Lothian Group discussion (Lothian City, Lothian Country Bus and East Coast Buses)

[Bus9120UK]

According to the Lothian bus tracker 717 is out on Service 24.

With 452 being next to be prepared for transfer to Lothian Country.

730, 737, 739, 744 and 748 are all at Central.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

So Lothian confirmed that the ridacard being valid across the whole network only meant the City Network, which was very misleading but should of expected this.

At least the City+Country Ticket should be some good value for money.

 

[overthewater]

Well, what can one say about the announcement from yesterday? It's getting beyond a joke now.... I think the wheelbarrow of excuses needs to stop, and people really need to have a look in the mirror, as people don't care for the passengers.

Clearly Lothian has more drivers and buses and it doesn't take years to figure out how to design a network. It's clear as day they are no longer interested in the main part of West Lothian. Like I said it would have only required 3 more buses to make real improvement overall, and that's not alot in the grand scheme of things. The longer this dreadful network goes on, the more people will find other ways to travel and they wont be coming back. I wonder how many kids with under 22 passes have given up and just got driving lessons instead, They wont keep protesting or creating petition for much longer.

When it comes to East Lothian, that is a different kettle of fish. I'm not surprised the X6 has been pulled off, especially since X7 is where the passengers are, standing loads on single decker going on A1. The X6 replacement is what seems to be causing all the trouble. Macmerry still has 30min service between Tranent and Haddington thanks to the 106 and Prentice Coaches 108 combined. I can understand why the X4 operates via top end of Prestonpans, it trying to get more passengers, maybe down the line the X4 will get revised to just operate direct to Wallyford from Tranent.

Maybe the best solution for the small number of passengers between top and bottom of Prestonpans might be for prentice to operate the 110 or 112 down the W loan, and back up?

 

[Acfb]

Well, what can one say about the announcement from yesterday? It's getting beyond a joke now.... I think the wheelbarrow of excuses needs to stop, and people really need to have a look in the mirror, as people don't care for the passengers.

Clearly Lothian has more drivers and buses and it doesn't take years to figure out how to design a network. It's clear as day they are no longer interested in the main part of West Lothian. Like I said it would have only required 3 more buses to make real improvement overall, and that's not alot in the grand scheme of things. The longer this dreadful network goes on, the more people will find other ways to travel and they wont be coming back. I wonder how many kids with under 22 passes have given up and just got driving lessons instead, They wont keep protesting or creating petition for much longer.

When it comes to East Lothian, that is a different kettle of fish. I'm not surprised the X6 has been pulled off, especially since X7 is where the passengers are, standing loads on single decker going on A1. The X6 replacement is what seems to be causing all the trouble. Macmerry still has 30min service between Tranent and Haddington thanks to the 106 and Prentice Coaches 108 combined. I can understand why the X4 operates via top end of Prestonpans, it trying to get more passengers, maybe down the line the X4 will get revised to just operate direct to Wallyford.

Maybe the best solution for the small number of passengers between top and bottom of Prestonpans might be for prentice to operate the 110 or 112 down the W loan, and back up?

It's not ideal although I suppose Tranent passengers can still get the 113 down to Wallyford to change onto the X4 or just stay on the 113 the whole way. I don't know how many people travel from the bottom of Prestonpans to Tranent regularly so can't really comment.

I think it's interesting that the X7 is now 3bph, seems a bit overkill perhaps for Haddington-East Linton-Dunbar even if that section is still deserving of 2bph. I thought the X7 would get split somehow and deckers put on the Edinburgh to Haddington section to increase capacity.

 

[VioletEclipse]

I think it's interesting that the X7 is now 3bph, seems a bit overkill perhaps for Haddington-East Linton-Dunbar even if that section is still deserving of 2bph. I thought the X7 would get split somehow and deckers put on the Edinburgh to Haddington section to increase capacity.

I might happen, but to me the concept of having a single bus route split between short running deckers and full route running singles with a low bridge in that section has the potential to increase risk with any allocation errors or such. Even though I agree that the X7 between town and Haddington could well do with deckers in terms of capacity.

 

[zjsptgzxyspks]

I think X7 is better off split up but run as guaranteed connection.
X7 City - Haddington only, deckers every 30 minutes.
107 Haddington - Dunbar only. Every 30 minutes. The 107 will only depart once the X7 turns up if within 10 minutes of delay, and vice versa.

 

[ecb124]

I think X7 is better off split up but run as guaranteed connection.
X7 City - Haddington only, deckers every 30 minutes.
107 Haddington - Dunbar only. Every 30 minutes. The 107 will only depart once the X7 turns up if within 10 minutes of delay, and vice versa.

