Lancashire four universities: Lancaster University, the University of Central Lancashire, Edge Hill University and the Lancaster campus of the University of Cumbria. Seven colleges offer higher education courses. The Lancashire economy relies strongly on the M6 motorway which runs from north to south, past Lancaster and Preston. The M55 connects Preston to Blackpool and is 11.5 miles (18.3 km) long. The M65 motorway from Colne, connects Burnley, Accrington, Blackburn to Preston. The M61 from Preston via Chorley and the M66 starting inside the county boundary near Edenfield, provide links between Lancashire and Manchester] and the trans-Pennine M62. The M58 crosses the
Blackburn again towards the city of Preston. It joins the A59 about west of Blackburn, approximately halfway between Blackburn and Preston. Barbara Castle Way (named after the former Blackburn MP) runs from Montague Street to Eanam Roundabout, passing close to the town centre, the road is part of the A6078 town centre orbital route. Blackburn's newly redeveloped railway station is in the town centre, and is served by Northern. Services to Manchester Victoria station typically take around 50 minutes. The station also hosts East Lancashire Line services travelling eastwards to Burnley, Colne and Leeds, as well as westwards to Preston. Blackburn's