Saturday 22 August 2009

Diversons over-run again

The town centre diversions afflicting lines 2, 3, 4, 6 and 15 have over-run their third deadline. Originally planned from February to May they started a few days late due to the fire at Yates. However the May deadline slipped to June and then to 15 August. Sadly this too has been missed and the diversions are in place 'until further notice'.

The diversions are to avoid work outside the Winter Gardens resulting in buses diverting down Cookson St and Talbot Road with the 3/4/15 returning back up Talbot Road to Dickson Road. As a result all three are truncated in Mereside with the 3 terminating at Langdale School, the 4 at Kentmere Road and the 15 at Marton Mere. Between around 800 and 1500 a single bus shuttle service 4A runs from Wordsworth Avenue via Marton Mere to Tesco as a feeder to the 4 and 15. Solo 269 is shown at Wordworth Avenue terminus, incorrectly showing "Lancashire County Council Contract Service" a sheet in the windscreen proclaims "Tesco Shuttle". The 4A number was last used for a shuttle service from Whitegate Drive to Wordsworth Avenue when Preston Old Road was closed in 2006.

269 shows the poor appearance of the Line 4 Solos prior to the recent repaint programme. 268 has now returned to use (following 265-267) leaving 269, 271 and 272 awaiting treatment. Line 14 Tridents continue to progress through the works with 306 the lastest to be completed.