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
Burnley Manchester-based SBS Architects, won the UK Bus Award for Infrastructure in 2003. The main bus operator is Burnley Bus Company, with Tyrer Bus operating some tendered town services. Other services are provided by First Greater Manchester (589 to Rochdale, 592 to Halifax), Blackburn Bus Company (152 to Preston), Pennine (215 to Skipton), and Rosso (483 to Bury). National Express operates three coach services to London each day, and one to Birmingham. The town has good bus links into Manchester. The X43 Witch Way service (operated by Burnley Bus Company) runs from Skipton, to Manchester via Barnoldswick, Colne, Nelson, Burnley, Rawtenstall