Dundee, Angus & Perthshire Bus Route Suggestions

[OptareLover]

If you have any service changes you'd hope to happen or think will happen, post them here!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2023 ==

Here are my thoughts
- Xplore Dundee 5/5a connecting to Monifieth for some journeys.
- Open-top Route to go to the West End or Broughty Ferry
- Along with the 206, a 206C which follows the 206 route until Cragiebank, but continues to complete a circle back to Ethiebeaton
- 64 to continue to Dundee after arrives at St Andrews from Glenrothes, could make a lot of money, as how popular the 99 is.
- Not to scrap 206, many elderly people need the service, one of two bus routes that go to Broughty Ferry Town Centre, only route that goes through Panmurefield, amazing buses, etc, etc, etc.
I have many more, but these are my main ones!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2023 ==

If you have any, please post them here!

 

[Fundee on Tay]

X21 Limited Stop: Dundee - Forfar - Brechin - Stracathro - Laurencekirk - Stonehaven - Aberdeen (I find it absolutely mad that there is no connection between Brechin, Stracathro, Laurencekirk and Aberdeen and only limited CityLink connections to the outskirts of Forfar.)

 

[OptareLover]

X21 Limited Stop: Dundee - Forfar - Brechin - Stracathro - Laurencekirk - Stonehaven - Aberdeen (I find it absolutely mad that there is no connection between Brechin, Stracathro, Laurencekirk and Aberdeen and only limited CityLink connections to the outskirts of Forfar.)

That's actually a really good suggestion. I'm surprised that's not a route.

 

[jamieintercity]

What about a Perth to Forfar service via Coupar Angus/Blairgowrie/Alyth service?

Maybe more forfar to Montrose via Friockheim services, compared to 1 bus on Saturdays?

 

[Red Onion]

That's actually a really good suggestion. I'm surprised that's not a route.

Has it ever been tried?

 

[OptareLover]

I don't think so, although I'm not sure.

 

[Jordan Adam]

X21 Limited Stop: Dundee - Forfar - Brechin - Stracathro - Laurencekirk - Stonehaven - Aberdeen (I find it absolutely mad that there is no connection between Brechin, Stracathro, Laurencekirk and Aberdeen and only limited CityLink connections to the outskirts of Forfar.)

This is one i've mentioned on other threads before, it does amaze me that it's never been tried properly especially after the success of the X7. Such a route could incorporate/replace the existing services 21 (Dundee - Stracathro), 26 (Luthermuir/Laurencekirk - Stonehaven) and X7 (Stonehaven - Aberdeen short workings), therefor it wouldn't need much of an increase in resources to operate it hourly, potentially just one or two buses. The main operational issue would be that it would have to be joint operated between EScot and Bluebird - however this was already done in the past when the X7 was extended from Montrose to Dundee in September 2011.

I think the lack of services connecting Brechin and Laurencekirk come down to the two settlements being in different council regions. In other words Aberdeenshire Council are reluctant to support a service to Brechin and likewise Angus Council are reluctant to support a service to Laurencekirk.

Has it ever been tried?

In the 2000s prior to the network revamp with the 9xx services being replaced by the simplified M9 and M92 Citylink operated such a service however it was only one journey each way per day. Going further back Northern Scottish also operated a service along this route every two hours (hourly Brechin - Dundee).

 

[JKP]

I too suspect that the two Councils cannot agree on funding a cross boundary service. I assume that there is little demand for a link between Laurencekirk and Stracathro due to the latter being in a different Health Board area. Brechin is probably not an attractive enough destination for regular clientele.

 

[kez19]

In terms of the X7 route I am surprised why it doesn't connect from the Aberdeen side - either the ARI or the airport? (I have always wondered that it connects PRI and Ninewells but doesn't cover ARI), it could have been a hospital link between hospitals, am I right to say from Aberdeen it uses the new bypass than the one that megabus/citylink use?

In terms of Xplore Dundee I suggest: run the 10 back interworking the 5/5a again
17 run as a one way loop around Whitfield ie terminate/start at The Crescent then go down Whitfield Loan out to Ninewells (maybe take out Perth Road and run back along Charleston Drive), I think the 17 needs more of a quicker route into city centre/Ninewells - the route is too long in my mind.

 

[GusB]

This thread is for suggestions about possible routes in the Dundee, Angus & Perthshire areas. It's not for discussion about existing routes, nor those that existed in the dim and distant past. Anything else is off-topic.

 

[OptareLover]

This may not be useful and scare away the mainstream routes' passengers from City Centre to Ninewells, but I think if a new Service, the 6X would be introduced, that'd be nice. The service would go from Dundee City Centre to Ninewells Hospital with no other stops.
I, again, don't know what the demand would be for this route. It'd be a nice substitute for the regular, long Service 6 in my opinion.

 

[kez19]

This may not be useful and scare away the mainstream routes' passengers from City Centre to Ninewells, but I think if a new Service, the 6X would be introduced, that'd be nice. The service would go from Dundee City Centre to Ninewells Hospital with no other stops.
I, again, don't know what the demand would be for this route. It'd be a nice substitute for the regular, long Service 6 in my opinion.

A bit unrelated but I think Xplore and Stagecoach have missed a minor connection I admit the bus stop is only towards city centre but nothing towards Perth but Tesco at Riverside (I believe did in the past) but is no longer covered but I do think since Xplore seems to like connecting majority of their services to supermarkets.

Examples:
10 Asda Kirkton, Sainsburys
17 Asda Milton (in the past it went as far as South Road Tesco)
18 Asda Kirkton
28 Sainsburys (terminates opposite store), Asda Milton and Myrekirk
32 Morrisons
33 bus stop on Fountainbleau Drive (walk up to Morrisons)

Just looked up an old pic on Flickr in 1993 Tayside buses has a 22 (either it was diverted off course) or covered it but a bus stop sign displays a 6 and 13 that stopped outside.

