Network Rail has revealed that it will now keep part of the station's current car park open when work begins on the new four-storey car park next month.

Chief executive Ian Coucher has revealed that a large chunk of the car park will still be closed, with 180 of the 470 spaces unavailable during the 10 months it takes to build it.

The scheme is part of a £14m cash injection across all the major stations on the West Coast Mainline. The new car park will see the number of spaces available at Preston upped to 755.

In a letter to South Ribble MP David Borrow, Mr Coucher said: "To alleviate pressure on the remaining places, the project delivering the multi-storey solution has made arrangements for station staff and train drivers to use 60 spaces at the adjacent Euro Parking facility.

"Additionally, the 40 short-term spaces will become long-term places for the duration of the works.

"However, part of the car park will need to be closed in order that we can invest some £14m to raise the number of parking places."

Mr Borrow said the news was "a sensible decision" which would benefit hundreds of people from throughout the Preston area who use the car park every day.

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