The number 14 service could see cutbacks to late night services and Sundays Pic: Ian Simpson

Tens of Preston bus services face the axe as cuts at County Hall continue to bite.

Every bus service subsidised by Lancashire County Council is currently under review as they seek to find more than £300 million of savings by 2020.

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Currently the council provides £7.5m a year to bus companies to keep services with smaller numbers of passengers on the road.

This money would be withdrawn from all routes across the county, forcing many bus companies to abandon the routes. More than 100 bus routes could disappear if all services were axed.

A statement from the county council says: “With regards to the proposals for withdrawing all subsidies for bus services, unfortunately, many of the proposals will affect a wide range of service areas and impact on frontline services. Where possible, we are continuing to look for more efficient ways of working that save money without affecting our customers and communities.

“We have formally advised the bus operators of this decision and that the subsidies for Lancashire County Council bus service contracts will cease on 2 April 2016.

“Whilst many of these bus service contracts are not commercially viable, bus operators are considering whether they could provide some service level in the area, without any level of subsidy. Where this is not possible bus operators will deregister the service with the Traffic Commissioner from 2 April 2016. We have asked operators if they could confirm their intentions as soon as possible on this matter.

“When information about potential service coverage is known, we will forward details of those services, whole or sections, which we are anticipating not to be provided, to other operators to establish if there are alternative commercial opportunities to maintain some level of service in an area.

“Following these discussions with bus operators, we would then be in a position to advise residents/local communities where conventional bus services would no longer operate and what, if any, mitigating action can be taken.”

The county council is also taking expressions of interest from community groups and individuals who may want to take on the running of certain bus routes.

A consultation has been launched by the county council, which it says will help in deciding where subsidies are to be withdrawn.

All Preston-related services which could be affected are listed below:

Preston Park and Ride (Portway and Walton-le-Dale)
2A – Preston – Tarleton – Ormskirk
4 – Preston – Fulwood – Longridge
12/12A – Preston – Broadgate – New Longton – Longton
12A – Preston – Broadate – New Longton – Tarleton – Ormskirk
13/13A – Preston – Broadgate – Penwortham
14 – Preston – Holme Slack (late evening services and Sundays)
40 – Morecambe – Lancaster – Garstang – Preston
61 – Preston – Blackpool (Peel Corner Diversion)
68 – Preston – Lytham – St Annes – Blackpool
75 – Fleetwood – Poulton – Kirkham – Preston
80 – Preston – Great Eccleston – Myerscough
109 – Chorley – Leyland – Preston
112 – Preston – Frenchwood – Bamber Bridge – Leyland – Croston
113 – Preston – Bamber Bridge – Leyland – Wigan
114 – Preston – Frenchwood – Sainsburys – Whittle Le Woods – Chorley
114 – Preston – Bamber Bridge
115 – Preston – Leyland – Chorley
150 – Preston – Bamber Bridge
151 – Preston – Bamber Bridge via Hoghton
152 – Preston – Blackburn – Burnley
180/280/X80 – Skipton – Gisburn – Clitheroe – Whalley – Preston
217 – Preston – Mellor

Do you use any of the services listed below? What do you think of the potential cutbacks? Let us know in the comments below