First Aberdeen

[Volvodart]

Great news, hopefully they transfer some low height E400s back to Glasgow as the 6 is suffering badly with single deckers. Standing room only and people waiting for half an hour only for the bus to not stop as it is so full.

It has been mentioned that they will be going back after Aberdeen has replacements for them.

 

[Jordan Adam]

because it’s in Caledonia! it came down after the other two Mancs ones went up.

It's not. @Volvodart is right, it's inside King Street Depot getting a new gearbox fitted.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Great news, hopefully they transfer some low height E400s back to Glasgow as the 6 is suffering badly with single deckers. Standing room only and people waiting for half an hour only for the bus to not stop as it is so full.

It doesn’t help that 3 have been out of service for months.

 

[LT02 NVV]

It has been mentioned that they will be going back after Aberdeen has replacements for them.

The Geminis too? Or just the E400s?

 

[Volvodart]

The Geminis too? Or just the E400s?

It was the E400s that was mentioned above.

 

[LT02 NVV]

It was the E400s that was mentioned above.

But the Gemini will return to Glasgow too?

 

[kez19]

I was in Aberdeen last week and was surprised to see a Hydroliner (broke down), either it was Wednesday/Thursday morning but didn't see any going about? I did see the Glasgow buses on loan in between and the new livery!

I had not visited Aberdeen in ages but was surprised I didn't see many of these Hydroliners.

 

[LT02 NVV]

I was in Aberdeen last week and was surprised to see a Hydroliner (broke down), either it was Wednesday/Thursday morning but didn't see any going about? I did see the Glasgow buses on loan in between and the new livery!

I had not visited Aberdeen in ages but was surprised I didn't see many of these Hydroliners.

How aren’t you surprised really?

There have been problems with them and their pumps for ages. I’d honestly be more surprised to see more of them out in service actually.

 

[kez19]

How aren’t you surprised really?

There have been problems with them and their pumps for ages. I’d honestly be more surprised to see more of them out in service actually.

I did say I had not been in Aberdeen in ages and that day was the first time I seen one but what looked like broken down (as the rest of the day I had not seen it running around or let alone the others).

The few days I was up there I mostly seen one of the bendy buses, the Yutongs, the Geminis (in new livery) and a couple of the loaned Glasgow buses (which stood out a mile), it looked more to me as if First Aberdeen was running most of its routes on single deckers than double deckers (but I don't know it was just a quick observation).

 

[Volvodart]

The Council are proposing to use some of the bus gate fines to return the operation of night buses, so I assume this time the funding will not be restricted to Stagecoach.

 

[fife_circle]

The Council are proposing to use some of the bus gate fines to return the operation of night buses, so I assume this time the funding will not be restricted to Stagecoach.

The way I read the article put out by p&j is they’re not really looking at brining them back to the city more between the city and shire.

“The administration had hoped to press ahead with the return of a night bus service, connecting the city and Aberdeenshire.”

https://archive.ph/s2URi

 

[Volvodart]

The way I read the article put out by p&j is they’re not really looking at brining them back to the city more between the city and shire.

“The administration had hoped to press ahead with the return of a night bus service, connecting the city and Aberdeenshire.”

https://archive.ph/s2URi

For all the numbers of passengers they would get, they would be better subsidising a city service. That is what the passengers have been asking for.

 

[kkong]

From the Council's Committee papers (my emphasis).

No decision was made in yesterday's meeting due to lack of time.

2.16. In recognising that the ability sits with Council to use Bus Lane Enforcement surplus to assist city centre businesses so long as doing so also supports the delivery of the Local Transport Strategy, agree to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, following consultation with the Convenors of the Net Zero, Environment & Transport and Finance & Resources Committees, to use Enforcement surplus monies (capped at £200,000) to reinstate a Night Bus service from the city centre to key destinations across the city and into Aberdeenshire.

3.34 ... One opportunity that has since been raised by partners such as Aberdeen Inspired has been to use a proportion of Bus Lane Enforcement surplus to reinstate a Night Bus service from the city centre to key destinations across the city and into Aberdeenshire. This option is recommended to Members at Recommendation 2.16 as an opportunity to allocate surplus to a city centre measure which would also help support the delivery of the Local Transport Strategy.

 

[fife_circle]

I do wonder is there many places across the city that would see high numbers of night passengers that isn’t already served by the 20A? I wasn’t in Aberdeen while the last ones ran so can’t talk from too much experience but at a guess perhaps garthdee to bridge of don (service 1) and perhaps out towards dyce would be two good routes.

 

[kkong]

I do wonder is there many places across the city that would see high numbers of night passengers that isn’t already served by the 20A? I wasn’t in Aberdeen while the last ones ran so can’t talk from too much experience but at a guess perhaps garthdee to bridge of don (service 1) and perhaps out towards dyce would be two good routes.

In addition to those, I think Northfield, Mastrick, Kincorth and Kingswells would attract reasonable night time numbers, given the dire taxi situation in the city at the moment.

