Scottish Citylink

[AndrewTaylor95]

The new timetable for the 903 is up. I'm seriously wondering if this route was designed by AI, because this is a complete mess. Blantyre to Glasgow Airport via Renfrew Bridge? It seems like a poor attempt to put a million local services into one.
So essentially this is two different services, Blantyre to Glasgow Airport and Haymarket to Glasgow Airport via Bathgate. Both service use the M8 Baillieston corridor and the Expressway onto Renfrew Bridge.
A much more logical decision would be to just extend certain 900 journeys and run the Blantyre service across the 240X corridor. Very strange to not serve either Hamilton or Motherwell. Meh it's probably a deadrun service for Parks, and it gives Uddingston a direct service to Glasgow BBS.

https://www.citylink.co.uk/our-routes-and-timetables/edinburgh-blantyre-glasgow-glasgow-airport/

Mental route lol, Basically starting from Dechmont at Drumsagard, Says Dalton Cottages but doesn't make sense to start from that stop since it will need to continue along the road to turn at the Roundabout

 

[Edirim]

Presumably cause it'll be run by parks so nice way to reduce dead miles

 

[Scotrail344Lad]

The new timetable for the 903 is up. I'm seriously wondering if this route was designed by AI, because this is a complete mess. Blantyre to Glasgow Airport via Renfrew Bridge? It seems like a poor attempt to put a million local services into one.
So essentially this is two different services, Blantyre to Glasgow Airport and Haymarket to Glasgow Airport via Bathgate. Both service use the M8 Baillieston corridor and the Expressway onto Renfrew Bridge.
A much more logical decision would be to just extend certain 900 journeys and run the Blantyre service across the 240X corridor. Very strange to not serve either Hamilton or Motherwell. Meh it's probably a deadrun service for Parks, and it gives Uddingston a direct service to Glasgow BBS.

https://www.citylink.co.uk/our-routes-and-timetables/edinburgh-blantyre-glasgow-glasgow-airport/

Positive news for the locals of Bathgate. How will this service compare to the train? Surely it will just not get used?

 

[overthewater]

is this service going via Renfrew bridge? edit: it does and this whole route is nuts!!! Did Stevie wonder design this?

 

[LiviCrazy]

Positive news for the locals of Bathgate. How will this service compare to the train? Surely it will just not get used?

Think West Lothian having direct access directly to Edinburgh and Glasgow airports is a massive change.

 

[overthewater]

Citylink are REALLY upping the publicity for the new 903. I wonder if they will do this for M6 when it's details get released .

New coach service to link Edinburgh city centre with Glasgow Airport

The new route will also serve stops in Baillieston, Bathgate, Uddingston and Blantyre.

news.stv.tv

A new coach service is set to provide a direct transfer between Glasgow Airport and Edinburgh city centre.

Scottish Citylink’s 903 will launch on Saturday, October 24, operating hourly between the airport, the SEC, Glasgow city centre and Baillieston.

Alternate trips will extend either to Bathgate and Edinburgh, or to Uddingston and Blantyre.

Citylink says the new route, operated by West Coast Motors, creates a series of new journey opportunities which are not currently available to passengers.

The 903 service will also serve stops in Renfrew and Yoker, as well as Harthill Services and Ingliston Park and Ride.

Journeys within the SPT area will be included in the £2 bus fare cap scheme, with single tickets between Glasgow Airport and Edinburgh city centre priced at £10.70.

Coaches with UBS charging points, fold-down table and reading lights will operate on the route.

Scottish Citylink managing director Simone Walsh said: “This is a exciting new route for lots of reasons and one that we’re so pleased to be announcing.

“It will represent the first direct coach transfer between Glasgow Airport and Edinburgh city centre, it offers new journey options that customers don’t currently have available, and it provides the perfect complement to our longstanding AIR service between Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow city centre.

“We’re delighted to be working alongside the team at Glasgow Airport on this, to help them deliver another reliable and affordable public transport link for their customers to benefit from. We very much look forward to welcoming customers on to our new services.”

Gavin Birch-Williams, managing director at Glasgow Airport, added: “Connectivity is essential to ensure that Glasgow Airport is accessible to a wider reach of people, and we want to make those journeys as easy as possible.

“We will continue to work with our partners to strengthen those connections, and we look forward to welcoming passengers travelling on the new route.”

 

[Scotrail344Lad]

Think West Lothian having direct access directly to Edinburgh and Glasgow airports is a massive change.

