Lancaster's Park & Ride facility at Junction 34 of the M6 will shortly be gaining a new bus service. From 17th April Stagecoach's seasonal fast motorway express service X8, which links Chorley and Preston with Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick, will have an additional stop at the Caton Road Park & Ride site.
Although the stop is thought to be primarily to comply with certain rules and regulations concerning Drivers' Hours and the use of tachographs, passengers will be able to board and alight there. This year the service will operate on Saturdays and Sundays until the end of October with the northbound journey departing at 10.30 and the return from the Lakes getting back at 18.01.
On Saturdays a connection will be available from Lancaster Bus Station on the Park & Ride bus service, which is expected to resume the previous week.
Even after allowing for the change of bus this will provide a faster journey to Windermere and beyond than even the fast M6 motorway journeys on the 555 service.
There is no Park & Ride connection on Sundays but the service then is even faster than the alternative, which is the "slow" all-stops 555 via the A6 and Burton-in-Kendal.
PLEASE NOTE that as this is an express service with limited stops, English National Concessionary Bus Passes (NoW Cards) are NOT VALID although a North West Explorer ticket can be purchased from the driver by passholders at the discounted rate of £8.50.
Stagecoach is not publicising the service yet but you can find our version of the timetable on this link
