Enhancements and changes to the tendered bus service network in Preston, South Ribble and Chorley (from March 2025)

Background

Lancashire County Council has been successful in receiving additional funding from HM Government's Bus Service Improvement Plan fund, which has enabled us to reassess several outstanding bus service requests across Lancashire. Taking advantage of the existing service contracts coming to an end, it is proposed to expand our tendered bus service network across the Preston, South Ribble and Chorley communities, enhancing existing provision and creating new public transport links within the area.

Timescales and feedback

The service changes will take place on 31 March 2025 in line with changes to contracts for operating the services, some services will change operator. The deadline for providing feedback on the proposals is 09:00 Monday 20 January. Feedback should be sent to:

bsip@lancashire.gov.uk

Summary of changes

The current bus services affected by the changes are:

  • Service 12 (Preston – Longton) withdrawn and replaced by new service 115
  • Service 111 (Preston – Wigan) section between Leyland and Wigan withdrawn and replaced by new service 110, Preston to Leyland section unaffected
  • Service 112 (Preston – Croston) section between Midge Hall and Croston withdrawn and mainly replaced by new service 115, section between Preston and Midge Hall unaffected except for minor route changes between Walton Summit and Clayton Brook, and in Leyland Town Centre.
  • Service 114 (Chorley – Leyland) service extended beyond Leyland to Preston via current 119 route
  • Service 117 & 118 (Chorley local services) minor timetable changes
  • Service 119 (Preston – Chorley) service withdrawn and replaced by extended service 114 between Preston and Leyland, and new service 115 between Leyland and Chorley.

Two new services will be created:

  • Service 110 (Preston – Wigan) = Will run between Preston and Leyland via The Cawsey and Farington Moss, replaces service 111 between Leyland and Wigan via Eccleston
  • Service 115 (Preston – Chorley) = Replaces service 12 between Preston and Longton, extending to Leyland via Bretherton and Croston, then to Chorley via Buckshaw replacing service 119.

Full details of all the proposed changes including revised timetables and routes for these services are shown below.

Full proposed changes from 31 March 2025

Service 110 Preston – Lostock Hall – Leyland – Eccleston – Standish – Wigan

The county council will introduce this new service, creating new links through Walton Park and replacing the extension of Stagecoach's Service 111 journeys from Leyland to Wigan.

Maintaining the Preston, Leyland & Wigan direct bus service, this new service will operate between Preston and Wigan via Walton Park (The Cawsey), Lostock Hall, Farington Moss, Leyland, Eccleston, Wrightington Bar and Standish.

The service will still operate generally every hour during Monday to Saturday daytime.

Holmeswood Coaches Ltd will operate this service on behalf of Lancashire County Council and in partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester between Standish and Wigan.

Service 111 Preston – Penwortham – Lostock Hall – Leyland – Moss Side

Stagecoach will continue to operate this service commercially between Preston and Leyland (Moss Side). The hourly extension Monday to Saturday daytime between Leyland and Wigan via Eccleston and Standish, supported by Lancashire County Council and Transport for Greater Manchester, will be withdrawn and replaced by new service 110.

Service 112 Preston – Bamber Bridge – Clayton Brook – Leyland – Midge Hall

The county council will revise the route and timetable, amending the service to terminate at the eastern end of the new Centurion Village at Midge Hall and amending the route through Leyland Town Centre. The route will be amended between Walton Summit (Dawson Place) and Clayton Brook centre to operate via Four Oaks Road, A6 Preston Road and Clayton Brook Road, to provide a daytime service along this section of A6 Preston Road. Buses will run around Clayton Brook Road in a clockwise loop when running both to Preston and to Leyland.

As the new Centurion Village develops the service will be further adapted to serve more of this emerging community. The section through Wymott, Croston and Bretherton will now be served by new Service 115 – see below.

This service will continue to operate between Preston and Midge Hall via Frenchwood, Walton-le-Dale, Bamber Bridge, Walton Summit, Clayton Brook, Clayton Green and Leyland.

The service will still operate generally every hour during Monday to Saturday daytime and combine with Service 114 to operate every half hour between Clayton Brook and Leyland. Holmeswood Coaches Ltd will continue to operate this service on behalf of Lancashire County Council.

Service 114 Chorley – Clayton Brook – Leyland – Penwortham – Preston

The county council will revise the route and timetable, extending the service through from Leyland to Preston via Farington Moss and Penwortham partially replacing Service 119.

To facilitate the extension to Preston, the route through Leyland will be adjusted between Clayton-le-Wood and Tesco to operate via A49 and Church Road, before continuing past the Gables and then as the current Service 119 route to Preston. Vice versa in the opposite direction. This will maintain the cross Leyland public transport links between wider areas of Leyland with Chorley.

In Clayton Green, Back Lane will no longer be served due to issues with parked cars especially around school times. The service will be re-routed via Sheep Hill Brow, Wood End Rd will still be served via a double run. New bus stops will be located on Sheep Hill Lane to continue to provide access to Cuerden Valley Park and Clayton-Le-Woods CofE Primary School.

This service will operate between Chorley and Preston via Chorley Hospital, Whittle-le-Woods, Clayton Brook, Clayton-le-Woods, Leyland, Farington Moss, Whitestake, Penwortham and Broadgate.

The service will operate generally every hour during Monday to Saturday daytime and combine with Service 112 to operate every half hour between Clayton Brook and Leyland. RS Tyrer Ltd will operate this service on behalf of Lancashire County Council.

Service 115 Chorley – Buckshaw Village – Leyland – Croston – Longton – Preston

The county council will introduce this new service, partially replacing Services 12, 112 & 119 to create a new cross borough public transport link between Chorley, Leyland and Preston. Following long standing requests from local communities, new Service 115 will link Croston, Bretherton, South Ribble's Western Parishes to both Chorley and Preston.

This new expanded service will operate as current Service 119 route between Chorley and Leyland, then replacing the curtailed Service 112 through Wymott, Croston and Bretherton, continuing to Much Hoole, Walmer Bridge, Longton and finally replacing Service 12 through to Preston via New Longton. This will facilitate new direct transport links from all these communities to Preston, Leyland, Chorley Hospital and Chorley Town Centre.

This service will operate between Chorley and Preston via Chorley Hospital, Buckshaw Village, Leyland, Moss Side, Wymott, Croston, Bretherton, Much Hoole, Walmer Bridge, Longton, New Longton and Penwortham.

The service will operate generally every hour during Monday to Saturday daytime. Vision Bus will operate this service on behalf of Lancashire County Council.

Service 117 Chorley – Weld Bank – Chorley

The county council will revise timetable, with adjustments to improve overall service reliability and timed around Service 115.

Vision Bus will operate this service on behalf of Lancashire County Council.

Service 118 Chorley – Lower Burgh – Chorley

The county council will revise timetable, with adjustments to improve overall service reliability and timed with Service 114.

The service will continue to operate generally every hour during Monday to Saturday daytime and RS Tyrer Ltd will continue to operate this service on behalf of Lancashire County Council.

Service 119 Chorley – Buckshaw Village – Leyland – Penwortham – Preston

The county council will withdraw this service and will be replaced by the introduction of new Service 115 and the extension to Service 114.

Service 12 Preston – New Longton – Longton

Stagecoach will withdraw this service and will be replaced by the introduction of new Service 115.