Yes, Indeed especially areas around bathgate which normally only get the lothian country services

 

[sannox]

That is a bizarre service. Deffo a market for an Edinburgh to Glasgow Airport bus, but I'm not sure about that kind of route!

 

[Scotrail344Lad]

That is a bizarre service. Deffo a market for an Edinburgh to Glasgow Airport bus, but I'm not sure about that kind of route!

The Section From Edinburgh To Glasgow City Centre Makes Sense But The Bit Afterwards Doesn't make much sense!

 

[smtglasgow]

Deffo a market for an Edinburgh to Glasgow Airport bus

I reckon there might also be a market for an Airport-Lanarkshire link, but serving Bellshill, Motherwell and Hamilton instead of Uddingston & Blantyre. It’s so odd that AI *might* be involved – which is both mad and a bit depressing.

 

[CMBS]

I reckon there might also be a market for an Airport-Lanarkshire link, but serving Bellshill, Motherwell and Hamilton instead of Uddingston & Blantyre. It’s so odd that AI *might* be involved – which is both mad and a bit depressing.

This is what I thought as well, my idea would be to just duplicate the 41 but have it every 2 hours then run up to the Airport via the M74 and calling at Braehead.

 

[Bus9120UK]

I reckon no AI involved, just an effort to fill up the time they've got.

Presumably cause it'll be run by parks so nice way to reduce dead miles

It's ran by West Coast Motors.

 

[Edirim]

I reckon no AI involved, just an effort to fill up the time they've got.

It's ran by West Coast Motors.

I see that now - that was the only thing that came to mind.

 

[route101]

I thought the Blantyre bit of the route is odd unless its starting point near Parks Depot.

Certainly odd not running into Hamilton Bus Station or even East Kilbride Bus Station.

Makes you wonder if they know Ember have plans for routes from Glasgow Aiport.

 

[Highland050261]

I thought the Blantyre bit of the route is odd unless its starting point near Parks Depot.

Certainly odd not running into Hamilton Bus Station or even East Kilbride Bus Station.

Makes you wonder if they know Ember have plans for routes from Glasgow Aiport.

Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s to do with Ember, as they have recently increased their ops disc to 171. So, there are obviously more routes coming.

 

[route101]

is this service going via Renfrew bridge? edit: it does and this whole route is nuts!!! Did Stevie wonder design this?

Perhaps its to allow change of drivers at West Coast Motors.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Thursday at 21:55 ==

Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s to do with Ember, as they have recently increased their ops disc to 171. So, there are obviously more routes coming.

Strange one running to Blantyre, I suppose it gives Blantyre, Bothwell and Uddingston an express service to Glasgow. Even running this to Edinburgh would make more sense ie Blantyre, Uddingston, Bathgate, Airport and Edinburgh.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Presumably cause it'll be run by parks so nice way to reduce dead miles

Citylink said it will be ran by West Coast Motors

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Thursday at 23:23 ==

Perhaps its to allow change of drivers at West Coast Motors.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Thursday at 21:55 ==


Strange one running to Blantyre, I suppose it gives Blantyre, Bothwell and Uddingston an express service to Glasgow. Even running this to Edinburgh would make more sense ie Blantyre, Uddingston, Bathgate, Airport and Edinburgh.

West Coast Motors depot is in Charles Street in Royston, South Closed a while ago

 

[Spsf3232]

I've looked at the timetable and it's extremely strange one for Blantyre with a two minute turn around! The stop location itself makes no sense as it's also out of Blantyre.

Would be interesting if WCM had a deal with parks and vehicles had an hour layover at Parks and they used them for shuttles into Glasgow instead of cars.

It does feel like this is a simple response to an incoming Ember service once the Airport depot is up and running as we can pretty much guarantee that we will have Airport to City regular services operating at least

 

[David M]

Citylink are REALLY upping the publicity for the new 903.

If I'm reading it correctly, I can use my concessionary travel card and travel from Argyle St to Mill St, Yoker without issue.
With the proviso that the bridge opening might cause all sorts of issues, am I correct?

 

[Spsf3232]

If I'm reading it correctly, I can use my concessionary travel card and travel from Argyle St to Mill St, Yoker without issue.
With the proviso that the bridge opening might cause all sorts of issues, am I correct?

