Lancashire Hospitals Plan Shuttle Bus Withdrawal Amid £60m Cuts

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LTH) is set to discontinue its free shuttle bus service connecting Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble hospitals from May 30, as part of a broader cost-cutting effort to save £60 million during the 2025/26 financial year. The service, which has operated for over a decade and is also available to paying patients during off-peak hours, costs about £200,000 annually but generates only approximately £3,000 from passenger fares. Hospital leaders acknowledged that the service was initially introduced due to staff location changes and served as an option for employees with duties at multiple sites, but continuing to subsidize it is now considered inequitable and inconsistent with the trust's Green Plan. The removal of the shuttle will not impact free park and ride services for Royal Preston staff or other available off-site parking options, and the Stagecoach 125 bus service between Preston and Chorley hospitals will continue with extended hours. Trust executives described the decision as difficult but necessary to improve financial sustainability, after exploring alternatives such as charging passengers or reducing the service, none of which proved viable. They emphasized the consideration given to the impact on staff while making this decision.