Edinburgh & the Lothians bus network speculations & ideas

[danielhogg2005]

The following Services are tendered by East Lothian Council:

Service 110,
Service 111,
Service 113 (Partly Funded),
Service 120,
Service 121,
Service 122,
Service 123,
Service 124 (Partly Funded),
Service 130,
Service 151 (Also funded by Cala Homes, temporary Service),
Service DRT1.

So is Service 112 commercial?

 

[LothianBusesPh]

So is Service 112 commercial?

Yep, the Service 112 is commercial.

 

[danielhogg2005]

How often do East Lothian tenders get renewed?

 

[ian1944]

How often do East Lothian tenders get renewed?

Don't know, but in the last 20+ years the 121 has had various operators (Eve, First and Prentice) while the 120 has always been run by Eve. Hard to believe the 120 hasn't been retendered, so either nobody else wanted it or Eve always won.

 

[GusB]

Stay on topic please. If you wish to discuss tendered services in a specific area and there is no existing thread, please start a new one.

 

[Aaronb2601]

Does anyone think that Lothian country will ever return to Blackburn? Whether that be the X27 being extended to Whitburn, or a new service similar to the old 280.

 

[danielhogg2005]

Does anyone think that Lothian country will ever return to Blackburn? Whether that be the X27 being extended to Whitburn, or a new service similar to the old 280.

I think that they will keep the X27/28 as it is and it will most likely be a new service when the time comes to it.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Does anyone think that Lothian country will ever return to Blackburn? Whether that be the X27 being extended to Whitburn, or a new service similar to the old 280.

If they copy the old Service 280, then it will likely be the Service 80 because of the new "Numbering System" for West Lothian (Lothian's, not other companies).

 

[danielhogg2005]

If they copy the old Service 280, then it will likely be the Service 80 because of the new "Numbering System" for West Lothian (Lothian's, not other companies).

That was my thinking that if they introduce more services it will be numbered in the 70s or early 80s (80, 81 etc.)

 

[DespacitoPlayz]

Route 3 cut to operate Gilmerton to Clovenstone only, route 3X going round the houses in Midlothian then skip stop into Edinburgh. Not sure where it would go from there, maybe continue as per the 3 to Clovenstone.
Alternatively you could half the frequency of the 3, introduce a 3X to enable the Clovenstone section to maintain the same overall frequency but then run 3X as skip stop on the way to Midlothian? That way you'd still be keeping the local connections from Mayfield and Dalkeith to Gilmerton, Moredun, Liberton etc but also allowing some faster journeys to/from Midlothian for those who want.

If I was to do anything to Service 3, it would go somewhere along your lines.

I would do something like this:

3: Clovenstone - Gilmerton
3A: Surgeon's Hall - Gorebridge via Mayfield

3's frequency changed to 15 minutes to coordinate with 3A.

This is a bit like the old 3/3A system in place in the early 2010s!

 

[LothianBusesPh]

If I was to do anything to Service 3, it would go somewhere along your lines.

I would do something like this:

3: Clovenstone - Gilmerton
3A: Surgeon's Hall - Gorebridge via Mayfield

3's frequency changed to 15 minutes to coordinate with 3A.

This is a bit like the old 3/3A system in place in the early 2010s!

They will not bring a route with an "A" prefix ever again. If this was to happen, then they would make it the Service 6 or something like that.

 

[DespacitoPlayz]

They will not bring a route with an "A" prefix ever again. If this was to happen, then they would make it the Service 6 or something like that.

Actually that does seem better. Do take the service number for a second though!

 

[stevenedin]

They will not bring a route with an "A" prefix ever again. If this was to happen, then they would make it the Service 6 or something like that.

You never know as they have a 47B

 

[danielhogg2005]

You never know as they have a 47B

The 47B is a peak time service going via Easter Bush, most likely the case is because there probably isn't much demand for the 47 to serve Easter Bush during the day.

