Starr Gate Tram Stop

patavery

07 Nov 2025

There is a tram stop at the end of the rainbow.

3

3

Date of visit: October 2025

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

Overall Rating

Average

Starr Gate is the southernmost tram stop in Blackpool. The hotels and attractions are mostly further north and the area is residential apart from the airport and the sand dunes. There is also a large arc with changing colourful lights spanning the road, marking the end or maybe the beginning of the promenade, depending on which way you are looking at it. While the airport is not doing commercial flights anymore, they still have the Spitfire Visitor Centre, which is a popular attraction when it is open during the summer months. You can access the beach off the promenade much closer to central Blackpool, but if you are looking for something less built-up and more natural, you can find it just around the corner from the Starr Gate tram stop. The dunes seem to be trying to make that distance even shorter, judging by all the sand that gets blown onto the roads in the area!

Disabled Access In and Around

Good

Unfortunately, there is no good place to cross the road coming from the promenade/north and you have to go all the way past and around to the crossings at the intersection. The crossing is about 100 metres from the tram stop and quite large, so it can take some time to cross. If you are just heading to or coming from the beach, you are already on the right side of the road for the tram stop, but you still need to go around the little park, so it is about 250 metres to get to the beach. Until you reach the platforms, the footpath is only on the side of the tracks facing the road, so you will need to cross over the tracks if you are taking the tram away from Starr Gate. There are lowered curbs with tactile markings on either side of the platform crossing the tracks. There are two platforms, but the one on the side of the road is only for getting off the tram, as it is the last stop. There are no benches or shelters on that platform. The other platform, further from the road, is where you can take the trams north to Knott’s End Ferry. There is a shelter with two benches without backrests 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.

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

Parking & Transport

Poor

I travelled to this place by walk or wheel

Starr Gate is the southernmost tram stop in Blackpool. The hotels and attractions are mostly further north and the area is residential apart from the airport and the sand dunes. There is also a large arc with changing colourful lights spanning the road, marking the end or maybe the beginning of the promenade, depending on which way you are looking at it. While the airport is not doing commercial flights anymore, they still have the Spitfire Visitor Centre, which is a popular attraction when it is open during the summer months. You can access the beach off the promenade much closer to central Blackpool, but if you are looking for something less built up and more natural, you can find it just around the corner from the Starr Gate tram stop. The dunes seem to be trying to come even closer to the platforms – at least judging by all the sand that gets blown onto the streets in the neighbourhood! Transport The northbound Starr Gate bus stop for the 21 is next to the tram stop, between the light-up arch and the park. The bus stops for the other direction and lines (11, 11A, 68, 68C) are across the intersection between 230 and 250 meters (3 to 4 minutes) away. Squires Gate train station is across the intersection and uphill 400-meter/6-minute walk away, but there is no step-free access and indeed quite a long flight of stairs down to the platform. There is some on-street parking in the side streets, but none of it is particularly close to the tram stop.

Accessible facilities: Public or on street parking

Accessible Toilets

There are no toilets at this tram stop, but there are some public toilets about 50 metres away in a small adjacent green space.

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.