A Century of Preston Bus Routes

Preston Corporation Tramways began operation of trams in June 1904 which exclusively served the town until 1922. Additional tram routes to Frenchwood and Fulwood had been mooted several times but the latter had been rejected due to the narrowness of the route. Consequently the route to Fulwood was inaugurated on 23 January 1922, using motorbuses. The trams were abandoned between 1932 and 1935 when the routes were converted to motorbus operation. Before the WWII additional bus routes were started to serve new housing developments. Post-war routes were commenced to serve further new housing at Brookfield, Ingol, Larches, Lea, Moor Nook and Ribbleton. A Joint Operating Agreement was entered into with Ribble Motors on 1 January 1948. There were initially 4 routes involved with 3 more being added over the next 25 years. This Agreement continued in diminished form until deregulation in 1986. In more recent times, Rotala Preston Bus has also operated a number of services on behalf of Lancashire County Council.