Lothian Buses and ECB Discussion

[GusB]

Does anyone know when Lothian are going to allow leisure journeys again? I'm wanting to go hill walking which will involve a bus to Hunter's Tryst, and a bus from Torphin on the way back; at present I can't do this as Lothian are still saying essential journeys only.

I doubt anyone will challenge you, to be honest.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

I doubt anyone will challenge you, to be honest.

At this point no one will to be honest, as restrictions are easing and not everyone has a car! I’ve used a bus to visit family and travel to certain places for walks, not exactly essential but I got a face mask and a bottle of hand sanitizer on me 24/7 so I’m beyond giving a hoot

 

[buslad1988]

Does anyone know when Lothian are going to allow leisure journeys again? I'm wanting to go hill walking which will involve a bus to Hunter's Tryst, and a bus from Torphin on the way back; at present I can't do this as Lothian are still saying essential journeys only.

Lothian are only still pumping out that essential journeys message because they have too. Them (and all other bus operators) will want folk back on their buses as quickly as possible once this is eased/over. Aslong as you adhere to social distancing rules, wear a mask etc don’t see why they’d be a problem.

Think the biggest issue is the twitter generation rushing to complain. But sometimes people should just mind their own business.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Does anyone know when Lothian are going to allow leisure journeys again? I'm wanting to go hill walking which will involve a bus to Hunter's Tryst, and a bus from Torphin on the way back; at present I can't do this as Lothian are still saying essential journeys only.

probably when sturgeon sais that non essential travel in public transport is allowed. if you want to get on a bus then just do, the driver wont quiz you

 

[route101]

I doubt anyone will challenge you, to be honest.

Ive used the buses for a few non essential journeys, i dont have a car. Its just a guideline like the 5 mile rule, when the non essential shops open next monday, does not make sense.

 

[route101]

probably when sturgeon sais that non essential travel in public transport is allowed. if you want to get on a bus then just do, the driver wont quiz you

No enforcement , how is the driver going to know and its not his job. If anything trains are better as more space.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Think the biggest issue is the twitter generation rushing to complain. But sometimes people should just mind their own business.

Exactly! The amount of grassing folk do on Twitter especially to bus drivers is absolutely revolting, especially when their “complaints” are more or less just pet peeves

 

[Jordan Adam]

Ive used the buses for a few non essential journeys, i dont have a car. Its just a guideline like the 5 mile rule, when the non essential shops open next monday, does not make sense.

Even then the 5 mile rule is kind of moronic... Given that non-essential shops are starting to open up i think provided you use a bit of common sense it's perfectly fine to use public transport as you did before.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Even then the 5 mile rule is kind of moronic... Given that non-essential shops are starting to open up i think provided you use a bit of common sense it's perfectly fine to use public transport as you did before.

Bozza has just expressed his view on the 5 mile thing in Parliament (he clearly doesn't agree with it).

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

If it's any consolation, Xplore Dundee will be dropping the "essential travel only" message next week when they increase service. As they have outlined on this page, the increase in service is to "support a gradual social/economic recovery in Dundee, whilst helping with physical distancing as well."

I hope other operators follow with similar messaging.

 

[CN04NRJ]

Does anyone know when Lothian are going to allow leisure journeys again? I'm wanting to go hill walking which will involve a bus to Hunter's Tryst, and a bus from Torphin on the way back; at present I can't do this as Lothian are still saying essential journeys only.

I'd assume it would match the Scottish governments

Exactly! The amount of grassing folk do on Twitter especially to bus drivers is absolutely revolting, especially when their “complaints” are more or less just pet peeves

As a bus driver we can't, and have been told not to enforce mask wearing. We have no right (and shouldn't have) to challenge someone to publicly state any medical conditions they might have that exempt them from wearing one.

It's completely confidential information, and I don't see why all these Twitter warriors are slating bus drivers for 'allowing' people with potential health issues onto buses without masks.

 

[route101]

If it's any consolation, Xplore Dundee will be dropping the "essential travel only" message next week when they increase service. As they have outlined on this page, the increase in service is to "support a gradual social/economic recovery in Dundee, whilst helping with physical distancing as well."

I hope other operators follow with similar messaging.

Thats encouraging.

 

[Volvodart]

The First Bus Scotland websites now say anyone can travel apart from anyone with covid 19 symptoms.

 

[CN04NRJ]

As it hasn't already been posted here, the full range of area-valid tickets can now be bought by contactless on all 'city' buses/services. So for example you could purchase one adult single, one child day ticket and a network rider all in the same transaction on any Lothian bus. In addition to the tap, tap cap thing.

 

[scotrail158713]

As it hasn't already been posted here, the full range of area-valid tickets can now be bought by contactless on all 'city' buses/services. So for example you could purchase one adult single, one child day ticket and a network rider all in the same transaction on any Lothian bus. In addition to the tap, tap cap thing.

That’s definitely a positive step forward. Only being able to purchase adult singles, instead of the full range like on ECB/LCB, was the only criticism I had with Lothian’s contactless system. The tap, tap, cap thing is a very worthwhile system.

 

[alexf380]

Oh lovely! Glad it's been implemented at last.

