Editing Preston, Lancashire (section)

==Transport==
The Guild Wheel is a [[public footpath]] and cycle route, created in 2012 in celebration of the [[#Guild Merchant|Preston Guild]] and officially opened in August of that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/web/?siteid=5989&pageid=34335|title=Guild Wheel – Welcome|work=lancashire.gov.uk|access-date=19 April 2012|archive-date=25 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225235549/http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/web/?siteid=5989&pageid=34335|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{convert|21|mi}} in length, it encircles Preston, linking the city to the countryside and surrounding villages.<ref name="Guild Wheel">{{cite web|last=Baines|first=Becky|title=Miss|url=http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/web/?siteid=5989&pageid=34335|publisher=Lancashire County Counvil|access-date=22 May 2014|archive-date=25 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225235549/http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/web/?siteid=5989&pageid=34335|url-status=dead}}</ref> Walking and cycling on the pathway along the banks of the [[Lancaster Canal]] is popular among the city's residents and visitors.

The nearest airports from Preston with scheduled service are [[Liverpool John Lennon Airport]] and [[Manchester Airport]], about {{convert|40|mi|km}} south-west and south-east of the city respectively. Manchester Airport is linked by a direct rail service operated by [[TransPennine Express]]. [[Blackpool Airport]], approximately {{convert|16|mi|km}} to the west of Preston, provides facilities for private aviation and [[charter flight]]s. Although not a public airport, [[Warton Aerodrome]] is an active airfield west of the city and is the airfield for the [[BAE Systems Military Air & Information|BAE Warton factory]]. [[BAE Samlesbury]] to the east of the town was an active aerodrome, with a [[gliding]] club, but today serves as a facility for [[BAE Systems]] and no longer supports flying activities.

===Rail===
{{main|Preston railway station}}
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[[File: Preston railway station - geograph.org.uk - 5974936.jpg |thumb|Preston Railway Station]]
Preston has a long history with the railways. [[Preston railway station]] opened in 1838 and has since been rebuilt and extended several times. It is a major stop on the [[West Coast Main Line]] between [[London]] and [[Scotland]]. It also provides for local services around Preston as well as regional services to the [[The Fylde|Fylde Coast]], [[Cumbria]] and the [[Lake District]], and various towns and cities in [[Lancashire]], [[Merseyside]] and [[Yorkshire]].

The station has nine (9) platforms, eight (8) of which are in public use, and access is provided for the mobility-impaired. Facilities include:
* Staffed ticket office (limited hours) and self-service ticket machines
* Cafes and news agency
* Lost property office
* Toilets
* Waiting lounges
* Taxi rank
* Bus stop (near by)

The station is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is managed by [[Avanti West Coast]]. For local passenger services outside the city boundaries, there are also stations at [[Bamber Bridge]] and [[Lostock Hall]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/pre.aspx |title=Stations & On Train |publisher=National Rail |access-date=15 November 2021}}</ref>

The lines to [[West Lancashire Railway|Southport]] and [[Preston and Longridge Railway|Longridge]] closed to passengers in 1965 and 1930 respectively. The disused tracks of the Longridge line are extant as far as [[Deepdale, Preston|Deepdale]]. In 2010 plans were put forward to use part of this line for a demonstration tram system.<ref>(26 March 2010), [http://www.lep.co.uk/news/tram_system_demo_could_be_in_place_soon_1_752372 "Tram system demo could be in place soon"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613234209/https://www.lep.co.uk/news/tram_system_demo_could_be_in_place_soon_1_752372 |date=13 June 2018 }}, ''Lancashire Evening Post'', Preston. Retrieved 4 August 2011</ref>

==== Current routes and operators ====
As at May 2022 the station is serviced by the following rail operators providing passenger services on the following routes:

