Project to trial AI-enabled technology for Blackpool transport network

Posted on Monday 19 October 2026

The £3m project, funded by Innovate UK and led by Blackpool Council, will see a team from the University of York develop and trial a private 5G network across parts of Blackpool's tram and bus network, to evaluate its potential to provide reliable communications.

Peak demand

As a tourist destination, Blackpool experiences seasonal spikes, with visitor numbers peaking when the town hosts major events such as the Blackpool Air Show. Busy periods put heavy demand on public mobile networks.

The project, named ORBIT (Orchestrated Mobile Network for Blackpool Intelligent Transport), involves a consortium, bringing together expertise from local government, academia and industry. The York team, led by Professor Hamed Ahmadi and Professor David Grace, will integrate advanced wireless networking and edge computing into a single end-to-end system, in order to assess how it could better support operational services, incident response and digital passenger experience.

Open Radio Access Network

The researchers will combine digital twin networks and live AI with Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN), an advanced network setup that allows them to seamlessly link 5G hardware components from different providers. By avoiding reliance on software and hardware from a single provider, the researchers aim to establish how future network upgrades and AI-enabled applications could be integrated more easily into day-to-day transport operations.

During the trial, researchers will evaluate how the network handles operational communications and passenger information streamed to onboard screens. The trial will assess whether the technology can help operators monitor service conditions and manage passenger information more efficiently during busy periods.

Hamed Ahmadi, Professor in Digital Engineering at the University of York, said: “This project represents one of the very first times an O-RAN private network has been tested on a tram and bus system in the UK. Building a dedicated, private wireless network ensures that critical public transport systems and operational technologies will always stay connected. Beyond Blackpool, we hope this will serve as a blueprint for towns and cities across Europe.”

Forward looking trial

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “Blackpool has always been at the forefront of exploring how technology can improve our services and people’s lives. This is a forward looking trial, where we'll explore how a private network can improve reliability and passenger experience on our bus and tram network.

“The research will help us understand what works in practice and where there could be real value. If it’s successful, the Blackpool model could be rolled out to public transport systems across the country.

“This supports our wider vision for Blackpool to be a town at the forefront of digital advancement. It complements our Silicon Sands plans to change the data centre industry so it can give back to the community and the environment, as well as creating a new economy so that our young people can find quality jobs without leaving home.”

The project consortium includes Blackpool Council, Cybermoor, Hitachi Rail, VIAVI, Wave Mobile and Safenetics.

ORBIT builds on previous work by the team carried out in Blackpool as part of the REACH Project, which introduced O-RAN to Blackpool.