Yeah, no. I have to disagree with you on that. There is an evergrowing number of people who make the full run on the X7, especially at unsociable hours, with more people likely to do so after the timetable change in april. Having people change buses with garunteed connections disensentivises people from making the full journey, which is quite profitable being the most expensive journey in the ECB network.

 

[computerSaysNo]

It's not ideal although I suppose Tranent passengers can still get the 113 down to Wallyford to change onto the X4

The times don't match up, the 113 arrives Wallyford at xx17 and xx47 during the day and the X4 leaves at xx15 and xx45 (going west).

The times don't match up, the 113 arrives Wallyford at xx17 and xx47 during the day and the X4 leaves at xx15 and xx45 (going west).

Actually, in the off-peak going west, the 113 and X4 both take 47 minutes to go from Tranent High Street to Waterloo Place and are timed to give a service every 15 minutes. I haven't check journey time differences in the peak, or heading eastbound. I also don't know how this compares with the current 113 and X6 timetables but I'll check later if I get time.

 

[LothianLover88]

Now someone explain to me why Seton Sands is getting a 10 minute service? Wouldn't it of been better cutting that end instead of Tranent, and rerouting the 124 there, or making a new route to cover that section?

 

[buslad1988]

Now someone explain to me why Seton Sands is getting a 10 minute service? Wouldn't it have been better cutting that end instead of Tranent, and rerouting the 124 there, or making a new route to cover that section?

Because it’s the busiest section!

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Now someone explain to me why Seton Sands is getting a 10 minute service? Wouldn't it have been better cutting that end instead of Tranent, and rerouting the 124 there, or making a new route to cover that section?

Seton Sands is busier than Tranent so that is very flawed. The Tranent section worked fine as every 20 minutes, but Seton Sands would’ve benefited from an increase.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

I think it's interesting that the X7 is now 3bph, seems a bit overkill perhaps for Haddington-East Linton-Dunbar even if that section is still deserving of 2bph. I thought the X7 would get split somehow and deckers put on the Edinburgh to Haddington section to increase capacity.

Definitely not overkill. I use the service and I promise it needs it. Many still get X6 to Edinburgh who don’t know X7 is faster which won’t help loads. Paisley Drive is beyond a joke with consistently over a dozen every time. Same goes at a lesser level for other stops. Macmerry and Gladsmuir news is disappointing.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I welcome the removal of skylink services and their replacement with a regular service 17 and 18, I always thought that charging the airport premium for the few airport passengers using these routes, particularly for longer distance. High mileage as I still do when I visit was a bit much and so quite happy to see the city zone pricing return for the end-to-end journey. Off topic slightly but it's quite interesting as I've been using McGills to go into the West end and changing over to avoid the high affair and now won't have to, I wonder how many others would be affected by this also

 

[ScotRail158725]

I welcome the removal of skylink services and their replacement with a regular service 17 and 18, I always thought that charging the airport premium for the few airport passengers using these routes, particularly for longer distance. High mileage as I still do when I visit was a bit much and so quite happy to see the city zone pricing return for the end-to-end journey. Off topic slightly but it's quite interesting as I've been using McGills to go into the West end and changing over to avoid the high affair and now won't have to, I wonder how many others would be affected by this also

Its good for me as it means i can stay on the 18 all the way to the Airport intead of getting off at the Aiport Hotels and walking the rest. The only disappointing part of the 18 returning is it will be run with B5s instead of the abundant mix of tridents and B7TLs before its demise to the 400

 

[FP transport v]

I might happen, but to me the concept of having a single bus route split between short running deckers and full route running singles with a low bridge in that section has the potential to increase risk with any allocation errors or such. Even though I agree that the X7 between town and Haddington could well do with deckers in terms of capacity.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I seem to remember seeing a picture on flickr of a First East Lothian double decker Scania Omnidekka going under the low bridge at East Linton. I'm aware that vehicle was most likely a low height variation of the model but if that can get under, then maybe Lothian deckers can too?

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I seem to remember seeing a picture on flickr of a First East Lothian double decker Scania Omnidekka going under the low bridge at East Linton. I'm aware that vehicle was most likely a low height variation of the model but if that can get under, then maybe Lothian deckers can too?

Yep, they put OmniDekkas on routes through East Linton.

 

[JKP]

Yep, they put OmniDekkas on routes through East Linton.

Lowland had low height Olympians which I think went under that bridge as well?

 

[DunsBus]

Lowland had low height Olympians which I think went under that bridge as well?

Yes, three inherited from Eastern Scottish, plus a further three bought later on (one second-hand from Eastern and two bought new).

 

[computerSaysNo]

What is likely to happen with vehicle allocations at East Coast? The off-peak requirement for the X7 is currently five I believe. From the new timetable it looks like that's going up to 9 although the turnaround at Dunbar appears to only be three minutes?
Assuming the requirement for the X5 is unchanged at 3, that means 12 out of the 15 B8RLE single deckers will be required. Will the 106 be going up to double deckers?
I assume the X4 and X6 will be allocated double deckers?

