A Century of Preston Bus Routes

Preston Corporation Tramways operated electric trams in Preston until 1922, when they were replaced by motorbuses. Additional bus routes were started after the Second World War and a Joint Operating Agreement was entered into with Ribble Motors in 1948. Rotala Preston Bus has also operated services on behalf of Lancashire County Council in recent years.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2022
Publisher: Amberley Publishing

Preston Corporation Tramways commenced the operation of electric trams in June 1904, serving the town exclusively until 1922. There had been numerous proposals for additional tram routes to Frenchwood and Fulwood, but these were repeatedly rejected due to the narrowness of certain highways on the proposed route. Consequently, the route to Fulwood was inaugurated on 23 January 1922, utilizing motorbuses. The trams were abandoned between 1932 and 1935, when the six routes were converted to motorbus operation.

Prior to the Second World War, additional bus routes were introduced to cater to the growing housing developments. Post-war, routes were established to serve further new housing areas such as Brookfield, Ingol, Larches, Lea, Moor Nook, and Ribbleton. A Joint Operating Agreement was signed with Ribble Motors (and Scout Motors) on 1 January 1948, initially involving four routes, with three more added over the next twenty-five years. This agreement persisted in a reduced form until deregulation in 1986, following which the route network experienced rapid expansion.

In more recent times, following a brief tenure by Stagecoach, Rotala Preston Bus has also operated a diverse range of services on behalf of Lancashire County Council, encompassing routes to numerous surrounding Lancashire towns.

Weight: 286g
Dimension: 165 x 232 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781398108783