Ember: Electric coach service

[Buzby]

I wonder if they’ll offer through-fares (Say Glasgow to Aberdeen) assuming Edinburgh is the only start point?

 

[Strathtay 260]

The Aberdeen depot is due to open in late August or early September, with its first route being Aberdeen to Edinburgh, and its second likely being Aberdeen to Glasgow - both via Dundee. A staff member has said it is mainly Yutong GTe14s being sent up.

There are discussions that the Aberdeen to Edinburgh route could extend to Wallyford P&R for charging.

The new triaxle coaches have started to enter service.

Yes - 3 of 14.
SG24 UHP,
SG24 UHY &
SG24 UJC
are the ones which are in service, while
SG24 UHB,
SG24 UHF,
SG24 UHL,
SG24 UHU,
SG24 UJD,
SG24 UJE,
SG24 UJJ,
SG24 UJK,
SG24 UJN,
SG24 UJS &
SG24 UJW
are still yet to enter service.

 

[overthewater]

The Big question has to be which route will the Ember services take from Dundee to Aberdeen?

 

[Buzby]

The Big question has to be which route will the Ember services take from Dundee to Aberdeen?

My money’s on the A92, as the coastal route will be too slow….

 

[roadierway77]

The Big question has to be which route will the Ember services take from Dundee to Aberdeen?

A friend of mine saw an Ember vehicle running along the A92 near Arbroath which might suggest they're going for the coastal route like the X7.

 

[Strathtay 260]

The Big question has to be which route will the Ember services take from Dundee to Aberdeen?

Or perhaps, they'll do both; an E4 via Arbroath and Montrose, and an E4X the fast way, to match with E1/E1X and E3/E3X

A friend of mine saw an Ember vehicle running along the A92 near Arbroath which might suggest they're going for the coastal route like the X7.

Would really be beneficial giving the Stagecoach X7 a run for its money, however, most people wouldn't use it for longer journeys from Edinburgh/Dundee to Aberdeen.

 

[BobbyBKinross]

My money’s on the A92, as the coastal route will be too slow….

I think you mean your money is on the A90? You'd struggle to get more costal than the A92!

 

[Buzby]

e to get more costal than the A92!

Brain fade - it’s the heat!

 

[Strathtay 260]

I wonder if they’ll offer through-fares (Say Glasgow to Aberdeen) assuming Edinburgh is the only start point?

What do you mean by this?

 

[Blindtraveler]

A fairly simple question, will through fares be offered even if a change of coach is required? By the looks of it it might be for Aberdeen if starting from the west of Scotland. The answer I would have thought would be yes, as their fares and ticketing is something they've always been quite proud of.

 

[astroatlantica]

Hey folks, long time reader, first time contributor. Had an interesting conversation with a driver a few days ago and got some interesting info:

Aberdeen service will start in the next few weeks (End of August/Start of September 24) as an extension of existing E1X and E3X services (unsure if this means adding more services throughout the day too) the Aberdeen E1X services will charge at both Bridge of Don and Wallyford.

Aberdeen service will initially be solely focused on the express market (so assumably the A90 route)

A coastal route between Dundee and Aberdeen will start not long after serving local markets enroute.

There is an idea of a service through Fife with stops noted as Dundee, Cupar, Glenrothes & Kinross (I don't know if that is it or it extends to Edinburgh or Stirling) but that development of that idea has gone quiet.

No updates on Glasgow and Inverness hubs or expansion to the west coast, just "further expansions coming soon".

 

[Tayway]

Hey folks, long time reader, first time contributor. Had an interesting conversation with a driver a few days ago and got some interesting info:

Aberdeen service will start in the next few weeks (End of August/Start of September 24) as an extension of existing E1X and E3X services (unsure if this means adding more services throughout the day too) the Aberdeen E1X services will charge at both Bridge of Don and Wallyford.

Aberdeen service will initially be solely focused on the express market (so assumably the A90 route)

A coastal route between Dundee and Aberdeen will start not long after serving local markets enroute.

There is an idea of a service through Fife with stops noted as Dundee, Cupar, Glenrothes & Kinross (Idk if that is it or it extends to Edinburgh or Stirling) but that development of that idea has gone quiet.

No updates on Glasgow and Inverness hubs or expansion to the west coast, just "further expansions coming soon".

Very interesting, thanks for the update. Having buses officially run from Bridge of Don to Wallyford will be a novelty! I wonder if a stop will be made for Aberdeen University as that might be a big draw from the central belt especially with the start of term co-inciding with the launch.

 

[computerSaysNo]

Aberdeen service will initially be solely focused on the express market (so assumably the A90 route)

Thanks for the info. I had hoped that any new express service would call at Brechin and Forfar, as there are many services pass by them but very few to none stop there. I guess we'll find out soon enough whether Ember is planning to stop there.

