I have had the following information from LCC regarding the Cottam Orbital service, particularly the Sunday service.  Unfortunately the news is not good for those requiring a sunday service:

As far as a Sunday service is concerned, the Preston – Cottam Orbit service was terminated at Larches in September 2012 following a decision by Preston Bus to withdraw the Larches – Cottam section due to lack of usage.  Lancashire County Council considered the matter and, according to on-bus surveys, there were approximately 120 passenger trips made each Sunday to and from the withdrawn section of the route.  This averages around 4 passenger trips per journey.

 Based on these passenger numbers of approximately 6,500 annual passenger trips (120 each Sunday) without an alternative service, a full replacement service for the withdrawn section of the Sunday Orbit route in Cottam would not be sustainable, although funding of an extension from Larches was considered.  This extension would cost an estimated annual net subsidy of £12,000, based on an estimated £9,000 revenue and 6,500 passenger trips per annum. In view of this, the decision was made not to proceed. There are no current plans to provide a Sunday service but we shall keep the matter under review should an opportunity arise in the future.

“However, there are problems like this all over Lancashire” says Bill Winlow .  “We need to be exploring ways to deal with them through low cost community bus services with smaller operators”