 

[NorthClyde320]

What is likely to happen with vehicle allocations at East Coast? The off-peak requirement for the X7 is currently five I believe. From the new timetable it looks like that's going up to 9 although the turnaround at Dunbar appears to only be three minutes?
Assuming the requirement for the X5 is unchanged at 3, that means 12 out of the 15 B8RLE single deckers will be required. Will the 106 be going up to double deckers?
I assume the X4 and X6 will be allocated double deckers?

I'm pretty sure the current off peak req is 7 and not 5. When it first started in 2016 it was hourly with 3 buses then doubled in freq and buses but an extra bus was added when it was extended to Spott Rd (I noticed buses will now only go to High St from April). I think the X7 uses 9 singles overall with the X5 using 3 and the 106 using 2 so that's 14 with 2 spare (51-65 & 199). I think the 106 will go to double deck operation especially with the X6 being only weekday peak only.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

I'm pretty sure the off peak req is 7 and not 5. When it first started in 2016 it was hourly with 3 buses then doubled in freq and buses but an extra bus was added when it was extended to Spott Rd (I noticed buses will now only go to High St from April). I think the X7 uses 9 singles overall with the X5 using 3 and the 106 using 2 so that's 14 with 2 spare (51-65 & 199). I think the 106 will go to double deck operation especially with the X6 being withdrawn.

The X7 is a split registration due to route length. I suspect the extension (which is its own registration) has been forgotten.

 

[Bus9120UK]

What is likely to happen with vehicle allocations at East Coast? The off-peak requirement for the X7 is currently five I believe. From the new timetable it looks like that's going up to 9 although the turnaround at Dunbar appears to only be three minutes?
Assuming the requirement for the X5 is unchanged at 3, that means 12 out of the 15 B8RLE single deckers will be required. Will the 106 be going up to double deckers?
I assume the X4 and X6 will be allocated double deckers?

As far as I can see 4 buses will be positioned in the East. The 04:30, 05:55, 06:20 and 07:01 departures from Dunbar High Street (unsure when from Dunbar ASDA). Unsure if North Berwick will continue to operate a board on the route.

195-198 should be rejoining the East Coast fleet if I've understood correctly. However take that with a pinch of salt for now.

 

[NorthClyde320]

Over all some movement of routes but looks to be no real increase in resource requirements.


Some interesting comments on fare increases and viability of services - are we starting to see more tightening of purse strings at Lothian??

Possibly why not much being Done out west as not paying its way?

This may just be the start what with fuel and electricity increases and the National insurance increases from April adding significant extra costs to big companies like Lothian.

 

[Jordan1296]

According to the Lothian bus tracker 717 is out on Service 24.

748 is tracking for the first time this morning on the 0434 8 to Muirhouse.

 

[Lothiangem22]

What is likely to happen with vehicle allocations at East Coast? The off-peak requirement for the X7 is currently five I believe. From the new timetable it looks like that's going up to 9 although the turnaround at Dunbar appears to only be three minutes?
Assuming the requirement for the X5 is unchanged at 3, that means 12 out of the 15 B8RLE single deckers will be required. Will the 106 be going up to double deckers?
I assume the X4 and X6 will be allocated double deckers?

5 single decks will be moved to Eve’s depot and the 106 will be double deck

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

4 BZL’s have debuted today so far. 730, 737, 739 and the aforementioned 748.

733 and 744 currently at Central so there’s a chance these two could go out today or tomorrow, assuming they don’t need mods.

455, 459 and 463 have moved to Seafield for repaint and onward transfer to Livingston. Expect a 4th bus to depart to balance things out.

 

[ecb124]

I'm pretty sure the current off peak req is 7 and not 5. When it first started in 2016 it was hourly with 3 buses then doubled in freq and buses but an extra bus was added when it was extended to Spott Rd (I noticed buses will now only go to High St from April). I think the X7 uses 9 singles overall with the X5 using 3 and the 106 using 2 so that's 14 with 2 spare (51-65 & 199). I think the 106 will go to double deck operation especially with the X6 being only weekday peak only.

Can confirm that they just forgot to put spott road on the timetable, the service will remain running the full route as it is now

 

[Auld reekie]

Will they still be using the Sky Link buses on the 17 and 18?

 

[stevenedin]

Will they still be using the Sky Link buses on the 17 and 18?

No they are moving to East Coast Buses. The 17 and 18 will use regular buses from Longstone Depot I assume.

 

[zjsptgzxyspks]

I think the 106 might run into Edinburgh in the future. There is no connection from Meadowbank to Fort Kinnard and the 106 will be an express service for Stoneybank. Then Mcmerry gets its Edinburgh service.