to cross the tracks with lowered curbs and tactile markings and then take the ramp up to the seafront promenade on the other side. It is about 200 metres from the ramp to the Mirror Ball.

Disabled Access In and Around

Good

The tram stop has two platforms with the tracks in between them. The platform on the side of the sea is for the northbound trams to Knott’s End Ferry and the platform on the side of the road is for the trams heading south to Starr Gate. Poles on the southbound platform can make the walkway a bit narrow at one point, which means a bit more effort as a powerchair user. The northbound platform has a shelter with a bench and a timetable. The southbound platform has one bench in the middle. The benches do not have a backrest or armrests. Each platform has two wheelchair symbols on the ground that line up with the wider doors on the trams. The doors of the trams are approximately at the same level as the platforms, so there are no ramps needed. I always managed to get onto the tram in my powerchair, but I did find that it was a little bit higher than the platform and I struggled when it was raining and everything was slippery. The platforms are elevated from the street level, so there are slopes up on either side. The slopes and the edge of the platforms are indicated with tactile markings. There are lowered curbs with tactile markings on either side of the platform crossing the tracks. On either end, the platforms continue into a slightly narrower footpath. On the northern end (to the right when facing the sea), there is a large zebra crossing by the Solaris Centre and stairs with six steps and some handrails up to the seafront promenade. For step-free access to the promenade, you need to go south until you reach the other pedestrian crossing. The crossing over the tracks to the ramp up to the promenade is about 35 meters past the pedestrian crossing.

Accessible facilities: Single-level venue, Step-free entrance

Parking & Transport

Average

I travelled to this place by tram

The stop for southbound buses (Harrowside, 21) is across the road north of the platform, by Solaris Centre. The northbound bus stop (Harrow Place, 21) is on the side of the platforms, a similar distance to the south, past the pedestrian crossing there. There is on-street parking directly north of the platforms and in the roads off New South Promenade.

Accessible facilities: Public or on street parking

Accessible Toilets

There are no toilets at this tram stop, but there are public toilets at the side of the Solaris Centre/Park and possibly a Changing Places toilet inside. (As I said at the beginning, I did not manage to get inside to check it out.)

Staff

Good

I have found the tram staff to be friendly and helpful. Sometimes there will be staff at the tram stops, but more commonly there will be two conductors on the tram who can assist you with boarding and buying your tickets. When the tram was disrupted and busses were replacing it, there was no notice at the tram stop, but the conductor on the bus came all the way over to the tram platform when he spotted me from the bus and took the time to find a way for me to cross the road and get onto the bus. Unfortunately, I was less lucky when I tried to get back and the bus driver only stopped to tell me I could not come on board. I did not even hear his explanation because it was too windy, but I imagine it was something like the bus being too busy. As this was the first bus I had seen pass by in the last half hour, I decided to give up on catching any public transport that day.