* Avanti West Coast: provides regular services between:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/where-we-go/our-routes/our-route-map |title=Avanti West Coast Network |publisher=Avanti West Coast |access-date=15 November 2021}}</ref>
** [[Euston railway station|London Euston]] and [[Blackpool North railway station|Blackpool]] via [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]] or [[Nuneaton railway station|Nuneaton]]
** London Euston and [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh]] via Birmingham
** London Euston and [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow]] via Birmingham or Nuneaton
* [[Caledonian Sleeper]]: an overnight [[Sleeping car|sleeper service]] operating between London to Scotland; only the ''Highland Sleeper'' stops at Preston (the ''Lowland Sleeper'' is express to and from [[Carlisle]]). Northbound services operates from Euston station in London to [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Waverley station]] in Edinburgh, where the train divides into three different trains for the final destinations of [[Aberdeen railway station|Aberdeen]], [[Fort William railway station|Fort William]] and [[Inverness railway station|Inverness]]. Southbound services are the reverse, whereby the three trains come together at Edinburgh and continue south to London as one.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}
* [[Northern Trains]]: provides regular services to many destinations in the North including:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/network-map |title=Rail Network Map |publisher=Northern |access-date=15 November 2021}}</ref>
** [[Blackpool North railway station|Blackpool North]] via [[Poulton-le-Fylde railway station|Poulton-le-Fylde]]
** [[Blackpool South railway station|Blackpool South]] via [[Lytham railway station|Lytham]]
** [[Carlisle railway station|Carlisle]] via [[Barrow-in-Furness railway station|Barrow in Furness]]
** [[Colne railway station|Colne]] via [[Blackburn railway station|Blackburn]], [[Burnley Central railway station|Burnley Central]]
** [[Liverpool Lime Street railway station|Liverpool Lime Street]]) via [[Wigan North Western railway station|Wigan]]
** [[Manchester Piccadilly railway station|Manchester Piccadilly]] or [[Manchester Victoria railway station|Manchester Victoria]] via [[Bolton railway station|Bolton]]
** [[Morecambe railway station|Morecambe]] via [[Lancaster railway station|Lancaster]]
** [[Ormskirk railway station|Ormskirk]] via [[Croston railway station|Croston]]
** [[Windermere railway station|Windermere]] via [[Kendall railway station|Kendal]]
** [[York railway station]] via [[Blackburn railway station|Blackburn]], [[Hebden Bridge railway station|Hebden Bridge]], [[Bradford Interchange]], [[Leeds railway station|Leeds]]
** [[TransPennine Express]]: provides regular services between:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travelling-with-us/routes |title=Routes |publisher=TransPennine Express |access-date=15 November 2021}}</ref>
** [[Manchester Airport railway station|Manchester Airport]] and [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh]] via [[Carlisle railway station|Carlisle]]
** Manchester Airport and [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow]] via Carlisle

==== Former stations ====
Although Preston is now only served by its main railway station, in the preceding decades there were a number of other stations which have since closed (and many demolished). The following is a list of former stations which were located within the boundaries of the current day [[City of Preston, Lancashire|City of Preston]]:{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}

* [[Barton & Broughton railway station|Barton & Broughton]]
* Butler Street (goods only)
* [[Deepdale railway station|Deepdale (Bridge)]]
* [[Deepdale Street railway station|Deepdale Street]]
* [[Preston Fishergate Hill railway station|Fishergate Hill]]
* [[Grimsargh railway station|Grimsargh]]
* Grimsargh WHR (separate station for the Whittingham Hospital railway)
* [[Lea Road railway station|Lea Road]]
* [[Maudland Bridge railway station|Maudland Bridge]]
* [[Maudlands railway station|Maudlands]]
* [[Maxwell House railway station|Maxwell House]]
* {{rws|Oxheys}} (goods only, serviced Oxheys Cattle Market)
* [[Ribbleton railway station|Ribbleton]]
* Whittingham Hospital

==== New stations ====
In December 2020, the Lancashire County Council approved a proposal to construct a new station in [[Lea, Lancashire|Lea]] west of the city, to service new housing estates being built in the area. The proposed station will be located near the site of the former Lea Road station which closed in 1938. Although a timeline is yet to be established and construction yet to begin, government funding of £22.3M (along with local funding of £21.M) is conditional that it must be spent by 2023.<ref name=LEP_LS>{{cite web |url=https://www.lep.co.uk/news/transport/new-preston-suburban-railway-station-moves-step-closer-3057903 |title=New Preston suburban railway station moves a step closer |publisher=Lancashire Evening Post  |author=Paul Faulkner |date=5 December 2020 |access-date=17 November 2021}}</ref>

==== Preston Dock branch line ====
With the industrialisation of Preston in the 19th century a branch line was built in 1846 from Preston's mail station to carry goods to and from [[Victoria Quay, Preston|Victoria Quay]] on the River Ribble. With the opening of the Albert Edward Basin and the new [[Preston Dock]] in 1892, the number and length of tracks increased and at their peak grew to over 25 miles.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prestonstation.org.uk/Docks.html |title=Preston Dock |publisher=Preston Station Past and Present |access-date=15 November 2021}}</ref>