Yes it's a local service

 

[route101]

I've looked at the timetable and it's extremely strange one for Blantyre with a two minute turn around! The stop location itself makes no sense as it's also out of Blantyre.

Would be interesting if WCM had a deal with parks and vehicles had an hour layover at Parks and they used them for shuttles into Glasgow instead of cars.

It does feel like this is a simple response to an incoming Ember service once the Airport depot is up and running as we can pretty much guarantee that we will have Airport to City regular services operating at least

I could sort of understand if the service terminates at Hamilton Bus Station. Will be interesting to see how it performs!

 

[tbtc]

Citylink are in this unenviable position of being attacked on pretty every major corridor they operate by all operator with no "home territory" of its own (e.g. when Stagecoach trod on First's toes in Glasgow, First hit back with incursions in both Ayrshire and Fife... but Citylink can't hit Ember in their back yard because Ember doesn't have a traditional "back yard"

At the same time, with Citylink's (current and potential future) contractors in mind, they've got to be careful not to tread on the toes of local bus companies

The 902 (what feels like the only properly "new" Citylink corridor in years) trod a careful line though territory in Monklands and West Lothian without significantly duplicating busy routes of other firms

The 903 looks a bit of a "camel" (a horse designed by a committee) but I think it makes sense

They probably don't want to challenge First on the main Glasgow-Airport corridor. Running via Yoker is a time penalty but it's an area without an Airport link, plus the through service to Edinburgh might attract a few who would trade the extra journey time (via Bathgate) for the benefit of a direct service

Same with Lanarkshire to Glasgow Airport - it's going to be a lot slower than a taxi or by changing buses in the city centre but some people will value that

At the same time, whilst I can see the attractions in service central Motherwell/Hamilton etc, maybe Citylink are reluctant to be seen as competing with the likes of the X5/X11/240X or the X1/X74 - Bothwell is a less obvious terminus but I suppose it's not going to attract the response from First/ Stagecoach/ JMB that a fast link from the big towns into Glasgow might

If Citylink don't try to carve out some "new" territory then their long established business is just a sitting duck for Ember. And, whilst Citylink have been trying to maintain a viable ongoing operation, their competitor appears to have bottomless pockets, in a market heavily distorted by free tickets - apparently room for both operators on certain corridors for now but it might only take the stroke of a pen at Hollyrood to throw the viability of some services into doubt

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

If I'm reading it correctly, I can use my concessionary travel card and travel from Argyle St to Mill St, Yoker without issue.
With the proviso that the bridge opening might cause all sorts of issues, am I correct?

Why wouldn't you be able to it's a registered service at the end of the day

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 35 minutes ago ==

Citylink are in this unenviable position of being attacked on pretty every major corridor they operate by all operator with no "home territory" of its own (e.g. when Stagecoach trod on First's toes in Glasgow, First hit back with incursions in both Ayrshire and Fife... but Citylink can't hit Ember in their back yard because Ember doesn't have a traditional "back yard"

At the same time, with Citylink's (current and potential future) contractors in mind, they've got to be careful not to tread on the toes of local bus companies

The 902 (what feels like the only properly "new" Citylink corridor in years) trod a careful line though territory in Monklands and West Lothian without significantly duplicating busy routes of other firms

The 903 looks a bit of a "camel" (a horse designed by a committee) but I think it makes sense

They probably don't want to challenge First on the main Glasgow-Airport corridor. Running via Yoker is a time penalty but it's an area without an Airport link, plus the through service to Edinburgh might attract a few who would trade the extra journey time (via Bathgate) for the benefit of a direct service

Same with Lanarkshire to Glasgow Airport - it's going to be a lot slower than a taxi or by changing buses in the city centre but some people will value that

At the same time, whilst I can see the attractions in service central Motherwell/Hamilton etc, maybe Citylink are reluctant to be seen as competing with the likes of the X5/X11/240X or the X1/X74 - Bothwell is a less obvious terminus but I suppose it's not going to attract the response from First/ Stagecoach/ JMB that a fast link from the big towns into Glasgow might

If Citylink don't try to carve out some "new" territory then their long established business is just a sitting duck for Ember. And, whilst Citylink have been trying to maintain a viable ongoing operation, their competitor appears to have bottomless pockets, in a market heavily distorted by free tickets - apparently room for both operators on certain corridors for now but it might only take the stroke of a pen at Hollyrood to throw the viability of some services into doubt

Bothwell isn't it's terminus it's in-between Drumsagard and Blantyre