 

[Fundee on Tay]

A bit unrelated but I think Xplore and Stagecoach have missed a minor connection I admit the bus stop is only towards city centre but nothing towards Perth but Tesco at Riverside (I believe did in the past) but is no longer covered but I do think since Xplore seems to like connecting majority of their services to supermarkets.

Examples:
10 Asda Kirkton, Sainsburys
17 Asda Milton (in the past it went as far as South Road Tesco)
18 Asda Kirkton
28 Sainsburys (terminates opposite store), Asda Milton and Myrekirk
32 Morrisons
33 bus stop on Fountainbleau Drive (walk up to Morrisons)

Just looked up an old pic on Flickr in 1993 Tayside buses has a 22 (either it was diverted off course) or covered it but a bus stop sign displays a 6 and 13 that stopped outside.

In the past, services 13/14 certainly stopped at Tesco Riverside

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jun 2023 ==

A slight unrelated note but will any bus services be using the Cross Tay Link Road beyond Perth?

I’d suggest a following route:
Scone-Perth Centre-Broxden-Scone circular via CTLR (Maybe numbered as 7A & 7C, replacing the current service 7/7A)

In addition to the theoretical ‘X21’ discussion I also add the following:

-Service X21 should serve Ninewells (non-stop from Dundee) to connect Stracathro and Ninewells

-Service X21 should enter Stonehaven via Spurryhillock Ind. Est, allowing X7 vehicles on that route to be used on the X21

-The service should formally be operated by Bluebird from Stonehaven, however Strathtay vehicles and drivers should be used at late nights to do short workings from Dundee to Brechin (short workings in the North should be from Stonehaven to Aberdeen)

-A number of vehicles currently used on service 20/21 by Strathtay should be loaned to Bluebird to operate this service

-Service 21A from Forfar to Brechin via Aberlemno should be abolished, and replaced by a new Service 21, running hourly from Dundee to Forfar on the existing route of the 21, then absorbing the entirety of Service 21A’s route through Aberlemno, and continuing to Stracathro and Edzell.

This would ensure Edzell remains connected to Stracathro and Dundee, whilst improving service frequency from Dundee to Brechin to half-hourly and creating new connections from Aberlemno and Lunanhead to Dundee, Stracathro and Edzell.

 

[kez19]

In the past, services 13/14 certainly stopped at Tesco Riverside

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jun 2023 ==

A slight unrelated note but will any bus services be using the Cross Tay Link Road beyond Perth?

I’d suggest a following route:
Scone-Perth Centre-Broxden-Scone circular via CTLR (Maybe numbered as 7A & 7C, replacing the current service 7/7A)

In addition to the theoretical ‘X21’ discussion I also add the following:

-Service X21 should serve Ninewells (non-stop from Dundee) to connect Stracathro and Ninewells

-Service X21 should enter Stonehaven via Spurryhillock Ind. Est, allowing X7 vehicles on that route to be used on the X21

-The service should formally be operated by Bluebird from Stonehaven, however Strathtay vehicles and drivers should be used at late nights to do short workings from Dundee to Brechin (short workings in the North should be from Stonehaven to Aberdeen)

-A number of vehicles currently used on service 20/21 by Strathtay should be loaned to Bluebird to operate this service

-Service 21A from Forfar to Brechin via Aberlemno should be abolished, and replaced by a new Service 21, running hourly from Dundee to Forfar on the existing route of the 21, then absorbing the entirety of Service 21A’s route through Aberlemno, and continuing to Stracathro and Edzell.

This would ensure Edzell remains connected to Stracathro and Dundee, whilst improving service frequency from Dundee to Brechin to half-hourly and creating new connections from Aberlemno and Lunanhead to Dundee, Stracathro and Edzell.

What was the route of the 13/14 then? (saying this as bit interested as to how a route developed to then no longer exist).

I remember the 13/14 in the 00s with the Cross City link between Strathtay/Travel Dundee - the difference I remember was Strathtay (13) used Victoria Road towards Ethiebeaton but Travel Dundee (14) was more of a cross between an outer circle/inner circle route to Ethiebeaton but the route used Kingsway Retail Park, I also remember Travel Dundee then cutting it back to Sainsburys to then getting rid of it (I can't remember how it ended on the Strathtay side).

 

[Jordan Adam]

Service X21 should enter Stonehaven via Spurryhillock Ind. Est, allowing X7 vehicles on that route to be used on the X21

If this were done the service wouldn't be able to be operated by deckers due to the low railway bridge on Slug Road. The existing 26 route would be better.

A theoretical X21 could replace one of the two X7 short workings per hour with the other being retained. There isn't the need for two X7s per hour to Stonehaven, Forest Park. Ideally, if an hourly X7 short working was retained it should be renumbered to X8, converted to single deck operation, extended to Spurryhillock and increased to half hourly within Stonehaven itself replacing the town service 8A/8C.

 

[Fundee on Tay]

What was the route of the 13/14 then? (saying this as bit interested as to how a route developed to then no longer exist).

I remember the 13/14 in the 00s with the Cross City link between Strathtay/Travel Dundee - the difference I remember was Strathtay (13) used Victoria Road towards Ethiebeaton but Travel Dundee (14) was more of a cross between an outer circle/inner circle route to Ethiebeaton but the route used Kingsway Retail Park, I also remember Travel Dundee then cutting it back to Sainsburys to then getting rid of it (I can't remember how it ended on the Strathtay side).

Gosh now you’re asking me!
As I remember the route (in 1993, the timetable which I read a while ago) went from Tesco around the Kingsway to avoid the City Centre, although I note that both services were Tayside Buses rather than the 14 being Strathtay