With the closure of the docks in 1981 and its subsequent redevelopment, most of the tracks were removed and now only a small section remains, used by the [[Ribble Steam Railway]] (RSR) and for [[bitumen]] trains operating to and from the [[TotalEnergies|Total]] [[refinery]] at the Riversway industrial park.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ribblesteam.org.uk/news/ribble-steam-railway-and-preston-docks/ |title=Ribble Steam Railway and Preston Docks |publisher=Ribble Steam Railway and Museum |access-date=15 November 2021}}</ref>

A single station, [[Preston Riverside railway station|Preston Riverside]], is operated by the RSR for its heritage rail trips.

===Water===
====River Ribble====
{{main|River Ribble}}
[[File:Preston Riversway Docks.jpg|thumb|The [[River Ribble]], with the dock entrance to the left]]
The River Ribble has a length of approximately {{convert|75|mi|km}}, originating near the [[Ribblehead Viaduct]] in [[North Yorkshire]], flowing westward and passing through Preston and entering the [[Irish Sea]] at the [[Ribble and Alt Estuaries]] near [[Lytham]], approximately {{convert|11.5|mi|km}} to the west of the city.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025 |title=The River Ribble and Its Tributaries |url=https://ribbletrust.org.uk/our-rivers/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=Ribble Rivers Trust |language=en-GB}}</ref>

The Ribble has played an important role in the history of Preston. Archaeological evidence confirms human settlement along its banks going back to [[Neolithic]] times, as well as the [[Saxon]] and [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] eras. The river was already a trading port by [[medieval]] times, increasing in use and importance in conjunction with the industrialisation of Preston, until the closure of the Port of Preston in 1981.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

The river suffers from an on-going issue of [[sedimentation]], and was regularly [[Dredging|dredged]] downstream of Preston while the city had an active port. Since dredging operations ceased, [[silt]] from the river is now spreading more widely over the beaches of its estuary.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Welsby |first=J. |last2=Motyka |first2=J. M. |date=April 1989 |title=A Macro Review of the Coastline of England and Wales Volume 8. The North West. The Great Orme to the Solway Firth. |url=https://eprints.hrwallingford.com/241/1/SR207.pdf |website=Hydraulics Research Wallingford |format=PDF |edition=Report SR 207}}</ref>

====Preston Dock====
{{main|Preston Dock}}
Preston Dock was a former [[Dock (maritime)|maritime dock]] located on the northern bank of the River Ribble approximately {{convert|1.6|mi|km|abbr=on}} west of the city centre. It was the location of the Port of Preston at the Albert Edward Basin which opened in 1892 and is connected to the river by a series of [[Lock (water navigation)|locks]]. The dock provided a [[port]] for shipping and ferry operations until its closure in 1981.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Records show that Preston was already a trading port by the 12th century and from around the mid-14th century ships would come up the river to unload and shelter in a natural basin known in its time as 'Preston Anchorage', where the Moor Brook joined the Ribble. In 1806 the Ribble Navigation Company was formed, and construction of the New Quays wharf (later renamed Victoria Quay) commenced a few years later further downstream along the section of the river where Marsh Lane joined Strand Road.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Sedimentation and the shallowness of the Ribble limited access to Victoria Quay to when the tide was high, and it was proposed that the river be diverted and an artificial tidal basin created whose water level could be controlled to allow 24-hour loading and unloading operations. In 1884 diversion of the Ribble began along with and the excavation of the what was to be the Albert Edward Basin along its northern bank, and in June 1892 the new Preston Dock was opened. However, the on-going issue of sedimentation required constant dredging of the Ribble and along with loss of trade to large ports around the country, the docks never returned a profit, leading to their closure in October 1981.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Redevelopment of the former docks began in 1985 and continued through to 1992. Renamed ''Riversway'', the first of the new retail and industrial estates, along with new roads, were opened in July 1987. Development of residential housing commenced in 1989, with the new estate along the basin's southern shore named Victoria Quay after the earlier docks.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

