The Sixties was a time when we destroyed our Victorian heritage to replace it with nasty tarmac, concrete and low quality high-rise living. Few modern cathedrals to living were built in that era so this bold beautiful statement of local civic pride must not be lost to future generations. The present Preston Council say that the bus station is in the wrong place and has become shabby and draughty, but I'm sure a few thousand spent on improvements would pale into insignificance compared to the cost of erecting such a huge structure today. Also local residents have voted it their favourite building in the town so as usual the powers that be have their own agenda and do not care about it's real importance. Not only is this really fine cutting-edge architecture it needs to be saved too as is about time in Britain we changed our attitude to public transport to something more positive as they do in Europe. Once it's gone I dread to think what will go in it's place, probably another thrown up 'twee village style' red brick folly of a shopping centre with it's fake clock tower and litter fountain. If it happens I don't want to go there again for sure. Whatever happens Preston Bus has gone as another former Municipal falls to the competitive muscle of Stagecoach. At one time like Ribble who were also based here the Corporation had almost only Leyland buses but by the Nineties after production had ceased their numbers were being thinned but as you can see here plenty of buses like 1980 Alexander bodied Leyland Atlantean AN68 UHG 141V still looked extremely smart. Indeed no bus is really pretty but it was a lot nicer than the tall faceless ugly motel it hid maybe warning us of what to expect on this hallowed site.
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