Further Improvements to the Park & Ride

 

Barely three weeks after the major enhancement of Lancaster's Park & Ride, that saw the service doubled in frequency and extended to Lancaster Royal Infirmary, comes news of a further enhancement. As with last time it's all a bit last minute with an announcement today about a service change on Monday (7th June)

The new timetable sees two additional evening journeys, leaving the Caton Road Park & Ride site at 20.35 and 21.05 and returning from the RLI at 20.45 and 21.15  catering primarily for NHS staff at the hospital but, like the rest of the service, available to all comers.

Here's a copy of the new timetable

National Express Returns to Lancaster

 

Birmingham is now served by National Express from Lancaster again

As the company continues its recovery from the pandemic, Lancaster is now reconnected to the National Express coach network with the introduction of service 181 between Birmingham and Glasgow.  At present, only the overnight coaches will serve the city, with the southbound service calling at the Bus Station at 02.40 closely followed by the northbound coach at 03.00.  The service also calls at Hamilton, Carlisle, Preston, Manchester and Manchester Airport and a refreshment halt is made at Tebay services in both directions.

Connections are available at Birmingham for London, Bournemouth and the West Country as well as Heathrow and other airports, although some of these involve lengthy waits.  A daytime service between Birmingham and Glasgow remains on the M6 and does not call at Lancaster.

According to the company's website the service runs "Monday to Sunday" or, as we would say: "Daily" and starts on Sunday, 23rd May. However, anyone attempting to book a ticket online will find that after today there appears to be a gap until next weekend until a daily service begins.

Megabus

Lancaster is also served by rival coach firm Megabus, although that company's coaches only call at Lancaster University and not the city centre. Megabus can't or won't publish actual timetables but extensive research on their website shows that Lancaster is served by a route running from London to Glasgow via Manchester, Manchester Airport and Birmingham. At least the Megabus service is a daytime run, with the coach to Manchester and London calling at the University at 14.05 and the northbound Glasgow coach departing at 15.15 every day.