These days, the Albert Edward basin is used only for leisure activities, is home to many waterbirds. A public marina is located on its northwestern end, and access to and from the River Ribble is provided through the basin's original locks, operated by the Preston City Council; operating times are seasonal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://prestonmarina.co.uk/index.php/lock-gates/ |title=Lock Gate Opening Times |publisher=Preston Marina |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref>

====Lancaster Canal====
{{main|Lancaster Canal}}
[[File:Narrowboat_Lancaster_Canal_Preston_20180806.jpg|thumb|A [[narrowboat]] on the [[Lancaster Canal]] at [[Ashton-on-Ribble]]]]
The [[Lancaster Canal]] runs from Preston to [[Kendal]] in [[Cumbria]]. It was originally planned to join the [[Leeds and Liverpool Canal]] at [[Westhoughton]] and while the section north to near [[Chorley]] was built, the section south from Preston was never built. Instead, a "temporary" bridge – which still stands today – was constructed over the Ribble near Avenham Park, and a tramway operated from 1803 to [[Walton Summit]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

From 1820 [[packet boat]]s carried passengers between Preston and Kendal, providing faster journeys than the stagecoaches of the day, and by 1833 travel time had been reduced to seven hours. From the 1930s leakage problems caused sections of the canal, now owned by the [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway|LMS Railway]], around Kendal to be closed to public traffic. However, the canal remained navigable to coal traffic from Preston to the Kendal Gas Works until 1944, but in 1955 the whole canal was closed to all traffic by an Act of Parliament. Subsequently, sections of the canal were filled in, later to be re-opened as interest in the canal returned, and currently, {{convert|42|mi|km|1}} of the canal from Preston to [[Tewitfield]] near [[Carnforth]] is open to navigation.<ref name=BP_PLC>{{cite web |url=https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2021/08/prestons-lost-canal-drunk-on-the-packet-boats/ |title=Preston's lost canal, drunk on the packet boats |publisher=Blog Preston |author=Geoffrey Whittaker |date=1 August 2020 |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref>

At Preston the canal originally terminated at a large boat basin located in the city centre between Marsh Lane and the A59 Ring Road, on the western side of Corporation Street. An aqueduct carried the canal from its current terminus on the northern side of Aqueduct Street in at [[Ashton-on-Ribble]], past the former [[Maudlands railway station]], paralleling the eastern side of the railway to the basin, where railway tracks, long since removed, provided access originally to Victoria Quay and later to the new Preston Dock. Following the [[Second World War]], as many industries around Preston closed, this section of the canal became derelict and in the 1960s it was filled in and a new terminus with mooring facilities built at Ashton. The land through which the canal ran is now the campus of the University of Central Lancashire, with the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre located over the former boat slip, and the site of the boat basin now a small retail mall with an [[Aldi]] supermarket.<ref name=BP_PLC/>

Originally the canal was isolated from the River Ribble, but this changed in 2002 with the opening of the [[Ribble Link]].

====Ribble Link====
{{main|Ribble Link}}
Opened in July 2002, the Ribble Link is a navigation [[waterway]] built along a section of the [[Savick Brook]] that connects the previously isolated Lancaster Canal to the River Ribble. Featuring a series of [[Lock (water navigation)|locks]], the Link allows narrowboats and other small watercraft to transit between the two waterways.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

The Link is approximately {{convert|4|mi|km}} in length, starting from the Lancaster Canal near [[Ingol]] and entering the Ribble (as the Savick Brook) south of [[Lea, Lancashire|Lea Gate]]. There are eight (8) locks in total, permitting boats up to {{convert|62|ft|m}} length and {{convert|10|ft|6|in|m}} in width to navigate its course.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Unlike a canal, vessels are not free to travel in either direction at any time. Traffic flow is controlled so that the Link can only be navigated in a specific direction on alternate days. The Link is only open for approximately 90 days between April and October, and is used by approximately 200 boats a year.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

The Link is operated by the [[Canal & River Trust]] and requires annual dredging to remain navigable.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

