Preston Bus

Preston Bus

File:Preston Bus logo.png
A Preston Bus East Lancs Esteem
Founded	1904 (sold to Stagecoach in 2009)
Defunct	2009
Headquarters	Preston
Service area	United Kingdom
Service type	Bus services
Destinations	Preston
Fleet	Optare Solo Optare Solo SR Optare Esteem Scania N94UD Dennis Trident 2 Leyland Atlantean Leyland Lynx Leyland Olympian Optare Metrorider MR37 Optare Metrorider MR17
Website	www.prestonbus.co.uk

A Preston Bus Optare Solo.

Preston Bus was an independent bus operator running within the City of Preston and into the surrounding area. Preston Bus was a limited companybeing the last owned by its employees, having been bought from the local authority in 1993. On 30 December 2008 it was reported that Preston Bus had agreed in principle to an acquisition by the rival operator in the city, Stagecoach North West. Preston Bus has been sold to rival Stagecoach by the 24th of January 2009 in an estimated 6.4 million pound deal [1].

Routes

3		Preston - Cop Lane - Kingsfold Penwortham
7		Preston - Garstang Road - Brookfield
8/109		Preston - Moor Nook
11		Preston - Gamull Lane
14		Preston - Fairfax Road
16		Preston - Farringdon Park
19/22/23		Preston - Royal Preston Hospital
24/25		Preston - Lea
31		Preston - Savick
35/44		Preston - Tanterton / Ingol
89		Preston - Larches
88A/88C		Preston Orbital

Preston park and ride

1		Preston - Portway
2		Preston - Walton-le-Dale

Fleet

The Preston Bus fleet was originally all double deckers, but latterly the company moved to single deckers and minibuses, with the most common vehicle as of 2008 being the Optare Solo midibus.

As of 2008 the company's fleet comprised:

• 50 Optare Solo midibuses, bought since 2001
• 6 Optare MetroRider minibuses, bought between 1994 and 1998.
• 27 Leyland Olympian double deckers, one new in 1984, the others bought between 1989 and 1992 (10 examples purchased second hand from Lothian Buses in 2003)
• 18 1999 Dennis Trident 2 double deckers
• 4 Leyland Lynx single deckers, bought between 1989 and 1991
• 12 Scania single-deckers, bought between 2006 and 2007.
• 8 Optare Solo SR midibuses with leather seats and television screens (for the Park & Ride services)
• 2 Scania OmniDekka, two bought in 2006

School and College Services

Preston Bus provide school bus services to secondary school and college students in Preston and the Wyre. These services can go as far north as Cabus, Garstang, west as Blackpool, east as Accrington and south as Chorleyand the city of blackpool

Competition

As of 2006, Preston Bus has been experiencing competition from national operator Stagecoach through their north west subsidiary, formed in 1988 with the purchase of Preston based Ribble Motor Services, which had grown into the largest regional operator since starting in 1918. Competition has escalated into a bus war with Stagecoach offering lower fares on the busiest routes. The managing director of Preston bus is concerned that Stagecoach could force his company out of business. Both companies have accused each other of unprofessional behaviour. On 10 June 2008, both companies were agreed to a code of practice by the traffic commissioner. But the competition is still due to continue, especially since Preston Bus only provide two services that operate through the South Ribble areas of Preston, and Stagecoach provide many more. On 23 January 2009 Preston Bus became part of the Stagecoach North West subsidiary, ending 104 years service of Preston Bus to the city.

See also

• List of bus operators of the United Kingdom

External links

• Preston Bus website