A FAMILIAR Blackpool sea-front sight will soon be trundling into the 21st century -- thanks to a tram-tastic cash bonanza.

Nearly £3 million of Government and county council money will be spent on the town's century-old tramway over the next three years, giving passengers a smoother ride.

Blackpool Borough Council already spends £400,000 a year maintaining the 22-mile long tram track and overhead lines.

But with the extra £500,000 a year and changes to the way track is laid council workers could lay more than double the amount of track than currently possible.

The cash injection was the direct result of proposals made to the Government by Blackpool Council in their local transport plan.

The funding was welcomed by Richard Nulty, the council's community services director.

"Seven million people use the tramway and it's a vital part of the transport network for Blackpool and the Fylde," he said. "We're looking forward to making significant improvements for many years to come."

And more talks with County Hall could lead to the system being expanded, he added.

The electric street tramway opened in Blackpool in 1885 and was the first permanent track of its kind in the world. It remains popular, with up to 60 services a day running in the peak summer season.

But the revamp will bring disruption to services. Rather than laying one line while trams pass by on the other, council chiefs want to completely close sections of track, north and south bound, for repairs.

This would mean larger equipment could be brought to the trackside making the work faster, easier and safer.

Mr Nulty denied closures would cause problems for passengers. "I would hope that the regular tram users would know that the track is in particularly poor condition and the simplest way of dealing with it is to stop the service for eight to ten weeks."

A shuttle bus would take passengers past the repair work, or even all the way to their destination, he said.

Closures will take place out of season, and could last up to ten weeks. The first planned track closure will be in the Bispham area.

STOP SIGN: Track repairs were going ahead on the Prom recently but that will all change