====Proposed developments====
In 2006 the Preston City Council, in conjunction with the [[South Ribble Borough Council]], proposed a major development estimated at £800 million to redevelop the city's docks and large sections of the River Ribble. Known as ''Riverworks'', the plan proposed new leisure facilities (watersports), landmark buildings, a new central park opposite [[Avenham Park]], office and retail space, new residential developments and the re-opening of some of Preston's old canal with new facilities for a "park and boat ride" scheme. The proposal met with considerable resistance from the local community (with 74% of residents objecting) and leisure and environmental groups due to the potential loss of green space, impact upon ecosystems (especially fish populations) and increased risk of flooding resulted in protests and campaigns being organised to have the project cancelled.<ref>{{cite web| title=Flood plain housing plan slammed| work=Lancashire Evening Post, 30 June 2007| url=http://www.lep.co.uk/news?articleid=2995255| access-date=1 July 2007| archive-date=9 January 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109144945/https://www.lep.co.uk/news| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/757438.river-plan-protest-walk/ |title=River Plan Protest Walk |publisher=Lancashire Telegraph |author=Emma Mayoh |date=11 May 2006 |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref>

In December 2007 the Preston City Council pulled out of a major part of the Riversworks plan, the highly contentious [[barrage (dam)|Ribble Barrage]], and stated the revised plan would only look at improving Preston Docklands (in particular, the on-going blue green algae problem) and extending the Lancaster Canal from its current terminus at [[Ashton-on-Ribble|Ashton]] into the city at the back of the University of Central Lancashire (near the site of the former boat basin which was filled in prior to the construction of the current campus).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/1880448.council-pulls-out-of-ribble-barrage-plan/ |title=Council Pulls Out of Ribble Barrage Plan |publisher=Lancashire Telegraph |author=Andrew Greaves |date=4 December 2007 |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref>

A subsequent change in council's ''Sustainable Community Strategy'', especially in regards to ''Environmental'', ''Health and Well-being'' and  ''People and Communities'' policies and targets, resulted in a ban on development on green belt land, and along with city's new Local Plan, the remaining (re)development proposals within the Riverworks plan were abandoned.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/council/meetings/displayFile.asp?FTYPE=D&FILEID=25856 |title=Preston Community Strategy 2009–2012 |publisher=Preston Strategic Partnership |access-date=16 November 2021 |archive-date=20 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020081128/http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/council/meetings/displayFile.asp?FTYPE=D&FILEID=25856 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.preston.gov.uk/media/1952/Preston-s-Local-Plan/pdf/Preston-Local-Plan-2012-2026-_(8).pdf?m=637056240884300000 |title=Preston Local Plan 2012–2026 |publisher=Preston City Council |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref>

===Roads===
[[File:PrestonCityCentre.jpg|thumb|North Road approaches the city centre from the north]]
[[File:Motorway - geograph.org.uk - 260605.jpg|thumb|right|The [[M6 motorway|M6 Motorway]] at Junction 29]]
{{main|Transport in Preston}}
The [[Preston By-pass]], opened 5 December 1958, became the first stretch of motorway in the UK and is now part of the [[M6 motorway|M6]] with a short section now forming part of the [[M55 motorway|M55]]. It was built to ease traffic congestion caused by tourists travelling to the popular destinations of [[Blackpool]] and [[Lake District|The Lake District]]. The first [[traffic cones]] were used during its construction, replacing red lantern paraffin burners.

In the 1980s, a motorway around the west of the city which would have been an extension of the [[M65 motorway|M65]] to the [[M55 motorway|M55]] was started but never finished. Originally, the [[M55 motorway|M55]] had no junction 2, because it was reserved for this new western bypass; however the construction of junction 2 began in 2019 and will create a link with the [[A583 road|A583]], close to the [[Riversway Docklands]], in order to alleviate traffic on the M55 and the A6 at the Broughton Interchange to the north of Preston. The project is known as the Preston Western Distributor. The [[M6 motorway|M6]] between junctions 30 and 32 was widened extensively between 1993–95 to compensate. Junction 31A which has only a northbound exit and a southbound entry opened in 1997 to serve a nearby business park. Other motorways terminating close to the city are the [[M61 motorway|M61]] – Preston to [[Manchester]] via [[Chorley]] and [[Bolton]],
the [[M65 motorway|M65]] – Preston to [[Colne]] via [[Blackburn]], [[Accrington]] and [[Burnley]] and the [[M55 motorway|M55]] – Preston to [[Blackpool]] via [[Kirkham, Lancashire|Kirkham]].

Preston has several Taxi, Private Hire and Cab Companies serving Preston and surrounding Villages, including Millers, Uber and [http://www.allprestontaxis.co.uk|All Preston Taxis]

In conjunction with car parking facilities at the bus station, local services operate to and from two [[Preston Park & Ride|park and rides]] located on the outskirts of the city to minimise private vehicular traffic in the city centre; one at Portway in the [[Riversway]] area, and the other off the [[A6 road (England)|A6]] at [[Walton-le-Dale]].

