First Greater Glasgow

[route101]

I see LTO2NWC is still out, on 61 yesterday.

Im sure I seen something saying they have electric buses on order for FIG. Cant remember where I seen it.

 

[ScotRail158725]

I see LTO2NWC is still out, on 61 yesterday.

Im sure I seen something saying they have electric buses on order for FIG. Cant remember where I seen it.

35 of them on there way

 

[lastbus]

35 of them on there way

22 it is. I believe they are for the 9 service.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

22 it is. I believe they are for the 9 service.

The press release cited 41 across Scotland with 35 to be built by ADL https://www.electrive.com/2020/09/26/scotland-awards-7-4-million-for-electric-buses/

I'd suggest that 22 for First rather than 35 is more like it, given that it would only leave 6 vehicles to be split between four other parties!!!

 

[Jordan Adam]

The press release cited 41 across Scotland with 35 to be built by ADL https://www.electrive.com/2020/09/26/scotland-awards-7-4-million-for-electric-buses/

I'd suggest that 22 for First rather than 35 is more like it, given that it would only leave 6 vehicles to be split between four other parties!!!

Indeed. The First website states it's 22!

Clean Air Day 2020 | Greater Glasgow | First Bus

Clean Air Day We are working with Glasgow City Council on 8th October 2020 to assist the City of Glasgow on Clean Air Day.

www.firstgroup.com

What better way to start Clean Air Day 2020 than announce that we have 22 new electric vehicles joining our fleet! This has been made possible thanks to Transport Scotland's new funding programme, the Scottish Ultra Low Emission Bus Scheme which will help pay some of the costs of purchasing 22 new fully electric buses. Read the full announcement here

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Would that make sense then would 22 buses be needed for the 9?

 

[Jordan Adam]

Would that make sense then would 22 buses be needed for the 9?

I think the PVR is higher than 22 at the moment, certainly there was more than 22 B7RLEs branded, however if the new electrics are deckers then that would facility a frequency decrease. Also it's not officially confirmed if they're for the 9, just speculation.

 

[route101]

Do we reckon that the current frequency will remain or will be cut back?

Overheard a few drivers say services have been quiet.

 

[PaulMc7]

Do we reckon that the current frequency will remain or will be cut back?

Overheard a few drivers say services have been quiet.

Wouldn't surprise me if there was even some slight cutbacks. Not seen a busy bus down my way apart from a couple of 1s or 2s here and there when I've been out. Hard to tell what it's like across the full network though given there's been a few pics sent in response to First's Twitter where buses have looked overcrowded compared to what capacity is meant to be

 

[JumpinTrainz]

We are still in a pandemic and people are being advised to avoid public transport where possible so it’s not going to be as busy as it was pre-COVID. All services are suffering from this.

 

[PaulMc7]

The drop over the last week or two certainly has been drastic compared to even a month ago to be fair.

Can imagine that because lockdown has dragged on so long the drop in passenger numbers will be bigger than initially thought.

 

[Zakforbes4]

wonder what will happen to the current buses branded for the 9/9A personally I think new buses should be given to the 60/60A as they're busy and still get old recks

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

wonder what will happen to the current buses branded for the 9/9A personally I think new buses should be given to the 60/60A as they're busy and still get old recks

It may be that those Eclipses will be 15+ years old by the time so could be withdrawal. Mind you, ones of a similar age are becoming DTVs elsewhere in the country (as training vehicles need to be LEZ compliant too).

 

[ScotRail158725]

personally I think new buses should be given to the 60/60A as they're busy and still get old recks

just because its got older B7s and B9s doesnt mean it deserves new buses. its allocation is in much better condition than the 9/9A aswell as that you can cut the PVR of the 9 replacing singles with doubles therefore saving running costs

 

[JumpinTrainz]

just because its got older B7s and B9s doesnt mean it deserves new buses. its allocation is in much better condition than the 9/9A aswell as that you can cut the PVR of the 9 replacing singles with doubles therefore saving running costs

They should do the same with the 2. It would cut running costs to have deckers as opposed to bunched up singles appearing.

 

[route101]

Yes, much rather have a decker over a single. More comfortable, easier to get on and off if busy. I rarely sit downstairs on a decker.

I guess the buses branded for the 9 will be debranded .

I have no problem using the buses at the moment, and the trains. If you don't support , you may find there is no service in the future.

 

[Zakforbes4]

I'd much rather take the bus than train its a more enjoyable experience and it takes you closer to where you're going most the time

 

[PaulMc7]

I'd much rather take the bus than train its a more enjoyable experience and it takes you closer to where you're going most the time

Definitely agree with this. Some train stations are useless for most of the area. With the exception of Scotstounhill all of my closest stations(Garscadden, Drumchapel, Jordanhill and Yoker) are definitely not greatly positioned for residents of the area

 

[route101]

I'd much rather take the bus than train its a more enjoyable experience and it takes you closer to where you're going most the time

My nearest railway station is 25 mins walk and my nearest bus stop for town is 15 to 20.

