Safety improvements for bus station approved

Lancashire County Council took over the bus station building in 2014

Plans for road safety improvements near a city bus station have been given the green light.

Proposals for a modern new bus stop and parking area near Preston Bus Station, on Lancaster Road, were discussed by Lancashire County Council’s cabinet on April 11.

The improvements are aimed at helping cyclists be more aware of stationary buses and boosting road safety for vulnerable road users.

The scheme will also mean more space for buses manoeuvring close to the boarding point, and more accessible places for passengers to board and disembark in a safe manner.

The improvements will also meet the needs of vulnerable passengers by ensuring the buses can align with previously installed raised kerbs.

It follows demand from passengers, as well as feedback from a detailed consultation with potentially affected residents and local businesses in January and February last year.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: “The traffic regulation orders and clearway proposals will improve public transport access and flow, improving services for users who are either unable to drive or who do not have access to private vehicles.

“Introducing a prohibited parking area outside 87-97 on Lancaster Road in Preston will really help people by ensuring that buses can park at the designated bus stop kerbs, greatly improving access and the means of disembarking from the buses for our vulnerable passengers, or those who are restricted in mobility.”