[[File:Preston bus station 232-26.jpg|thumb|[[Preston bus station]]]]
Local, regional and national bus services operate from the [[Preston bus station]], which is located on the southeast edge of the city centre off the A59 and claimed by some residents to be the largest or second largest station in Europe.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.lep.co.uk/news/opinion_2_1845/second_best_city_1_162364 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907104929/http://www.lep.co.uk/news/opinion_2_1845/second_best_city_1_162364 |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 September 2012 |title=Second-best city |access-date=7 July 2010 |newspaper=Lancashire Evening Post }}</ref>

====National and regional bus services====
The national operators [[National Express Coaches|National Express]], [[Eurolines]], and [[Megabus (Europe)|Megabus]] provide services from the bus station to and from various major cities and destination en-route across the United Kingdom.

Stagecoach provides services to the nearby towns and cities of [[Blackpool]], [[Blackburn]], [[Bolton]], [[Liverpool]], [[Manchester]], [[Southport]] and [[Metropolitan Borough of Wigan|Wigan]] as well as [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]] and [[Morecambe]] under the [[Stagecoach in Lancaster]] service.

[[Blackburn Bus Company]], part of the [[Transdev]] group, operates the 152 Hotline route to Blackburn and [[Burnley]]. An independent company, [[John Fishwick & Sons]], that provided frequent services into the city centre from Lower Penwortham, Lostock Hall, Leyland, Euxton and Chorley, ceased trading in October 2015.

====Local bus services====
Many services between Preston and the surrounding area are operated by [[Ribble Motor Services]] which became part of the [[Stagecoach Group]], using the name [[Stagecoach in Lancashire]].

[[Preston Bus]], formerly the city's [[municipal bus company]], operate local services within the city.

In October 2006, Preston Bus started operating two orbital bus routes.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wsWeedUr5QkC&pg=PA145 |title=Stagecoach Group Plc/Preston Bus Limited: A Report on the Completed Acquisition by Stagecoach Group Plc of Preston Bus Limited |author=[[Competition Commission]] |publisher=The Stationery Office |page=145 |isbn=978-0-11-706375-4 |year=2009 |access-date=29 April 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
[[Preston Bus#History|Competition]] for routes and passengers resulted in a [[bus war]] between the two companies after buses were [[Bus deregulation in the United Kingdom|deregulated]]. On 23 January 2009, Preston Bus was sold to Stagecoach<ref name=bus-hist>{{cite web |url=http://www.prestonbus.co.uk/about/TheHistoryofPublicTransportinPreston_3.html |title=The History of Public Transport in Preston |publisher=Preston Bus |access-date=25 April 2012 |archive-date=9 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109145017/http://www.prestonbus.co.uk/about/TheHistoryofPublicTransportinPreston_3.html |url-status=live }}</ref> for over £10.4 million. Routes were changed and the services were branded [[Stagecoach in Preston]]. Following a lengthy investigation which began soon after the takeover, the Competition Commission ruled on 11 November 2009 that the action by Stagecoach had adversely affected competition in the area and ordered it to sell Preston Bus. In January 2011, [[Rotala]] announced it had agreed to take over Preston Bus.<ref name=bus-hist/>

====Bus stop displays====
Preston was one of the first cities in the UK to have displays fitted to every bus stop which aim to provide an accurate time and destination of the next bus arriving using [[GPS tracking]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.qlocal.co.uk/ormskirk/news_list/Real_Time_Bus_Information_for_Lancashire-20484.htm |title=Real Time Bus Information for Lancashire |publisher=Ormskirk Online News |date=27 March 2003 |access-date=25 April 2012 |archive-date=9 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109145007/https://www.qlocal.co.uk/ormskirk/news_list/Real_Time_Bus_Information_for_Lancashire-20484.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The service, initially restricted to services within the borough, was expanded to cover Fishwick's 111 Preston to Leyland route but was discontinued in 2011,<ref>[http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/campaigns/save-our-buses/lancashire Lancashire | Campaign for Better Transport] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508112210/http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/campaigns/save-our-buses/lancashire |date=8 May 2014 }}. Bettertransport.org.uk. Retrieved on 17 July 2013.</ref> and reinstated on some routes in 2013.