Plus of course Portlethen and Westhill just into Aberdeenshire.

 

[Jordan Adam]

I do wonder is there many places across the city that would see high numbers of night passengers that isn’t already served by the 20A? I wasn’t in Aberdeen while the last ones ran so can’t talk from too much experience but at a guess perhaps garthdee to bridge of don (service 1) and perhaps out towards dyce would be two good routes.

The Bridge Of Don (N1) and Newhills/Dyce (N17) services were historically the most successfully of the night services and probably the most likely if funding becomes available.

In addition to those, I think Northfield, Mastrick, Kincorth and Kingswells would attract reasonable night time numbers, given the dire taxi situation in the city at the moment.

Plus of course Portlethen and Westhill just into Aberdeenshire.

A Northfield/Mastrick night service has been tried on numerous occasions by at least three different operators (First, Stagecoach & Bain's Coaches) and always failed to pick up.

Similarly the Kincorth/Cove service was never that busy.

A Westhill service could potentially loop Kingswells. Likewise a Portlethen service could include Kincorth and Cove.

 

[Red Onion]

Interesting reading. I do wonder if the night services will be similar to that funded festive ones namely Ellon, Inverurie, Westhill and Portlethen/Stonehaven. Those four, in fairness, do cover a fair chunk of the city. It will be interesting to see if they do, indeed, come to light. But as I imagine they will be Stagecoach rather than First services, it may be out the scope of this thread.

 

[Volvodart]

Interesting reading. I do wonder if the night services will be similar to that funded festive ones namely Ellon, Inverurie, Westhill and Portlethen/Stonehaven. Those four, in fairness, do cover a fair chunk of the city. It will be interesting to see if they do, indeed, come to light. But as I imagine they will be Stagecoach rather than First services, it may be out the scope of this thread.

I presume the council will have to put it out to tender. With the continuing shortage of drivers at Aberdeen, Stagecoach may not be keen to operate it.

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10 October 2024.


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Oct 2024 ==

Cleaner EV are starting work on installing the additional chargers needed for the electric buses coming.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

I presume the council will have to put it out to tender. With the continuing shortage of drivers at Aberdeen, Stagecoach may not be keen to operate it.

--------------

10 October 2024.


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Oct 2024 ==

Cleaner EV are starting work on installing the additional chargers needed for the electric buses coming.

Has there been an order announced for Aberdeen yet for more electrics?

 

[fife_circle]

Noticed this paragraph was published on Stagecoach east Scotlands website advertising the fact they’ve started rolling out next stop announcements:

“The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) guidelines require that all vehicles registered after October 2019 must have on board passenger announcements by 1st October 2024, with a deadline of October 2026 for all remaining vehicles.”

Assume this means the yutongs and hydroliners have to have announcements? Have any been added?

 

[Volvodart]

Noticed this paragraph was published on Stagecoach east Scotlands website advertising the fact they’ve started rolling out next stop announcements:

“The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) guidelines require that all vehicles registered after October 2019 must have on board passenger announcements by 1st October 2024, with a deadline of October 2026 for all remaining vehicles.”

Assume this means the yutongs and hydroliners have to have announcements? Have any been added?

Not working yet, but some Yutongs now have a second information screen facing the wheelchair position.

 

[fife_circle]

Not working yet, but some Yutongs now have a second information screen facing the wheelchair position.

Is there any sort of penalty they’ll face now being 10+ days past the deadline.

 

[Volvodart]

Is there any sort of penalty they’ll face now being 10+ days past the deadline.

It also affects the Stagecoach Bluebird division.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Oct 2024 ==
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Stagecoach have cancelled the X14 from 23 November 2024 probably not unexpected.

 

[fife_circle]

First bus confirming they’ve purchased new electric vehicles. Presumably around 23 coming to Aberdeen.

Associate feature: Making bus priority, a priority

'Bus isn't a priority'. We often get told this from government officials, bus just isn’t a priority. It’s somewhat under...

www.holyrood.com

 

[Volvodart]

First Bus Partners with Robert Gordon University to Announce £12.7million Investment in Electric Bus Fleet

First Bus Partners with Robert Gordon University to Announce £12.7million Investment in Electric Bus Fleet | FirstBus Scotland News

First Bus is injecting £12.7million into Aberdeen as it introduces a fleet of 24 new electric buses and 12 repower buses The investment cements First Bus’s commitment to sustainability with a goal to achieve a fully zero-emission fleet by 2035

news-scot.firstbus.co.uk

First Bus is injecting £12.7million into Aberdeen as it introduces a fleet of 24 new electric buses and 12 repower buses
The investment cements First Bus’s commitment to sustainability with a goal to achieve a fully zero-emission fleet by 2035
First Bus is set to invest £12.7 million into the city of Aberdeen with a new fleet of 36 electric buses.

Forming part of the over £100m investment announced by First Bus across the UK for 2024/25, the new fleet will consist of 24 state-of-the-art WrightBus double deckers and 12 repowers – which are traditional internal combustion engine buses converted to electric buses.

