New bus stop being constructed

The latest stage of the Fishergate roadworks begin from Monday.

Lancashire County Council will permanently move the bus stops from outside the Fishergate Shopping Centre to the railway station bridge.

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The bus stops will be made out of glass with a steel frame, as the county council promise a more contemporary look.

New look Fishergate is continuing down to the train station

County Councillor John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “We are now really beginning to see the long-term benefits that this £3.4million investment will have in terms of making Preston city centre a more pleasant place to be and attracting investment, jobs and prosperity. I’m very pleased to announce this latest phase of the work.

“It was also tremendously exciting to hear that, as part of the recently announced Lancashire Growth Deal we will have a further £6m to spend on completing the transformation of Fishergate up to the bus station.

“Transforming Fishergate is the first phase of a longer term strategy that we’re working on with Preston City Council to develop the city centre and surrounding area. Preston plays a key role in Lancashire’s economy so new jobs and investment have a positive impact on the rest of the county.”

From September work begins on improving the facade of the railway station.

Edwin Booth, chairman of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, said: “The Lancashire Growth Deal was a significant announcement for Lancashire and builds on the LEP’s work creating the right environment for businesses to thrive. The further investment in Fishergate is great news for the future prosperity of Preston and the surrounding area.”

Response to the new Fishergate layout has been mixed, with many liking it but others saying it is a “death trap”.

The new look Fishergate

Keith Mitchell, centre manager, Fishergate Shopping Centre, said: “The city centre is already much improved and this latest round of work will make things better still. I’m sure that this work, coupled with the second phase of the scheme to finish the rest of Fishergate, will be really successful in making Preston city centre much more attractive to visitors and businesses alike.”

Details of the changes to the bus stops are:

All new bus stops are on the Railway Station bridge and there have been some changes to which services use which stops. The new arrangements are:

Stop A 2, 2A, 2X, 3, 12, 12A, 13, 13A (services towards Penwortham, New Longton, Longton, Ormskirk and Southport)

Stop B 111, 115 (services to! wards Leyland and Chorley)

Stop C 75, 88C, 89, Park and Ride (services towards Riversway Park and Ride, larches, Lea, Kirkham, Poulton and Fleetwood)

Stop Z Park and Ride plus all inbound services to Preston Bus Station

The roadworks are costing £1.34 million, and earlier this month it was announced the county council had secured funding to extend the new look layout up the top end towards the Bus Station.

What do you think of the new look Fishergate? Let us know in the comments below