A raft of evening bus services are due to be withdrawn by Preston Bus.
Four routes in the city are to see their last bus become much earlier as the bus operator says they have ‘identified several journeys with low levels of usage’.
Services impacted are the number 6 – which runs to and from Red Scar industrial estate, the 23 which is to and from Fulwood, the 35 which serves Ingol and Tanterton and the 100 which serves Larches.
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Preston Bus say continuing to run the services contributes a loss of more than £100,000-a-year.
Any changes to the services would be from 24 June this year and a consultation is in progress to seek feedback from passengers about the changes.
A statement from Preston Bus said: “Since the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of customers using bus services in the evening has remained very low and has only recovered to around 50% of pre-COVID levels.
“This is despite the Lancashire Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) fare initiative offering £1 fares after 7pm, supported by an extensive marketing campaign. This is reflective of broad societal changes and changes in the way people socialise.
“Alongside this, as a bus operator, we are experiencing significant cost escalation. These journeys are significantly loss making, loosing over £100,000 per year which we can no longer afford.”
The most recent accounts for Preston Bus show it making a £24,000 profit up to November 2022, down from £205,000 the previous period. The bus firm is part of the wider Rotala transport firm.
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Number 6 service
On all days of the week the 21:55 and 22:55 from Preston Bus Station will no longer operate, along with the 22:12 and 23:13 from Red Scar.
The final bus for the number six will be the 20:55 from the Bus Station and the 21:13 from Red Scar.
Number 23 service
On Monday to Saturday the 22:10 and 23:10 from the Bus Station will no longer run, and the 22:34 and 23:34 from Asda are also not running.
This means the final bus from the Bus Station to Asda is 22:40 and from Asda it is 23:04.
There’s also changes on Sundays and Bank Holidays with the 22:10, 22:40 and 23:10 from the Bus Station all scrapped along with the 22:34, 23:04 and 23:34 from Asda.
The final bus on a Sunday and Bank Holiday would be 21:40 from the Bus Station and 22:04 from Asda.
Passengers travelling between Preston and Royal Preston Hospital can access service 19, at 2220 from Preston Bus Station.
Passengers for travel between Preston and Sainsbury’s can access the overlapping 19 service at 21:20 and 22:20 from the Bus Station.
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Number 35
On Mondays to Saturdays the 21:30 and 22:30 from the Bus Station will not longer run, along with the 21:46 and 22:46 from Tanterton.
The last bus for service 35 remains as 23:00 from the Bus Station and 23:16 from Tanterton.
Services are also moving to hourly from 21:00 instead of half-hourly.
On Sundays and Bank Holidays the 21:30, 22:00, 22:30 and 23:00 from the Bus Station will no longer run, as well as the 21:46, 22:16, 22:46 and 23:16 from Tanterton.
This leaves the final bus on Sundays and Bank Holidays as 21:00 from the Bus Station and 21:16 from Tanterton.
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Number 100
On Mondays to Saturdays the 19:47, 20:47, 21:47 and 22:47 from Farringdon Park to the Bus Station and Larches are scrapped.
And back the other way the 20:16, 21:16 and 22:16 from Larches to Bus Station and Farringdon Park are all to cease.
On Sundays and Bank Holidays the same services are also proposed to stop.
For all services affected the new timetables are available to view on the Preston Bus website.
Anyone who wants to comment on the proposals and provide feedback can email customer.care@rotala.co.uk with Bus Consultation in the subject.
Or you can write to Bus Consultation, Preston Bus, 221 Deepdale Road, Preston, PR1 6NY.
All comments must be made by Sunday 28 April.
What do you think about the proposals? Do you use these services? Let us know in the comments below or contactus@blogpreston.co.uk to tell us how you may be affected
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