Beach dog ban to keep bathing waters clean

Dogs could be banned from more areas of Blackpool beach during the summer months

Pooches are already prohibited between May and September from the sands between South Pier and North Pier.

But now the council is proposing to introduce a Public Spaces Protection Order to make the beach between South Pier and the Solaris Centre dog free between May and September.

The order would also make the area between Duchess Drive and Sandhurst Avenue in Bispham dog free during the same summer period.

A public consultation is to be held on the issue.

The move is aimed to help keep the stretch of beach clean and improve the current quality of bathing water further.

All four of Blackpool’s bathing water sites passed the revised EU bathing water regulations last year, but as the new regulations are twice as strict, moves are being made to make sure the sea water quality can continue to pass in the future.

Coun Fred Jackson, cabinet member responsible for bathing waters, said: “Our bathing water results last year were fantastic and I was over the moon to hear that we’d passed the tough new standards throughout Blackpool.

“However, we can’t be complacent and now have to work to make sure that we continue to pass year on year.

“We want people to go out with their dog and enjoy the sunshine on the beach. However during the summer, when it is busy with families, we are asking people to walk them away from the most popular areas.”

Areas of the beach including at Starr Gate and Bispham would remain open to dogs.