A view of the Best Lit Bike Competition
It’s time to share with you one of the difficulties we have been trying to overcome in arranging this years Blackpool Light Parade.
Because of this particular one, revised arrangements for the 2009 Blackpool Light Parade are in preparation and changes will appear on the BLP website as soon as they can be written and implemented. Meantime here is the gist of it.
Unfortunately the Organisers have been forced to abandon plans for the usual type of marshalled Parade through the Illuminations for this year. This follows a decision by Lancashire Constabulary to refuse the assistance by motorcycle police we have enjoyed in recent years, conduct a rolling road block ahead of us to allow us to make progress through what is sometimes standing traffic.
This is the arrangement which seemed from our viewpoint to work extremely well last year, when we managed to keep the whole Parade moving through the busy section of the Prom more or less without stopping. However this year it is not to be; we can only ask the Police to help and this year they have said no.
Even worse, the Police have told us that in their view the GoldWing Light Parade can no longer be conducted safely without a full road closure (i.e. the Promenade cleared of all traffic other than the GoldWings) and crowd control fencing in place along the full length of the route. Indeed this is the final version of the reasons we were given for withdrawing their help. There has never been an injury to a pedestrian during the seven years the Parade has been running but the police feel that by modern standards, the risk to pedestrians of our Parade has become unacceptable.
Blackpool Council are very keen to retain our Light Parade, which has become an annual spectacle and an attraction for visitors to Blackpool, but asking them to close the whole Promenade and line both sides of five or six miles of it with crowd control fencing is not remotely realistic.
You might be tempted to wonder whether this smacks of police health & safety going OTT against the public interest again but as the politician in that well known TV series always used to say in circumstances like this “you might think that, but I couldn’t possibly say so”.
The Police aren't upset with us, they just want things to be safe
Even though it is merely the police’s opinion that crowd control fencing all along the route is needed, expressing it has the effect of making a marshalled Parade of the sort we have had in previous years impractical. The Organisers cannot hope to retain the confidence of their PLI insurers (and the all important PLI cover which an organised Parade requires these days) if they act against police advice and run a Parade anyway – or at least these particular Organisers aren’t willing to take that risk.
Fortunately this cloud has a distinctly silver lining. All the GoldWings attending the Event, including Wingers who choose not to stay at Pontin’s, will still have an excellent opportunity to ride through the Lights on Saturday evening in company with fellow Wingers. In some ways things could even end up working out better than in some previous BLP years.
The Organisers anticipate that most Wingers will return to Pontin’s for their evening meal after the usual Promenade Static Display on Saturday afternoon and then set of from Pontin’s to ride through the lights shortly afterwards, again more or less as usual. The Police have offered to help the GoldWings get past the Squires Gate traffic lights, so assuming Wingers time their departure from Pontin’s so as to arrive at the Gynn Square Roundabout (which is the usual turning point on the Parade Route) at dusk, they will be in a position to start their ride Southwards, back towards Pontin’s as darkness falls and the Illuminations are switched on. There will be no need to set off together across the tram tracks through the inevitable milling crowds to get onto the Promenade because the bikes will already be on it.
Riding the Illuminations
The Organisers will issue safety advice for riders who plan to ride through the Lights on Saturday evening and suggest departure times from Pontin’s and Gynn Square. The Police have offered to assist our progress Northbound through the Squires Gate traffic lights, which will be helpful. These are the first ones to be encounter after leaving Pontin’s to head for Blackpool and they are where most of the Northbound Illuminations traffic enters the Promenade.
The Organisers will also provide assistance with motorcycle traffic flow within Pontin’s during the period when Wingers are likely to be getting ready to depart and when exiting from Pontin’s.
Effectively therefore, apart from it being unlikely that everyone attending the Event will be able to stick together and ride as one continuous big group through the Light (and last year was the first time we’ve ever actually achieved that anyway) this alternative way of riding the Illuminations could turn out to be just as enjoyable. Riders will have the opportunity to get together as a group with friends within Pontin’s and set off together when they are ready, which was always difficult to achieve in the limited space at the Cenotaph.
Another benefit will be that while those who want to ride northbound during daylight (therefore in quieter traffic) and return from Gynn Square after the Illuminations are switched on will be able to do so, if there are any hardy souls who would like to ride both ways along the Promenade after the Illuminations are switched on, they can set off from Pontin’s somewhat later. It’s all about freedom of choice! The Organisers will suggest a departure times from Pontin’s to achieve this.
The information on the BLP website will be updated to reflect this change as soon as practicable but the BLP website is not as quick and easy to change as this Blog, hence the announcement here, to get the information out as quickly as possible once we knew the Police decision was final.
It’s going to be a great weekend!
July 3rd, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Will we be able to use our lights, horns and stuff if we choose to ride the prom in this manner?
July 3rd, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Hi Stuart…..Sad news indeed for the thousands of people who come to Blackpool every year to see the Goldwing Light Parade going along the prom with all their lights on, like your self I think that the Police decision is a big mistake for the people of Blackpool. In my opinon the police should be more worried about someone being hurt by the thousands of cars that drive along the prom night after night with young children hanging out of every car window or standing up looking out of the car sunroof trying to get a beter view of the lights ( I personally have seen loads of kids doing this and with NO seatbelts on either )
But despite this decision I am sure that we will still give the people of Blackpool a night to remember………Papajoe
July 4th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
SEE YOU THERE!!
July 5th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
It’s a disappointment but it’s not necessarily a set back. It would have been better to be able to work with the Police to build on the success (from our viewpoint) of the way things were done last year, because we really did manage, for the first time, to stay together and keep moving for most of the way once we got goingt. But previous BLPs have been run with little or no Police help and I’m confident we will enjoy ourselves this year too.
