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
Transport in Preston Lancashire) and M61 (Preston - Manchester), which connect to the M6 south of Preston. Preston has many major A roads running through it. The longest one is the A6, which comes from Lancaster in the North, runs down the centre and goes South-East towards Chorley. The A6 connects Carlisle to Luton, being the second longest road in Britain. Another A road that runs through Preston is the A59 which comes from the South West from Liverpool towards Clitheroe in the North East. Other A roads converging in Preston or its outskirts include the A49, A582, A583, A584, A675, A677, A5072