First Bus has partnered with Robert Gordon University to announce the investment, recognising that the university’s students will be the primary beneficiaries of the new buses. The new vehicles will be deployed on routes 1 and 2, ensuring that students can enjoy cleaner and greener journeys.

Set to join the Aberdeen fleet from the beginning of 2025, the new vehicle investment solidifies First Bus’s dedication to achieving a fully zero-emission fleet by 2035, in line with COP26 commitments and underlines the company’s unwavering commitment to a sustainable future.

Upon their arrival, the addition of the new buses will make the proportion of zero-emission vehicles in First Bus’s Aberdeen fleet one of the highest in the UK.

Duncan Cameron, Managing Director at First Bus Scotland, said of the investment: "This £12.7 million investment in new electric buses is a game-changer for Aberdeen. It not only aligns with our green ambitions but also underscores our commitment to providing more sustainable and comfortable transportation options for the city.

“It was a pleasure to meet with students from Robert Gordon University to discuss the impact the new buses will have on the university and hear firsthand their passion for sustainability. By significantly increasing the number of zero-emission buses in our fleet, we are taking bold steps to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions, making Aberdeen a cleaner and healthier place to live.”

This initiative is part of First Bus's broader commitment to the principles and targets it set out during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2021.

Since COP26, First Bus has made significant strides towards its goals, including the transformation of the Caledonia depot in Glasgow into the UK’s largest electric vehicle charging hub, capable of charging 150 electric buses simultaneously. Additionally, First Bus has been instrumental in expanding its electric bus fleet across the UK, working closely with local authorities and benefiting from government co-funding.

Bill Sommerville, Director of Estates and Property Services, Robert Gordon University (RGU), said: “RGU is pleased to be partnering with First Bus on the launch of their new EV buses that will both reduce commuting transport emissions in the city and provide our staff and students with a stress-free sustainable commute.

“We take great pride in our nature positive campus and actively encourage sustainable travel to improve our efforts in meeting our collective net zero targets. This includes not only encouraging the use of public transport for both commuting and business purposes but also encouraging the use of our own EV fleet where this is not possible.

“It is encouraging to partner with a like-minded local organisation who is also committed to reaching net zero emissions for the city and we are delighted that these new vehicles’ primary route will be to and from our Garthdee campus.”

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO at WrightBus, added: “Public transport is at the forefront of the green revolution and these buses for Aberdeen will instantly remove harmful emissions from the city.

“Our zero-emission buses have gained a global following, with exports to Asia, Australia and Europe, and this investment by First Bus demonstrates their continued commitment to sustainable transport solutions.” sustainable travel to improve our efforts in meeting our collective net zero targets. This includes not only encouraging the use of public transport for both commuting and business purposes but also encouraging the use of our own EV fleet where this is not possible.”

 

[aswilliamsuk]

First Bus Partners with Robert Gordon University to Announce £12.7million Investment in Electric Bus Fleet

First Bus Partners with Robert Gordon University to Announce £12.7million Investment in Electric Bus Fleet | FirstBus Scotland News

First Bus is injecting £12.7million into Aberdeen as it introduces a fleet of 24 new electric buses and 12 repower buses The investment cements First Bus’s commitment to sustainability with a goal to achieve a fully zero-emission fleet by 2035

news-scot.firstbus.co.uk

So, this should sweep away all Enviro 400s and the B9TL/Wrights, as well as the last Citaro artics...

As far as I can tell, these 12 repowers will come from the 32 being done by Wrightbus NewPower.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Wouldn’t it make sense to convert the Hydroliners to electric given the shortages of running said buses?

 

[Dfatcontroller]

Wouldn’t it make sense to convert the Hydroliners to electric given the shortages of running said buses?

Surely that would be up to the owners of the Hydroliners (the council) rather than FirstGroup to make.

 

[lachlan]

First Bus Partners with Robert Gordon University to Announce £12.7million Investment in Electric Bus Fleet

First Bus Partners with Robert Gordon University to Announce £12.7million Investment in Electric Bus Fleet | FirstBus Scotland News

First Bus is injecting £12.7million into Aberdeen as it introduces a fleet of 24 new electric buses and 12 repower buses The investment cements First Bus’s commitment to sustainability with a goal to achieve a fully zero-emission fleet by 2035

news-scot.firstbus.co.uk

Apologies if I missed it - but there doesn't seem to be any talk of increasing frequencies despite all the talk of overloaded buses to/from RGU in the past

 

[Volvodart]

Apologies if I missed it - but there doesn't seem to be any talk of increasing frequencies despite all the talk of overloaded buses to/from RGU in the past

They seem to be managing fine this year.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Nov 2024 ==

Surely that would be up to the owners of the Hydroliners (the council) rather than FirstGroup to make.

You cannot see anything happening until the lease is up in 2028 (unless time is added on for when they were not in use because of the defect). Their low seating capacity may mean that this is not suitable unless they can increase the number of seats.