 

[awsnews]

Definitely agree with this. Some train stations are useless for most of the area. With the exception of Scotstounhill all of my closest stations(Garscadden, Drumchapel, Jordanhill and Yoker) are definitely not greatly positioned for residents of the area

For many residents around Garscadden and Yoker the railway station is by far closer than the nearest bus stop, especially Garscadden where the station is literally at the bottom of the garden for some! The improvements to the rail network over the past decade have undoubtedly had an impact on bus passenger numbers in Glasgow and will continue to do so. Pre Covid the Glasgow rail network was getting to the stage where it was going to be difficult to accommodate further growth and identifying where this was going to occur would have been a key growth opportunity for First Glasgow. Obviously the situation is a little different at the moment.

 

[route101]

Yes, the bus will get you closer.
Railway stations are better to wait though, at night vs a bus stop next to a road which may not have a shelter.

 

[PaulMc7]

Yes, the bus will get you closer.
Railway stations are better to wait though, at night vs a bus stop next to a road which may not have a shelter.

Depends on the station IMO. Garscadden has been my local station for 16 years and it's not somewhere you want to be at night or walking to and from it. Been a few people attacked over the years. Think it's part of the reason the 1s can be so busy at night pre-covid. It's safer to get the 1C or even a 1/1A and walk upwards

 

[LT02 NVV]

Definitely agree with this. Some train stations are useless for most of the area. With the exception of Scotstounhill all of my closest stations(Garscadden, Drumchapel, Jordanhill and Yoker) are definitely not greatly positioned for residents of the area

Drumchapel station is on the Old Side of Drumchapel, the side of the Drum I am living near is closer to Drumry station.

 

[PaulMc7]

Drumchapel station is on the Old Side of Drumchapel, the side of the Drum I am living near is closer to Drumry station.

Yeah Drumchapel is massive lol. Surprised the 60/M60 have always been reasonably busy at that end when I've used them with how handy Drumry station would be even just to go to Singer. Drumchapel overall is pretty solid bus territory.

Obviously the 16 was a bit of a fail but the 3 and 6A both being every 10 mins definitely didn't help that

 

[LT02 NVV]

Yeah Drumchapel is massive lol. Surprised the 60/M60 have always been reasonably busy at that end when I've used them with how handy Drumry station would be even just to go to Singer. Drumchapel overall is pretty solid bus territory.

Obviously the 16 was a bit of a fail but the 3 and 6A both being every 10 mins definitely didn't help that

The 16 failed because it was a long route and it was every 30 or 20 minutes.

 

[PaulMc7]

The 16 failed because it was a long route and it was every 30 or 20 minutes.

I think the fact the 77 goes to the hospital and gets much nicer buses also doesn't help. Don't think there's a need for the 8 or 16 to go to the hospital tbh. Easy couple of buses saved too if they were both cut back to Partick

 

[Jordan Adam]

I disagree. The 8 and 16 provide links to the hospital that the 77 doesn't. Cutting them back to Partick would cause a stream of complaints and probably loose First passengers doing even worse for those routes in the long term. I don't think their frequencies are much of an issue either, they're typical of that sort of route, not every route needs to be high frequency with buses every 10 minutes.

 

[PaulMc7]

I disagree. The 8 and 16 provide links to the hospital that the 77 doesn't. Cutting them back to Partick would cause a stream of complaints and probably loose First passengers doing even worse for those routes in the long term. I don't think their frequencies are much of an issue either, they're typical of that sort of route, not every route needs to be high frequency with buses every 10 minutes.

I've used the 8 and 16 plenty of times and honestly I can't recall them ever being busy to the hospital from Partick. Frequency with both is a problem because of the routes for very different reasons. Both being cut back to Partick would also save a bus on each route too

The 8's reliability is always a problem due to the route length and from experience has gone missing more than any service I've used. Plenty of times where I've waited 50/55 mins on one.

For the 16, Crow Road at peaks absolutely kill it in terms of reliability plus if you stay at Blairdardie at times it's quicker to use the 3 as a result of that too and it shows.

The high end of Blairdardie and Knightswood are problematic and it's shown in recent years. All of the cutbacks to the 4, the X4 outside of peaks being very quiet most of the time I've seen it, the 94 is an SPT tender have came as a result of the train frequency.

Even before Covid I did worry about what future the 16 had as it doesn't seem to be a service that you could change to offer something different and I'd imagine it's on an even more perilous position now.

Could say that about a few services to be fair though

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

If anything i switch the 8 for the 90/89
And extend to govan bus station

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Just saw that 33994 has been fully gold branded presumably for the X11. Looks so much better than the half done looking versions going around. I wonder if they’ve realised.