We are anticipating that many if not most or all of us will probably set off together from Pontin’s and we may find that many of us manage to stick together for much of the route.
Because we will not have the hassle of mustering at a location on the Promenade, which has always attracted the public to the mustering area and created crowd control difficulties as the Parade gets moving, it could even work out better overall than the way we’ve done things in the past. The public are still going to notice us and we’re still going to enjoy ourselves.
I didn’t ask the Police whether they would object to our use of fancy lighting and non-standard horns and they haven’t said anything about it either. I’m assuming it’s not something they are likley to object to on the night, but it would be unrealistic to expect them to give specific prior approval. They have offered to see us through the Squires Gate traffic lights and they know what we do in way of lights and noises, so I don’t see that side of things as a problem.
July 5th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
I have never been to this event and don’t ever plan to for various reasons. I do know however that many members of the GWOCGB do go and really enjoy themselves.
It is sad that the event seems to have lost the support from the police, but hopefully it will still go ahead this year.
Dougal
July 6th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Well, I’m definately going to enjoy this event and as you say Stuart it just might be better overall. I’m thinking positively and working on my lights and all is going to plan, the bike will be stunning on the night, but not as good as Papajoe’s lol. See you all there!
July 6th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Thanks for the kindly thoughts Keith – and it certainly will go ahead, no question of that. It’s going to be a great weekend!
July 6th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
I have a problem with this. As there is no muster, this means that myself and my family will have no opportunity to see the static display. We come with my parents who own a wing every year. I assume they will be allowed into pontins (as non-resident wings have been allowed before) however we are unable to stay at Pontins this year. Unless you are making some provision for all of us supporters (we are not the only ones!) to be able to access pontins over that weekend, then we will be excluded from everything but the actual parade- which is not fair on those of us that have supported the parade all these years.
Maybe you could bring up this issue with Pontins- after all, once we’re in the park we’ll be spending money so surely it would benefit them by allowing us access?
July 6th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
You will be most welcome to bring your family to view the Static Display of GoldWings on the Saturday afternoon near South Parade Pier and your parents will be just as welcome to bring their GoldWing to display it there.
The Parade Mustering Area (if that’s what you really meant) was never not intended as a spectator opportunity for anyone. Keeping the crowds out of it and clear of our pathway onto the Promenade, for safety reasons, was one of the challenges. If you have been taking your family in among the mustering bikes on foot please don’t do it again, it’s just not safe – and it wouldn’t be safe to do it within Pontin’s either.
One of the benefits of the arrangements we are being forced to make this year will be that the bikes will be preparing to ride the Lights on the private land of Pontin’s, so hopefully there will be less spectators trying to mingle with the moving bikes especially as they move on to the roadway – although of course the non-Winger residents of Pontin’s are likely to want to watch, so we will have to make plans for their safety. I wouldn’t want any extra people coming into Pontin’s at that time, for safety reasons.
You and your family of course will be able to watch the bikes riding through the Lights anywhere along the Prom and if you keep an eye on the BLP website you will get a good idea of when they are likely to start arriving. 7.30pm is the earliest you are likely to get any sort of view of illuminated bikes.
I will ask Pontin’s again for you whether they are willing to allow non-residents to use their facailities over the weekend but I expect the answer will be a firm no. (I asked about Day Passes last year and they declined.) We did get permission for GoldWings which were registered for the Event to come in and park outside the Stardust Lounge but apart from that I’m not aware that Pontin’s have ever actually allowed anyone to use their facilities free of charge. I doubt very much if they will make exceptions for non-resident non-Wingers just because they might spend some money inside either. Their licensing and PLI conditions may not allow it, even if they were willing.
I understand that you have expectations and you may even feel that you have rights to free entry to Pontin’s, as a seasoned spectator of the Light Parade but I’m afraid that is something I’m not likely to be able to deliver for you. We are of course trying very hard to make the best of the situation to give all the spectators who come to Blackpool each year to see us something to enjoy, so I hope you won’t be put off from coming to Blackpool with your family as you have in the past.
Staying at Pontin’s with your parents would of course be the best way of doing it. Sadly you’ve already missed the deadline for our extra-discounted prices, but the rates for Pontin’s are still very good value.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
10th July 2009 is the balance due date for Pontin’s. Just a reminder.
If you are staying Thursday night you have to pay by 9th July 2009.
Kind Regards Paul J
July 10th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Last year was my first year having only owned a Wing from July 2008 and what a great weekend it was. I think people should not think of this weekend as “just a parade of Wings” but as a total weekend of Wings meeting people and just having a great time.
If I am right the Light Display at Scarborough has not had the benifit of a Closed Road parade but it seemed to go Ok, less of the negative thinking and just have fun
See you all there I may recognise some of you from last year.
Ride safe
July 10th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
I’m delighted to say there doesn’t seem to have been any negative comment to speak of as far as I have heard. Everyone I’ve spoken to sees this as just needing a little adaptation here and there, so we can enjoy ourselves as usual. Bob and I are already well on with. The Blackpool crowds will still be there to see us and the Illuminations will still be shining brightly, so what’s the problem? It’s going to be a great weekend!
July 11th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Sod em all. We`ll have a great time come what may. Does this mean that Garry Wheat won`t be able to illuninate and show off his one and only 50p flashing blue LED?
July 12th, 2009 at 12:18 am
My wife and I sadly won’t be there this year for various reasons. Last year was our first BLP and we had a great time. We wish you all success for this year’s event and hope to be there next year. Have fun and ride safe.J&P