 

[astroatlantica]

Thanks for the info. I had hoped that any new express service would call at Brechin and Forfar, as there are many services pass by them but very few to none stop there. I guess we'll find out soon enough whether Ember is planning to stop there.

Yeah I hazard a guess that at least Forfar will have stops, there's an underused bus stop in Halfpennyburn which is right on the junction of the A90 and A94 with turning space which wouldn't add much to journey times. Brechin, Laurancekirk and Stonehaven would be interesting options too, but I'm unsure how you could fit stops into the schedule without padding time to go into towns properly.

Having looked on the traveline Scotland map, they couldn't do the on bypass stop approach they do in Auchterarder as no such stops exist on these towns' bypasses but maybe the Rosyth approach of exit main road - stop in residential area - turn around - rejoin major road could work.

^Just noting that ember don't own or build their stops, they just use existing council built infrastructure.

 

[computerSaysNo]

Yeah I hazard a guess that at least Forfar will have stops, there's an underused bus stop in Halfpennyburn which is right on the junction of the A90 and A94 with turning space which wouldn't add much to journey times. Brechin, Laurancekirk and Stonehaven would be interesting options too, but I'm unsure how you could fit stops into the schedule without padding time to go into towns properly.

Having looked on the traveline Scotland map, they couldn't do the on bypass stop approach they do in Auchterarder as no such stops exist on these towns' bypasses but maybe the Rosyth approach of exit main road - stop in residential area - turn around - rejoin major road could work.

^Just noting that ember don't own or build their stops, they just use existing council built infrastructure.

For Forfar they could run the same route as the 21 but ommit the Whitehills section (just run straight to the centre), so the flat junction at Lochlands and then the graded junction near Merlin Gardens. If the flat junction were to cause problems with timekeeping then they could switch to using that graded junction at McDonald's.

Brechin they could use the graded junction to the west at the Garden Centre, and the staggered dumbbell junction to the north.

Laurencekirk I hadn't thought about but there are flat junctions to the northeast and southwest so it looks like it would be easy enough to serve, I'd just be concerned about pulling out at the south junction going south as you'd need to wait for the road to be clear in both directions; I'm not sure if that would present problems with timekeeping if the road is busy. Laurencekirk also has a railway station which is competition.

Stonehaven I'm not sure I'd bother with as they've got plenty of buses to Aberdeen and south via the coast from Stagecoach, plus there's the railway station.

 

[astroatlantica]

For Forfar they could run the same route as the 21 but ommit the Whitehills section (just run straight to the centre), so the flat junction at Lochlands and then the graded junction near Merlin Gardens. If the flat junction were to cause problems with timekeeping then they could switch to using that graded junction at McDonald's.

Brechin they could use the graded junction to the west at the Garden Centre, and the staggered dumbbell junction to the north.

Laurencekirk I hadn't thought about but there are flat junctions to the northeast and southwest so it looks like it would be easy enough to serve, I'd just be concerned about pulling out at the south junction going south as you'd need to wait for the road to be clear in both directions; I'm not sure if that would present problems with timekeeping if the road is busy. Laurencekirk also has a railway station which is competition.

Stonehaven I'm not sure I'd bother with as they've got plenty of buses to Aberdeen and south via the coast from Stagecoach, plus there's the railway station.

There's precedent in terms of flat junctions with current options in Greenloaning, however I get your point there.

I mentioned Laurancekirk as it only has 3 or 4 services to the central belt during the day (most are Aberdeen Crossrail terminating at Montrose or occasionally Dundee), so the concept of a one seat ride would possibly produce some traffic, not to mention giving some rail transfers for folks heading to Brechin.

Otherwise on the northern end there's the small park and ride at Newtonhill which has a bus loop, and the bus stops in cove bay. Both those communities have been identified as ideal new train station locations by the campaign for northeast rail, so in the meantime this'd be a good stopgap.

That is assuming they enter Aberdeen from the south rather than say the A93 and AWPR.

 

[Fundee on Tay]

I for one would be disapproving if the via A90 service didn’t stop at Forfar and Brechin. Currently Forfar only has the limited Citylink service from the A94 by McDonald’s and Brechin has only the incredibly slow Stagecoach service to Dundee (70+ minutes). If Ember stopped at Brechin - perhaps Clerk Street northbound and Southesk Street southbound and maybe also the Castle Centre they would provide a service to Aberdeen for the first time - probably taking around an hour, and Dundee in probably around 45 minutes (along with the Central Belt). That’s a huge improvement for a community with very few public transport links.

I think it’s almost certain they will stop at Forfar McDonald’s - that’s the ‘stopping on bypasses’ business model that’s working so well for them. I think it’s fairly likely see them going through Brechin like they do Dunblane.

