Preston Bus to extend service 23 to Bamber Bridge and boost buses across Preston 09/03/2026

New cross-city links, improved frequencies and continued investment in local bus services

Preston Bus is announcing a major package of improvements to bus services across Preston, including the extension of route 23 to Bamber Bridge and additional peak journeys on service 35.

The changes will come into effect from Monday 30 March 2026 and follow continued improvements in punctuality, reliability and investment across the Preston Bus network. February 2026 was the company’s best month since 2021 for punctuality and reliability, with 94.9% of services starting on time and cancellations reduced to less than 0.6%.

From 30 March, route 23 will be extended beyond Preston Bus Station to Bamber Bridge, via London Road and Walton-le-Dale, creating new links every 20 minutes, seven days a week. The change will make route 23 Preston’s second cross-city service, providing direct connections between Bamber Bridge, Walton-le-Dale, Preston city centre, the University of Lancashire, Plungington, Fulwood, Royal Preston Hospital, Preston College and Sherwood, without the need to change buses in the city centre.

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Buses will continue to operate every 10 minutes between Sherwood Asda and Preston, with alternate journeys extended through to Bamber Bridge. On weekdays, the first bus from Bamber Bridge (Hob Inn) to Preston will depart at 5.07am, while the last bus from Preston to Bamber Bridge will leave at 8.00pm. All Preston Bus EasiDay, EasiWeek, Easi28Day and Term tickets will be valid across the full route, alongside special introductory fares for travel between Preston and Bamber Bridge, including a £4.20 return fare. Customers can also benefit from Preston Bus’s Tap&Go contactless payment system, offering easy, worry-free travel with the reassurance of a daily fare cap, so they will pay no more than the cost of a Preston Bus day ticket when using the same card or device for their journeys. In addition, single fares across Lancashire are discounted to just £1 after 7.00pm and all day on Sundays and public holidays, funded by the Lancashire Bus Service Improvement Plan.

From the same date, service 35 between Preston and Tanterton via Ingol and Lane Ends will be enhanced during the weekday morning peak, with buses operating up to every 10 to 12 minutes instead of every 15 minutes. Minor timetable changes will also be introduced on services 16 and 19/19A to further improve punctuality and reliability.

The improvements build on recent service enhancements introduced in November 2025, in partnership with Lancashire County Council, when improved evening and Sunday buses were launched to Longsands, Holme Slack and Cottam. Preston Bus now operates high-frequency “turn up and go” services of every 15 minutes or better on key corridors serving Lea, Larches, Tanterton, Ingol, Cottam, Riversway Docklands, Portway Park and Ride, Fulwood, Plungington, Royal Preston Hospital, Brookfield, Deepdale, Ribbleton and Farringdon Park.

The announcement also follows significant investment in the Preston Bus operation. During 2025, driver pay was increased by 15% to support recruitment and retention, with the company now fully staffed. Since 2024, Preston Bus has invested in 19 new vehicles and has recently completed a £3 million refurbishment of its Deepdale Road depot, providing upgraded maintenance and garaging facilities to support future service improvements.

Matt Rawlinson, Managing Director of Preston Bus, said: “We are really pleased to be announcing these improvements for customers across Preston and South Ribble. Extending route 23 to Bamber Bridge is a significant step for Preston Bus, creating a new direct cross-city link and making it easier for people to get to work, education, healthcare and the city centre.

“These improvements are also a reflection of the progress we have made over the last year. We have listened to community feedback in recent years about the importance of reliability and punctuality, and have acted on this by recruiting more drivers, investing in new vehicles and completing major improvements at our depot, giving us a stronger platform to keep improving the network.

“Our focus is on building a bus service that Preston can be proud of that residents can feel confident in using. This package of changes is another positive step forward for local bus services in Preston and South Ribble.”