Politics
Preston Council Invests in Roads, Jobs, Bus Services for Two Wards
The revised Preston Infrastructure and Jobs Plan sets out council spending on road links and employment sites that directly shape commuting times and service access for residents in the city centre and Ribbleton wards.
How we reported this
Preston City Council approved an update to its Infrastructure and Jobs Plan on 7 July, directing £14.2 million from the 2026/27 capital budget toward road junction improvements and two new employment sites at the former Deepdale Retail Park and along the A6 corridor. The changes affect residents who rely on local bus routes 1, 2 and 19 for daily travel to work or council services at the Town Hall and Fishergate.
Why the timing matters for Preston households
Council documents released last week show the plan responds to a 12 percent rise in unemployment claims recorded in Preston between January and May 2026 by the Department for Work and Pensions. The update replaces earlier targets set in the 2023 Local Plan and aligns spending with the Lancashire Combined Authority's transport levy contributions, which Preston receives as a member authority.
Residents in Ribbleton will see new bus priority lanes on Blackpool Road scheduled for completion by March 2027, while city-centre workers gain a 0.8 hectare employment site expected to host light-industrial units. The legislation requires the council to publish quarterly progress reports on job placements linked to these sites, starting in October 2026.
Budget figures and next steps
The 2026/27 budget paper approved by full council lists £8.7 million for junction redesigns at the A59/A6 interchange and £5.5 million for site preparation works. These allocations come from the council's capital programme and do not require new council-tax increases in the current financial year, according to the finance section of the same document.
Procurement for the first phase of works begins in August 2026, with contractors required to submit bids that include local labour targets. The council has stated that the first employment units at Deepdale are projected to open for tenant fit-out by late 2028, subject to planning permission decisions scheduled for early 2027.