Cleveleys Bus Station

Cleveleys bus station is a busy little spot, just off Victoria Road West. Use it for all the local service buses to nearby towns, including Fleetwood, Blackpool and Lytham St Annes. It’s the last remaining one on the Fylde Coast!

Mythical Makeover for Cleveleys Bus Station!

In April 2024 local artist Christian Fenn (painting as Seca One) transformed this dingy space with a huge, impressive mural. Based on the story of the Sea Swallow it features the Ogre and Mary’s Shell. Wyre Council commissioned the street art, paid for by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Care for Cleveleys volunteers helped out, getting the wall ready for painting, moving information signs and repointing some of the brick-work. Then the entire wall was base-coated with masonry paint prior to the design being added. It’s revitalised the space, creating a huge, focal art piece for visitors and locals to enjoy. The impressive piece incorporates several well-known features in Cleveleys, including the Mythic Coast sculptures like the beloved Ogre, as well as the filming location for the hit Disney+ spin-off series ‘Andor’. This unique artwork took over 80 hours to prepare, design and create and has transformed the tired-looking bus station into a vibrant hub between the coast and the high street.

Christian, also known as Seca One, has works not only in Wyre, Blackpool and the Fylde Coast but all across the UK and internationally. He said “it’s been a fantastic project to work on. I’m lucky enough to be able to paint all over the world and I am proud to say that the crowd on my doorstep in Cleveleys is up there with the best of them! A big thank you to Wyre Council for the commission. To all the volunteers who have helped get this project underway and for my fellow artist Hayley Garner, otherwise known as Aylo, for coming over and helping me for the final days.”

The transformation also ties in to another upcoming Care for Cleveleys project – the History and Mystery of Cleveleys. Watch out for a printed/downloadable trail-map coming soon, featuring all kinds of interesting things to explore. Plus a new town map, coming soon to the bus station wall.

Cleveleys Bus Station Today

Heading for 100 years old, Cleveleys bus station is the last one on the Fylde Coast and a really handy sheltered space for waiting passengers.

It’s one of the main gateways into the town – between two of the large, long stay car parks at Derby Road West and the main shopping street. And it’s really close to the seafront and beach too.

The bus station is a handy local landmark and a useful place for visitors to the town. It’s where the service buses pick up and drop off – and somewhere to shelter while you wait. More about Blackpool Transport Services here

Not only is it somewhere to shelter from the weather and take a breather, it’s also where you’ll find public toilets. Danfo cubicles are to the right of the bus station. Both unisex cubicles and disabled are available, all coin operated, pay on entry.

History of Cleveleys Bus Station

Many thanks to Nick Moore and his amazing History of Blackpool and the Fylde Coast for information about the history of the bus station.

Cleveleys Bus Station is the last remaining one on the Fylde Coast, developed on its present site from 1936 onwards.

Nick Watts got in touch to share this photo and some more information from the 1970s. Nick says “the photo dates to the early 1970s, taken by my late father, Aubrey P Watts. It shows several Blackpool Transport and Ribble buses and pre-dates B&M Bargains and The Dickens Inn.”

Nick adds “I remember that prior to this, in the late 1960s, buses had the dangerous habit of backing out onto Rough Lea Road when departing! This was when the double-deck buses were “rear loaders” and had conductors on board who could help the driver reverse. Buses also used to approach the bus station along Princess Road instead of via the promenade.”

How the Bus Station Began

Previously, in January 1921 Blackpool Corporation had put out a call for tenders for a proper bus garage. One had opened in July 1921 in a converted battery house at Rossall.

Thornton Cleveleys Urban District Council built the first basic station on the site in 1932. It was for the use of Ribble Motor Services whose buses terminated at Victoria Road West. They’d been parking their buses off-road nearby. Then two new metal shelters were erected in July 1946. The first Blackpool Corporation bus entered the new bus station on 1 February 1947. Today’s concrete buildings and toilets were added in May 1959.

Recent Remodelling

For many years the bus station ticked along as it always had done. Just an expanse of concrete where buses parked, against the covered station.

A refurbishment scheme was carried out in July 2012, when todays passenger stands were added and the left-hand screen removed.

Brightening up Cleveleys Bus Station

Cleveleys town centre is looked after by an active group of volunteers. One of the first projects that the Care for Cleveleys group did was cleaning up and brightening the bus station.

Back in November 2018 a large mural was installed at the bus station. It told the story of the volunteer group and helped to orientate visitors to the main sights in the town.

Students at Blackpool and the Fylde College created the concept for the design. The expensive panels were paid for with the Coastal Community Team grant.

The bus station was cleaned and brightened up. The benches, roof supports and ceiling all freshly painted, the floor jet washed and all looking spick and span. A small celebration event finished the project off with buckets full of goodwill.

But it didn’t last long…

Sadly, a group of bored youngsters decided that the bus station was going to be the target for their boredom.

Systematically, over a period of about 6-8 weeks they wrecked all the hard work. They bounced balls and jacked bikes up to the clean ceiling to make it dirty. The panels, benches and the brick wall were graffitied. Fresh paint was scratched off the benches and the yellow poles. Not to be content with that, they dismantled the individual panels of the graphic until it was all removed. The bus station looked just like it did before the work was carried out. Dull and not especially welcoming.

If you would like to join in with Care for Cleveleys just come along to a clean-up or meet up. All the details are in the Facebook group. Volunteers to look after the town are always welcomed. There’s a lot still to do in the town centre!