 

[cammyeaston]

Does tap tap cap work on East Coast/Country services too?

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

I think the tap, tap and go system is a fantastic thing, should roll it out here in Glasgow like First have in Aberdeen, was good when Lothian rolled out the system, encourages more people to use the bus.

 

[OmniCity999]

Does tap tap cap work on East Coast/Country services too?

Soon...

 

[cammyeaston]

Soon...

I'm glad I asked you that. Lothian's twitter and all of their information posters suggest it is available across all services.

 

[gavin1985]

My assumption is the lead up to phase 3. Pretty certain that public transport will be going back to full timetable just before phase 3?

 

[scotrail158713]

Soon...

Interesting. I wasn’t sure how it could work but if they’ve worked out a way then it’s certainly a positive move.

 

[CN04NRJ]

Interesting. I wasn’t sure how it could work but if they’ve worked out a way then it’s certainly a positive move.

I'd assume that if someone wanted to use their card to 'tap on' all three companies it would just cap it to a network rider? From reading back through this thread my understanding is that the contactless system across the companies works on the same network.

Regardless it's excellent news for customers as there's many choices of payment and ticketing methods now.

 

[OmniCity999]

I'm glad I asked you that. Lothian's twitter and all of their information posters suggest it is available across all services.

it is available now, its just in beta. So the finishing touches are being worked on.

 

[cammyeaston]

it is available now, its just in beta. So the finishing touches are being worked on.

I imagine that's why it hasn't been widely marketed up to now?

I was imagining something of a fan fare to try and encourage it. I'll certainly be ditching my ridacard in favour of it.

 

[Siemens Trains]

I'd assume that if someone wanted to use their card to 'tap on' all three companies it would just cap it to a network rider? From reading back through this thread my understanding is that the contactless system across the companies works on the same network.

Regardless it's excellent news for customers as there's many choices of payment and ticketing methods now.

Some people might just want to use East Coast or Lothian Country services within the £4.50 city zone, while the network ticket costs ten quid. Not exactly big money but doesn't feel good if you're stung repeatedly. As an example, you've arrived in the West End by tapping on a city service already and you're wanting to go to the gasworks at Granton. Maybe you've just missed a 47 and you'd like the convenience of using the 106, 113 but would need to pay extra for these.
I suppose you could plan ahead and buy a paper day ticket, or perhaps catch a 24 or 19 with a bit of extra effort. However it would be more straightforward from a passenger perspective and better PR if the 106 and 113 shared the same £4.50 contactless capping scheme.

 

[CN04NRJ]

Some people might just want to use East Coast or Lothian Country services within the £4.50 city zone, while the network ticket costs ten quid. Not exactly big money but doesn't feel good if you're stung repeatedly. As an example, you've arrived in the West End by tapping on a city service already and you're wanting to go to the gasworks at Granton. Maybe you've just missed a 47 and you'd like the convenience of using the 106, 113 but would need to pay extra for these.
I suppose you could plan ahead and buy a paper day ticket, or perhaps catch a 24 or 19 with a bit of extra effort. However it would be more straightforward from a passenger perspective and better PR if the 106 and 113 shared the same £4.50 contactless capping scheme.

What I meant was I imagine it would cap it to the lowest fare for whatever journeys you made.

If it was several journeys across the network then I would assume the network rider would be the maximum possible cap for any combination of journeys?

 

[Weemidi135]

10101/10102 are currently in storage. I reckon they'll be back. We're going to need every single vehicle in each fleet, and probably more... hopefully ADL are back at work.

Im not clued up enough on the ins and outs of the Ex-First fuelling system at ECB but i believe its so the company can track each vehicles fuel usage. The system was kept in place to save on costs. I think there's a mode that allows vehicles outwith the fleet to fuel. But in actual fact, i think those that were on loan to East Coast were given existing East Coast fleet numbers.

For example:

186 - Would fuel as 10195
187 - Would fuel as 10196
188 - Would fuel as 10197
189 - Would fuel as 10198
190 - Would fuel as 10199

441 - Would fuel as 20001
442 - Would fuel as 20002
443 - Would fuel as 20003
444 - Would fuel as 20004
445 - Would fuel as 20005
446 - Would fuel as 20006
447 - Would fuel as 20007
448 - Would fuel as 20008

Don't know what will have happened with 449 - 455, possibly duplicate use of 20001 - 20008.

The fuel system at ECB is exactly the same system used at central marine Longstone and Livingston

 

[Jordan Adam]

What I meant was I imagine it would cap it to the lowest fare for whatever journeys you made.

If it was several journeys across the network then I would assume the network rider would be the maximum possible cap for any combination of journeys?

Obviously different operators so different system but in Aberdeen the way it works is your first journey is charged at £2.70 (3+ Stages single), with your second journey at £1.70 (1-2 Stages Single) this comes to a total of £4.40 which is equal to the price of a day ticket, any further journeys are free.

I'm not really sure how Tap+Cap could work on longer distance / rural routes with multiple fare rates depending on distance, so it'll be interesting to see what they do for ECB. Imo the technology only really works if you have two or less fare rates.

 

[route101]

When ive asked for day ticket on Lothian , i get told to tap my card , no option of getting paper day ticket.