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

[LothianBusesPh]

110 million passengers were carried on Lothian bus services in 2023, an uplift of over 17% from 2022.

Lothian continues rebound with 110 million passengers in 2023 - routeone

Lothian Buses carried 110 million passengers in 2023, a more than 17% uplift from the 94 million customers conveyed by the operator in 2022.

www.route-one.net

I quoted the Lothian page a little higher up. Good to hear that people are going back to public transportation, though.

 

[CSB0241]

30	12mins	10mins

Surprisingly, the 30 is now more frequent in post-covid times than pre-covid times!

Also, if the 6 & 60 were supposedly “too frequent,” why didn’t they cut them to every hour & have the bus on the 6 become a 60 at Holyrood, do the loop, become a 6 at Holyrood, do the loop, & so on & so forth?

 

[ScotRail158725]

I think an increase for the Service 31 should be at the utmost priority. 1063-1127 shouldn't be used on the 31 but rather on routes that actually need it. The Service 3 and 25 should also be a priority for Longstone and the Service 26 because even when there's 5 buses in a row, they can still be full near the terminus.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Feb 2024 ==

Those would be my priority anyway.

The 31 does warrant XLBs even with an increased frequency. I agree the 3 and 25 at 10 minutes should also be a priority and same with the 26 for Marine

 

[computerSaysNo]

I agree the 3 and 25 at 10 minutes should also be a priority and same with the 26 for Marine

The 26 is already every 10 minutes. The next sensible step up would be to every 7.5 minutes (every 15 mins per branch), unless you go to every 9 or 8 minutes and accept that it's going to be a two-, three-, four-, etc -hourly repeating timetable.

 

[90019]

Also, if the 6 & 60 were supposedly “too frequent,” why didn’t they cut them to every hour & have the bus on the 6 become a 60 at Holyrood, do the loop, become a 6 at Holyrood, do the loop, & so on & so forth?

That's what it did when the 60 was around, just using two buses rather than one to make it half hourly.

Even being hourly would have been a waste of time for the 60 - I think the most passengers I ever carried on it was three, with most runs I drove on it having none at all.

 

[Bus9120UK]

198 is now at Seafield for repaint prep and 196 is probably now back at Longstone.

1093 departed for repaint today. An unknown bus, probably a B9TL in white, will return. If anyone spots anything returning from repaint do mention it, that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lx008]

So now that 840, 930 and 190 series are all back in (or headed to) services, does Lothian still have any parked fleets that don’t regularly see service?(apart from the utterly broken street airs)

 

[stevenedin]

So now that 840, 930 and 190 series are all back in (or headed to) services, does Lothian still have any parked fleets that don’t regularly see service?(apart from the utterly broken street airs)

1152 and 1153 plus the 7900s that are used as training buses.

 

[ScotRail158725]

The 26 is already every 10 minutes. The next sensible step up would be to every 7.5 minutes (every 15 mins per branch), unless you go to every 9 or 8 minutes and accept that it's going to be a two-, three-, four-, etc -hourly repeating timetable.

I meant prioritse the 26 for a frequency increase i know its 10 minutes just now

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Feb 2024 ==

So now that 840, 930 and 190 series are all back in (or headed to) services, does Lothian still have any parked fleets that don’t regularly see service?(apart from the utterly broken street airs)

1152/3 and the route learning 7900s. Doubtful 1152 and 1153 will see service again although id be happy to be proven wrong

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

1152/3 and the route learning 7900s. Doubtful 1152 and 1153 will see service again although id be happy to be proven wrong

Just my opinion but I’d be shocked if they weren’t used. Why go to all the hassle of repainting these older 09 plates when you have two that are close to ready to go as is? I just think they haven’t moved yet as the service change is still a little too far away. All they’ll need is a check over and a clean.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Just my opinion but I’d be shocked if they weren’t used. Why go to all the hassle of repainting these older 09 plates when you have two that are close to ready to go as is? I just think they haven’t moved yet as the service change is still a little too far away. All they’ll need is a check over and a clean.

Considering the rest of the batch are supposedly the first to be withdrawn when the new BZLs come in its not really worth the time reinstating them

 

[CN04NRJ]

Considering the rest of the batch are supposedly the first to be withdrawn when the new BZLs come in its not really worth the time reinstating them

Supposedly, but they've had new AVLs. None of the 300s do, yet?

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Supposedly, but they've had new AVLs. None of the 300s do, yet?

None of our native B9TLs have new AVLs yet that we know of.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Supposedly, but they've had new AVLs. None of the 300s do, yet?

It's a depot by depot process. Longstone were more or less completed just before Christmas and Marine are on-going. Most of 401-425, all of 469-495 are done but it's 1003-1032 that are gaining them at the moment (1007/8 today). I'm sure native 300s will gain them once Marine are completed - they did go through the effort of making them compatible by fitting the new roof pods last year. A few Central vehicles (excluding the 600s), mainly XLBs, have gained them. 10 and 435 have as well.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

It's a depot by depot process. Longstone were more or less completed just before Christmas and Marine are on-going. Most of 401-425, all of 469-495 are done but it's 1003-1032 that are gaining them at the moment (1007/8 today). I'm sure native 300s will gain them once Marine are completed - they did go through the effort of making them compatible by fitting the new roof pods last year. A few Central vehicles (excluding the 600s), mainly XLBs, have gained them. 10 and 435 have as well.

