Overview

This section considers public and private transport issues across Lancashire and beyond. These include vehicle numbers, usage and road length data. Passenger numbers are provided for people using bus, train and sea routes that start or finish in the Lancashire area, and are supplemented by details of walking and cycling provision. A complementary article on road casualties can be found in the community safety section of Lancashire Insight.  

The various highways and transport masterplans that cover parts of the county set out the key proposals for transport improvements for the area.

Until 2017 public transport provision by rail and tram saw significant sustained growth in Lancashire, but there was a small downturn in rail passenger numbers in 2018 to 2019 followed by a collapse in 2020/21 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. By 2023/24 passenger numbers had recovered to be similar to the 2015/16 totals. Bus passenger numbers have suffered a sustained decline but there was a slight recovery for Lancashire-12 in 2019. 

The traffic flow results indicate that motor vehicle usage was back on its long-term upward trajectory after a small decline between 2009 and 2012; a result of the economic slowdown at the time, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced flows down universally by around 20% in 2020. By 2024 the flows had recovered to just below the maximum levels in 2019.

Freight traffic through Heysham Port continues to expand, but passenger movements and passenger vehicle numbers between Heysham and the Isle-of-Man reveal some volatility.

Blackpool airport had very modest passenger numbers after a major cutback in commercial passenger flights in 2014, but the scheduled flights ended again in March 2017. The passengers still being monitored are on the chartered helicopter flights to Irish Sea gas rigs.

Page updated May 2026