Lancaster University benefits from one of the most frequent campus - city centre services in the UK. There is a bus service to the city centre every 4 minutes during weekday term-time daytimes. Lancaster University is working closely in partnership with Stagecoach to deliver better bus services to the University. Thousands of students use the bus every day.
Staff bus use at the University has doubled since the Travel Plan was introduced in 2005. 19% of staff now commute to campus by bus. University staff can qualify for a free or heavily subsidised annual bus pass.
- Bus Improvements for 2011/12
- Temporary underpass closure
- Bus improvements for 2010/11
- Brand new buses on routes 3 and 4
- Bus Routes & Bus Stops on Campus
- Bus Timetables
- UniRider Bus Passes
- Free or Subsidised Bus Travel for University Staff
- Feedback on Bus Services
- Buses to the Lake District
- Long Distance Coach Services
- Information for Coach Drivers
Bus Improvements for 2011/12
The Lancaster University / Stagecoach partnership is delivering the following bus service improvements, commencing 14th August 2011:
- Brand new University-branded buses on routes 3 and 4 using the latest environmental technologies to lower carbon emissions
- Services 2/2A, 3/3A and 4 – minor timetable changes
- Duplicate services in the morning peak and at 4pm, 5pm and 6pm during term-times to help meet peak-time demand
- Service 42 Lancaster to Blackpool via University – a revised timetable will be introduced in order to improve reliability throughout the route.
- NEW X12 service: Morecambe – Heysham then fast to Lancaster city centre via the Heysham Bypass and the new bus lane on Morecambe Road. Every 30 minutes, Monday to Saturday. Click here for a timetable of the X12
- X22 Service: Morecambe – Heysham – Bypass – Lancaster – University. This service will be incorporated into the new X12 service with 1 morning peak journey and 1 evening peak journey extending the route to campus.
- New bus stops outside the new sports centre now open
- Low-floor fully accessible vehicles now operating on the X1 service.
- Continuation of the northern perimeter road bus service using the X1 once the underpass reopens.
For further information on the service improvements please see the Stagecoach website. The new timetables will be available close to 14th August on the Stagecoach website here. Paper copies will in due course be made available at the travel information stands in the Library, LUSU and the LICA Building.
Extra buses and bus stop improvements
The University is working closely in partnership with Stagecoach to deliver better bus services for its students, staff and visitors.
Stagecoach are now providing extra buses between campus and the city centre in the morning and evening peak periods to cope with the high demand for bus travel. Stagecoach have been monitoring passenger loadings throughout the first week of term and making adjustments where necessary, providing additional services. For example, there are a further 2 buses through Greaves and a further 2 buses through Bowerham before 9am on weekday mornings and an additional X1 bus. There are now 27 bus arrivals on campus from Lancaster between 08:00 and 09:00 Monday to Friday. Throughout the day during the week there are also two additional 3s every hour offering the most direct route into the city centre along the A6. There are now 18 buses every hour between campus and the city in each direction throughout the day. During the evening peak period there are also additional buses to help get people home.
Stagecoach will continue to have staff on duty at the Chaplaincy Centre Temporary Bus Stop throughout the term. Tickets can be purchased from them so you don't then need to get a ticket from the driver. Please be considerate to the elderly and infirm and give up your seat if you are seated on one of the 'priority seats' for these groups near the front of the bus.
Recent improvements to the Chaplaincy Centre Temporary Bus Stop have been made by Facilities to create more space for passengers waiting for buses.
Temporary underpass closure and its implications for buses
The University has had to temporarily close the underpass for the ongoing construction works until further notice. The bus terminus has been relocated to Bowland Avenue outside the Chaplaincy Centre and all of Bowland Avenue has been reorganised to support the new temporary arrangements. This has implications for deliveries and car parking. Bowland Avenue is now access only for buses, deliveries, drop-offs and disabled parking. All Visitor parking has been removed and relocated to North-West Drive. Further information can be viewed here
Bus Improvements for 2010/11
Price Improvements for Lancaster University staff
- FREE annual Staff Unirider bus pass available for LU staff on grades 1 and 2
- Heavily subsidised annual LU Staff Unirider bus pass for staff on grades 3+ at just £65.