Interestingly all of Musselburgh except from 937-950 have new AVLs.

 

[CN04NRJ]

930 was out on 24s this morning, but appears to have broken down at the Infirmary at about 0730.

 

[DunsBus]

930 was out on 24s this morning, but appears to have broken down at the Infirmary at about 0730.

A Lothian bus breaking down? Surely not!

 

[stevenedin]

I’m sure that 930 used to be prone to breaking down when at Lothian Country.

 

[CN04NRJ]

A Lothian bus breaking down? Surely not!

It was resting

 

[LothianBusesPh]

A Lothian bus breaking down? Surely not!

It's a fake comment (or just a misunderstanding) as we all know that Lothian never breaks down!

 

[DunsBus]

It's a fake comment (or just a misunderstanding) as we all know that Lothian never breaks down!

They suffer "technical incidents" instead.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

So took my first trip around West Lothian since 2022 yesterday, mainly testing out the new LCB routes, and I have to say for the most part I was impressed with some of the routes.

The X40 into Livingston from Wester Hailes was a quick change of pace from the usual X27/X28 saving about 10 minutes omitting Dedridge, and then took the 74 from Livingston to Fauldhouse which of course is just like the old X17 except with the detour along Dedridge West, overall it was a kinda quiet journey with a few passengers getting on/off.

Of course the plan was to connect with a 72 in Fauldhouse but the big gap between buses was not ideal, however when the bus finally arrived loads got on at the Terminus which was actually not a bad spot considering the layout of the village, and the bus was packed by the time we reached Whitburn, and traffic did slow us down getting into the centre but once we arrived it was back off the bus to grab some lunch.

Ended up by taking the 73 to Bathgate which took me back to the old days of the 280, overall a busy service too and definitely much better than getting an X27/X28, and after a wander through the town it's back on an X18 to Edinburgh.

Overall I felt the services do their job and there is room for improvement, definitely a frequency increase in some areas as the 72 and 73 were pretty busy, the 74 was not as packed but it could of just been a quiet time.

Obviously I didn't take the 72 all the way to Kirkliston since there is no connecting LCB bus and didn't feel like doing a loop back to Livingston, but maybe one day.

Hopefully these next changes will dawn upon us soon.

 

[Bus9120UK]

905/6 are now both in white with Lothian branding, with different smaller destination displays on the front. 196's ticket machine was signed into for a 48 earlier confirming it's at Marine, however it didn't go out and 176 did instead.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

It's at the back of Marine for those interested. I shared the photo with him.

 

[CSB0241]

930 was out on 24s this morning, but appears to have broken down at the Infirmary at about 0730.

It’s been out of service for a few years, so I’m not entirely surprised.

 

[NorthEastern]

So took my first trip around West Lothian since 2022 yesterday, mainly testing out the new LCB routes, and I have to say for the most part I was impressed with some of the routes.

The X40 into Livingston from Wester Hailes was a quick change of pace from the usual X27/X28 saving about 10 minutes omitting Dedridge, and then took the 74 from Livingston to Fauldhouse which of course is just like the old X17 except with the detour along Dedridge West, overall it was a kinda quiet journey with a few passengers getting on/off.

Of course the plan was to connect with a 72 in Fauldhouse but the big gap between buses was not ideal, however when the bus finally arrived loads got on at the Terminus which was actually not a bad spot considering the layout of the village, and the bus was packed by the time we reached Whitburn, and traffic did slow us down getting into the centre but once we arrived it was back off the bus to grab some lunch.

Ended up by taking the 73 to Bathgate which took me back to the old days of the 280, overall a busy service too and definitely much better than getting an X27/X28, and after a wander through the town it's back on an X18 to Edinburgh.

Overall I felt the services do their job and there is room for improvement, definitely a frequency increase in some areas as the 72 and 73 were pretty busy, the 74 was not as packed but it could of just been a quiet time.

Obviously I didn't take the 72 all the way to Kirkliston since there is no connecting LCB bus and didn't feel like doing a loop back to Livingston, but maybe one day.

Hopefully these next changes will dawn upon us soon.

Interesting report, thanks for posting

 

[ScotRail158725]

905/6 are now both in white with Lothian branding, with different smaller destination displays on the front. 196's ticket machine was signed into for a 48 earlier confirming it's at Marine, however it didn't go out and 176 did instead.

Same destination displays as they had when they were on the 3 Bridges Tour then

 

[Lx008]

905/6 are now both in white with Lothian branding, with different smaller destination displays on the front. 196's ticket machine was signed into for a 48 earlier confirming it's at Marine, however it didn't go out and 176 did instead.

That was not something I had on my bingo card
Welcome back from retirement 905 & 906

These upcoming changes must be quite something if not only 15+ busses have been returned back to service but we are also expecting 25 new ones with little leaving the fleet

 

[Bus9120UK]

Same destination displays as they had when they were on the 3 Bridges Tour then

You're right. I hadn't realised that the front ones were smaller before as well.

 

[ScotRail158725]

You're right. I hadn't realised that the front ones were smaller before as well.

they had a square destination on the rear which will likely show just the number if those haven’t been changed either