Also the 47B used to be the X47 but they changed it so the 47B serves all stops.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

You never know as they have a 47B

The 47B as explained above is the peak time version of the 47, the only difference being that the 47B serves Easter Bush. The "B" in the 47B stands for "Bush", this is probably so the students that go to the University have a clear indication that the bus serves Bush instead of a brief via sign (making students think that every 47 service serves Easter Bush), whilst having a different route number entirely removes that concern.

 

[DespacitoPlayz]

You never know as they have a 47B

As stated by few above, the 47B is only named "47B" because it is an all stopping part of the 47, the same route. It's only change is it serving Bush, hence the B, for Bush. This route is purely an exception. As @LothianBusesPh said, if my suggestion (see details above) was to take place, it would most likely be called Service 6 over 3A.

 

[stevenedin]

Responding to the topics on the other threads about the X38 needing a frequency increase, they could possibly withdraw the X24 and use the resources (if any) to increase the frequency or the X38 but they could operate the increased frequencies to go via Broxburn and up to Winchburgh then onwards to Falkirk. They would have to change the route number for those journeys but it would allow the X24 to be withdrawn and passengers could then switch to the 23 if travelling to Livingston from Edinburgh or of course they could get the direct X22.

The X22 should be changed to travel completely via the A71 to Livingston to offer an express service to Livingston Centre from Edinburgh and the X27, X28 & X40 can cover Mid Calder and East Calder. If advertised and possibly using route branded buses it could be a success.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

A better option would be to completely withdraw the X22 as it is duplicated by a route throughout the whole section of the route anyway. If this was to happen then the Lothian X27/28 would most certainly get a service increase too to compliment it.

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But that is from a passenger point of view, not a company point of view, so they'd probably withdraw the X24 just because it makes less money and they don't care about the public.

 

[stevenedin]

A better option would be to completely withdraw the X22 as it is duplicated by a route throughout the whole section of the route anyway. If this was to happen then the Lothian X27/28 would most certainly get a service increase too to compliment it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Sep 2023 ==

But that is from a passenger point of view, not a company point of view, so they'd probably withdraw the X24 just because it makes less money and they don't care about the public.

The X22 provides a faster route to west Edinburgh from Livingston, Mid Calder and East Calder as it just goes up Langton Road then along the A71 but it also provides a link from Gorgie and Dalry to West Lothian.

I know that it would never happen but it would be good if the X22 ways withdrawn if a new route was created or an existing Lothian route was extended to Livingston running past Dalry and Gorgie as they have had a service to West Lothian for years and it would be a shame to lose it.

 

[Lothianbus703]

The X22 provides a faster route to west Edinburgh from Livingston, Mid Calder and East Calder as it just goes up Langton Road then along the A71 but it also provides a link from Gorgie and Dalry to West Lothian.

I know that it would never happen but it would be good if the X22 ways withdrawn if a new route was created or an existing Lothian route was extended to Livingston running past Dalry and Gorgie as they have had a service to West Lothian for years and it would be a shame to lose it.

I dont think Mcgills are bothered about making much of a profit in WL anymore and would just like to find an excuse to stop running public services, I feel sorry for people who have to rely on Eastern Scottish.

With the rate they are losing drivers they might have one soon!

 

[TheEastCoaster]

The X22 provides a faster route to west Edinburgh from Livingston, Mid Calder and East Calder as it just goes up Langton Road then along the A71 but it also provides a link from Gorgie and Dalry to West Lothian.

I know that it would never happen but it would be good if the X22 ways withdrawn if a new route was created or an existing Lothian route was extended to Livingston running past Dalry and Gorgie as they have had a service to West Lothian for years and it would be a shame to lose it.

In a hypothetical world if McGills step down from West Lothian and if LCB decide to plug in the gaps for services, I could maybe see them doing a "fast" bus to Livingston via Gorgie along the A71, but completely passing Mid and East Calder, but if that would actually happen is another question!

