Waiting for the Orbit service at Preston Bus Station Pic: George D Thompson

Preston Bus have unveiled their planned changes to services from April 4.

As previously reported, part of the changes includes the end of the 88A and 88C services.

The popular bus routes will be replaced in part by a new service and covered by others.

The reasoning behind the scrapping of the Orbit, according to Preston Bus, is that the long circular route went through a series of congestion bottlenecks.

Cllr Mark Yates, who represents the Larches ward where the Orbit runs through, said: “This commercial decision by Preston Bus is a disaster for the residents of Larches and Savick area by withdrawing the vital link to many businesses and more importantly the only direct route to Royal Preston Hospital for staff, visitors and patients.

“They say on their website that they have consulted customers about these changes well if they have , and I’m very doubtful about that they certainly aren’t listening to them over 1,700 people have now signed petitions calling on then to rethink this.

“They seem to blame everybody else for a commercial decision they have made blaming parking, congestion all these are red herrings. How do London Transport manage to run buses then

“I believe it’s now time that someone with authority from Preston Bus parent company Rotala Plc stepped in with some honest answers to this debacle they owe that to their shareholders and certainly to the people of Preston.”

Which services are to see changes?

The 6/6A service will operate direct to Brookfield via Deepdale Road and Watling Street Road, continuing to Red Scar Industrial Estate via Gamull Lane.

The new service will operate every ten minutes on Monday to Saturday daytime and every 20 minutes on Sundays.

The 14/14A service will also change to compensate for the loss of the 88A and 88C services.

The bus will operate via the existing route to Ronaldsway where it will serve Cromwell Road, Watling Street Road and Eastway. This service will run every 15 minutes.

This service will no longer run on evenings and on Sundays.

The 12 service operating to Longton and New Longton will no longer operate via Broadgate although the frequency will be increased to every 30 minutes.

This service will also no longer run on evenings and on Sundays.

The 16 to Farringdon Park will have two later journeys introduced at 10.30pm and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

The 19 to Royal Preston Hospital via Deepdale will have a new timetable with extra time to account for regular delays. The same will happen to the 23 to Asda via Royal Preston Hospital with later buses to the Black Bull at midnight and 1am on Friday and Saturday.

Service 31 to Savick will no longer operate to Lea and will finish at 9pm in the evenings.

The 35 to Tanterton will get new late night journeys at 11.30pm, 12.30am and 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays.

The 44 will be renamed as the 43 and reduced to every 30 minutes with no Sunday or evening service.

The 88 will operate from Lea Road/Cottam Way to Royal Preston Hospital via the current Orbit route.

The 89 will replace the withdrawn Orbit service to Larches.

The Preston Bus operated services of the 13/13A, 75, 80, 112, 113, 114 and 68 will also be withdrawn.

How will these changes affect you? Do you use Preston Bus services? Let us know in the comments below