Parking bans coming to these Preston roads so buses can get through
The restrictions will be in place 24 hours a day.
Parking will be outlawed on stretches of half a dozen residential streets in Preston in order to enable a bus service to be reintroduced.
The number 31 route - which runs from Lea to the city centre - was curtailed back in 2019, because Preston Bus vehicles were struggling to get past parked cars.
The bus stopped serving Thorntrees Avenue, Thornpark Drive, Hawthorn Crescent, Parkthorn Crescent, Campion Drive and The Campions - part of an estate off Blackpool Road - as a result of the problem.
Now Lancashire County Council has agreed to introduce parking restrictions on small sections of the six roads, - close to junctions and at tight bends and other narrow points where parked vehicles could block buses. The authority says the bans - which will be in force around the clock - have been “kept to a minimum”.
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No firm date has been fixed for completion of the work - nor the subsequent reintroduction of the 31 service to the affected roads - but it is expected to be carried out this summer.
When the bus does return to this part of its route, it will travel in a clockwise direction only. Five bus stop ‘clearways’ will also be installed to prevent any of the boarding points themselves being parked in by other vehicles. New kerbing that meets accessibility standards will also be installed.
The county council says both residents and Preston Bus had indicated their desire for the number 31 to be fully reinstated.
A public consultation into the parking prohibition was undertaken last year, with 11 respondents objecting to the proposals and four approving of them.
County Hall’s cabinet member for highways and transport Warren Goldsworthy said: "We are pleased to approve measures that will enable this popular route to return to Lea after years of requests for its revival from residents and the bus operator.
"We hope that by introducing a small number of restrictions then buses will be able to run safely and reliably in this area, while improving accessibility for passengers."