Honestly at this point it's all a matter of seeing how the X40 and 72 fair in within the current LCB network, if they end up being successful routes and more tender work comes towards LCB like the 20 or 63 then I can see them being the dominant West Lothian bus network like they wanted to be back in 2018

 

[jb66]

West Lothian isn't big enough for two providers,

In a hypothetical world if McGills step down from West Lothian and if LCB decide to plug in the gaps for services, I could maybe see them doing a "fast" bus to Livingston via Gorgie along the A71, but completely passing Mid and East Calder, but if that would actually happen is another question!

Honestly at this point it's all a matter of seeing how the X40 and 72 fair in within the current LCB network, if they end up being successful routes and more tender work comes towards LCB like the 20 or 63 then I can see them being the dominant West Lothian bus network like they wanted to be back in 2018

It might be better running it via the M8 using the bus lane to Hermiston Gait then bus lane all the way along Stenhouse and western approach road but I don't think they can compete with the train.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

It might be better running it via the M8 using the bus lane to Hermiston Gait then bus lane all the way along Stenhouse and western approach road but I don't think they can compete with the train.

Surely this would be hammered by the peak traffic though? I remember the old X2 which ran non stop from a now disused stop in Edinburgh Park to the Fastlink. It was nearly always late due to the unpredictable traffic.

 

[stevenedin]

West Lothian isn't big enough for two providers,

It might be better running it via the M8 using the bus lane to Hermiston Gait then bus lane all the way along Stenhouse and western approach road but I don't think they can compete with the train.

The problem with the train is that there is no train to Livingston Centre. If there was, I’d only imagine how bad the bus service would be in West Lothian. It would probably be worse than it is now.

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Surely this would be hammered by the peak traffic though? I remember the old X2 which ran non stop from a now disused stop in Edinburgh Park to the Fastlink. It was nearly always late due to the unpredictable traffic.

I also remember them running the X9 and X11 one went direct via Corstorphine and one via Sighthill and Gorgie.

Both didn’t last as the 12, 16, 27 and 28 at the time were more popular and well known. They did advertise it and I remember the leaflets on the bus. This was around 2008 time.

 

[Stan Drews]

I dont think Mcgills are bothered about making much of a profit in WL anymore and would just like to find an excuse to stop running public services

I think they’d be delighted if it made a profit, …any profit!

 

[overthewater]

You have to wonder how much Bright bus profits are being wasted on other parts of the company.

 

[bobdoe]

There are rumours of a Lothian Country 78 route but not sure it will be included in the upcoming announcement. The 2XX numbering system will be replaced by numbers between 50 and 97 for non-express services except the 43.

 

[Bus9120UK]

There are rumours of a Lothian Country 78 route but not sure it will be included in the upcoming announcement. The 2XX numbering system will be replaced by numbers between 50 and 97 for non-express services except the 43.

May I ask, what actually is the rumored 78 route? I highly doubt if this was to happen it'd be anytime soon, Lothian have only moved 6 buses across which would likely not be enough for another new route, plus you'd assume registrations would've appeared by now.

 

[bobdoe]

May I ask, what actually is the rumored 78 route? I highly doubt if this was to happen it'd be anytime soon, Lothian have only moved 6 buses across which would likely not be enough for another new route, plus you'd assume registrations would've appeared by now.

Apparently it would serve Linlithgow but I wasn't told anything more substantial. It would definitely be medium-long term. Lothian are still interested in the West Lothian area, so fingers crossed McGills will be kicked oot.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

You have to wonder how much Bright bus profits are being wasted on other parts of the company.

God only knows what they're up to at Livingston.

Over the summer season Brightbus is likely bringing in quite a bit of revenue, that being eaten into by the long out of service drive from Edinburgh back to Livingston Depot and off season running.

With the drivers they have left they should remove the the x22 & x24 and concentrate their Edinburgh efforts on the 20, 63, 68 & Tours. At least the tours should take decent money and the 20, 63 & 68 are all subsidised. I also wouldn't be surprised if those subsidised routes actually take in more money than some of their other stuff anyways. Surprisingly the 20 & 63 can be fairy busy, especially on Saturdays with people going shopping.

Their remaining resources should then be utilised and spread out across West Lothian itself.