It’s All Change at Preston Bus Station
Makers are delighted to announce that it has been successful in being appointed as the specialist refurbishment contractor to work alongside principle contractor Conlon Construction within their framework with Lancashire County Council.
The iconic structure constructed over 2 years in 1968 and 1969 was subject to a demolition order as part of the Councils Tithebarn redevelopment project, however when the development proposal collapsed the bus station remained at risk to be replaced with a smaller interchange near the railway station.
After 2 failed attempts local conservationists were successful in obtaining Grade II listed status for the bus station in 2013 
and with that status the owner and operator Lancashire County Council have now formulated 
plans to make the Preston Bus Station a ‘Public Service Hub and Youth Zone’ and announced investment plans in the region of £23,000,000
“It’s taken a while to get here but the extra time has been beneficial to ensure designs are secure, planning is comfortable giving its Heritage status and all parties are raring to go.”
Darren Wootton, Operations Director
The Preston Bus Station is immediately recognisable and indeed has become an iconic landmark in Preston. The town’s largest car park was voted Preston’s peoples most favourite building in 2010 which shows how people have become attached to the 2nd largest bus station in Europe.
When initially designed by Keith Ingram and Charles Wilson of the practice Building Design Partnership it was considered to be in the ‘Brutalist Architect Style’ however incorporating 1,100 parking spaces and accommodating 80 buses, 40 down each of its lengths it was always going to be a functional building.
The iconic curved balconies make Preston Bus Station immediately recognisable. Whilst now considered attractive the design by Ove Arup engineers ensured that they were multifunctional preventing car bumpers from hitting the external structural element whilst providing a canopy for pedestrians to shelter under and allowing buses to park beneath the lower parking floor for the ease and comfort of passengers.
“Our refurbishment proposals will ensure the structural integrity of Preston Bus Station for the next 25 years… We have assembled an incredible team of experts and we will approach this project with the skill and care it deserves. We are looking forward to working with our partners who have complete faith in the skills and contribution Makers will bring to the redevelopment scheme.”
Simon Lamb, MD
As part of the £23,000,000 redevelopment scheme the refurbishment of the car park and bus station elements will take centre stage with final design awaited for the Youth Centre Zone.
The refurbishment will take approximately 60 weeks to complete and the bus station will remain live throughout the contract, operating its 5,000 departures per week. Parking will be reduced but parking provision will remain on site during these essential structural works.