- Option for LU staff of paying for subsidised bus pass via monthly payments.
Ticket Improvements
- New Unirider South annual ticket available for LU staff and students traveling to the University from Catterall / Garstang area, priced the same as the normal annual Unirider.
- All Lancaster Unirider tickets extended to Caton and Brookhouse
Service Improvements
- One year trial for the reintroduction of bus services along the northern perimeter road – Services X1, 2, 2A with a new temporary bus stop on North Drive - temporarily suspended due to Underpass closure
- New Service X22 to and from campus with one journey in the morning peak and one journey in the afternoon peak. This commenced on 31st August 2010, click here to view timetable.
- Diversion of all Service 42 services (Blackpool to Lancaster) onto campus from the A6 from 29th August 2010
- New vehicles on Services 40/41 Preston to Morecambe via the University entrance
- Continuation of the University-supported X1 service linking with the railway station
- Extension of the bus lane on Morecambe Road due in Spring 2011
Lancaster University and GreenLancaster are now working in partnership with Stagecoach to deliver better bus services for staff, students and visitors to the University. This new partnership has resulted in the above improvements, introduced in October 2010.
Brand new buses on routes 3 and 4
Stagecoach, in partnership with Lancaster University launched 12 brand new 11-reg ‘Enviro 300’ buses in June 2011 at the new University Sports Centre. The new buses are now operating on routes 3 and 4 serving main campus, Alexandra Park, Lancaster, Morecambe and Heysham. They use the latest environmental technologies to reduce carbon emissions. The new buses have the University logo on them and the University will shortly be advertising of the backs of these buses. For more information please see here.
Bus Routes & Bus Stops on Campus
Buses depart and arrive from the temporary bus stop in Bowland Avenue by the Chaplaincy Central though services 3 and 4 also do a loop around Alexandra Park and the south western perimeter road.
Usually all buses that Stagecoach operate on campus are low-floor vehicles and fully accessible. A new lift to the underpass has been installed as part of the Alexandra Square and Underpass Rejuvenation Project. The main bus stop on campus will revert back to the underpass once refurbishment works have been completed.
Service updates from Stagecoach can be viewed here
Bus Timetables
- X1 University - Railway Station - Marsh - St Georges Quay
- 2, 2A, X2 University - Lancaster - Morecambe - Heysham
- 3, 3A X3 University - Lancaster - Morecambe - Heysham
- 40 & 41 University Gates - Preston (plus some off peak services via Alexandra Park)
- 42 University Underpass - Blackpool via Garstang
- X12 University - Lancaster - ByPass - Heysham - Morecambe
Paper copies of these and other bus timetables are available from the reception areas in the Library, Students Union and the LICA building.
Journey Planner - Plan you journey on-line
UniRider Bus Passes
The Lancaster UniRider is a bus ticket, which is only available for students and staff attending Lancaster University and University of Cumbria (Lancaster Campus). It offers unlimited bus travel on all Stagecoach services in the Lancaster area.
A new Unirider South ticket is now also available for subsidised staff uniriders, which is valid along the A6 bus corridor between Catterall, Garstang and Lancaster University.
- Boundaries of Lancaster Unirider ticket
- More information on the Uni-rider is available here
- Buy Uni-rider tickets on-line here
Free or Subsidised Bus Travel for University Staff
University staff can apply for an annual Staff Unirider or annual Staff Unirider South ticket through Flexible Benefits with massive discounts! This must be done through annual enrolment for existing University staff.
- Staff on Grades 1-2 - FREE
- Staff on Grade 3+ - £65
Please note: staff can not have a parking permit and a free or subsidised bus pass in the same year.
For more information on the Flexible Benefits Scheme click here.
Feedback on Bus Services
In the first instance please contact the bus company or the Facilities Helpdesk on 93333 or email facilities.helpdesk@lancaster.ac.uk
If you do not receive a satisfactory response please write to the Bus Appeals Body
Buses to the Lake District
Long Distance Coach Services
Information for Coach Drivers
Click here to view a PDF document about coach drop-off and pick-up areas.