Free Blackpool residents' pass plan to go ahead

A scheme offering Blackpool residents free admission to attractions in the resort will go ahead "as planned", the council leader has said.

The pledge was made in the Labour manifesto ahead of local elections in May 2019.

Councillor Simon Blackburn said talks were continuing "with a variety of operators" and the scheme was planned to launch "as promised".

Details will be confirmed by the end of March, said a council spokesman.

Attractions in the resort include Madame Tussauds, Blackpool Tower and the Pleasure Beach but it's not known which will be included in the scheme.

Conservative councillor Tony Williams said the idea "has not been discussed formally" and councillors have "no idea what the council plans to do or how they plan to do it".

He added: "There's 150,000 people living in Blackpool, is everybody going to get a free ticket?"

The Labour group said the residents' pass scheme will be in place in time for the 2020 tourism season, reported the Local Democracy Reporter Service.