Ex-workers for Stagecoach and Preston Bus Ltd are planning to bid to buy it back from its new owners.
They were competing for ownership before Stagecoach bought it out last year.
Now the Competition Commission has ruled Stagecoach must sell Preston Bus because competition rules indicate the deal reduced competition and was not in passengers' interests.
Preston City Council has offered £25,000 to help the former Preston Bus workers to make a bid. The money will be used for experts to help the workers put their case forward to the Competition Commission.
Stagecoach is appealing against the decision forcing it to sell the bus company.
