£8.3m for Preston bus station
PRESTON bus station is to be transferred to Lancashire County Council which is planning to invest £8.3m.
Preston City Council had wanted to tear the 1960s structure down but it was protected in September when it was granted listed status.
Last year council leader Peter Rankin said demolition was the “only affordable and realistic” option based on an annual maintenance bill of £300,000.
In a statement Mr Rankin said: “This is the best possible outcome for Preston and Lancashire, as the bus station is an important transport hub for the county.
“The deal will put to rest any doubt whatsoever over Preston Bus Station. The building’s future will be 100% guaranteed. In fact, the county council will be able to invest in the building to improve the facilities for the thousands of people that use it every day. We have always wanted a bus station fit for the 21st century. The transfer will take us towards that goal.”
Lancashire County councillor John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “The listing decision made it clear that the bus station is here to stay and we have to be pragmatic about how we create the most sustainable future for the building, which is why our officers have worked with Preston’s to draft these proposals.
“The arguments in favour of the transfer of the bus station are that, as the strategic transport authority for Lancashire, we have the experience and expertise gained from running other public transport hubs and would be better placed to make the bus station work.
“We also have the financial resources to attract additional funding and ensure that we could invest in the fabric of the building to provide a much better experience for the people who use it.”
He added: “We are committed to making sure that the bus station and the car park both work as well as they can and will also explore other ways in which we can make the best use of what is an iconic building at the heart of Preston. Improvements to the bus station will be key to our wider plans to work with Preston City Council to regenerate this part of the city centre.”