As for other stops I think Laurencekirk would be useful but perhaps unlikely given the flat junctions there. Fordoun has bypass stops that could be used - almost a no brainer as they’d result in almost no increased journey time (same goes for Drumlithie, Newtonhill and Hillside by Portlethen).

The more difficult issue comes with Stonehaven. Where I think Brechin could be travelled through adding less than 10 minutes to the journey time I think Stonehaven would add significantly more - and as others say it’s already well connected by bus / train.

Edit:

I expect to see a stop at Mill O’Mains too like Citylink

 

[Volvodart]

The Aberdeen based drivers started this week and one of them said that it is the Edinburgh route they are going to be doing initially.

 

[computerSaysNo]

The Aberdeen based drivers started this week and one of them said that it is the Edinburgh route they are going to be doing initially.

What are they doing at the moment then if the current service only goes as far north as Dundee? Are they just doing training? Or travelling to Dundee to work?

 

[Tayway]

What are they doing at the moment then if the current service only goes as far north as Dundee? Are they just doing training? Or travelling to Dundee to work?

I'd imagine a bit of both at the moment, and the new service could actually start any day now – Ember have previous for 'soft-launching' new services, and presumably the express Aberdeen extensions won't need to be registered with the Traffic Commissioner.

 

[computerSaysNo]

I'd imagine a bit of both at the moment, and the new service could actually start any day now – Ember have previous for 'soft-launching' new services, and presumably the express Aberdeen extensions won't need to be registered with the Traffic Commissioner.

Why not?

 

[GusB]

Why not?

They only need to be registered if stops are less than a certain distance apart (15 miles as the crow flies - see attached document)

1. WHAT IS A LOCAL SERVICE?
It is a service using Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) to carry passengers at separate fares
over short distances. The route can be of any overall length, as long as throughout its
length passengers can get off within 24.15 kms (15 miles) (measured in a straight line)
of the place at which they were picked up.
If on a long distance service there are some parts of the route where passengers
can make local journeys of 24.15 kms (15 miles) or less, then those parts of
the route should be registered as separate local services.

 

[computerSaysNo]

They only need to be registered if stops are less than a certain distance apart (15 miles as the crow flies - see attached document)

Oh, right, so, how are long distance services kept track of then? If they don't need to be registered.

 

[Deerfold]

Oh, right, so, how are long distance services kept track of then? If they don't need to be registered.

They're not.
There are systems the details can be uploaded on to get them into traveline and so Google Maps finds them.

 

[computerSaysNo]

They're not.
There are systems the details can be uploaded on to get them into traveline and so Google Maps finds them.

Ah. Okay, thanks for the info.

 

[astroatlantica]

The Stobswell Community forum in Dundee has been contacted by ember to gauge interest in a stop on Albert Street for Aberdeen bound services (the district has been historically bypassed by intercity busses that still clog up the roads)

Source:

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Ember Electric Buses - They want to come to Stobie

We have today been contacted by Ember the Electric Bus Company who currently run buses from Dundee to Edinburgh and Glasgow. They are planning a new route to and from Aberdeen running through Dundee or specifically Albert St to Edinburgh.

The Stobswell Forum have been against non stopping intercity buses in our neighbourhood but Ember are proposing to have a stop at the top end of Albert St which will allow locals to get the bus to Edinburgh or Aberdeen directly from Stobswell and many intermediate stops along the way, they plan to run the buses hourly, 24 hours per day and seven days per week.

Let us know what you are thinking and we’ll pass what you say back to the Ember people.

Could you share this for a better sample size?

You can check out more about the existing Ember routes to and from Dundee by clicking this https://www.ember.to/

 

[route101]

Noticed a few of the newer bigger Yutongs in service today in Edinburgh. Are they on specific runs?

 

[Strathtay 260]

Are they on specific runs?

Not exactly sure what you mean by this but they are quite often found on the 09:30 and 11:40 journeys from Dundee to Edinburgh, and the returns.

 

[ClydeCoaster]

I was waiting to see if it would be mentioned elsewhere, but according to the Scottish Column in the most recent issue of Buses magazine "it's been reported" (their words) that 40 more GTe14 are on order for expansion in Scotland and across the UK. I can't find anything more solid on it though.

40 is an expensive order...

 

[MotCO]

I was waiting to see if it would be mentioned elsewhere, but according to the Sdottish Column in the most recent issue of Buses magazine "it's been reported" (their words) that 40 more GTe14 are on order for expansion in Scotland and across the UK. I can't find anything more solid on it though.

40 is an expensive order...

The earliest coaches are now 5 years old - maybe some of the new coaches will replace older, and smaller, coaches.