Stagecoach East Scotland

[Highland050261]

Any news on what the recently transferred Scania E300 are for?

 

[Scotrail88]

Do we know where the coaches from X56 are headed from next week?

 

[Resuwen]

Hopefully to allow the withdrawal of some of the older ones with the completely goosed destination screens on some of the other X routes

 

[computerSaysNo]

Hopefully to allow the withdrawal of some of the older ones with the completely goosed destination screens on some of the other X routes

My understanding is that the PantherLEs have fewer seats than the other tri-axle coaches, and the routes which use dual-axle coaches do so because tri-axles won't fit; this would then seem to limit where the PantherLEs could go, would it not?
If the X55 is still sometimes operating with service buses then this would seem to me to be the obvious place?

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

My understanding is that the PantherLEs have fewer seats than the other tri-axle coaches, and the routes which use dual-axle coaches do so because tri-axles won't fit; this would then seem to limit where the PantherLEs could go, would it not?
If the X55 is still sometimes operating with service buses then this would seem to me to be the obvious place?

X55 has deckers on it because of capacity issues at times, there's always enough LEs to cover the X55

 

[overthewater]

The Same goes for X51. The best place for them would be X59A to get rid of the service buses. Short run from Glenrothes to Edinburgh and back, no problems. Until the X56 Sega is sorted they might still be needed.

 

[Strathtay 260]

Service changes received at the Traffic Commissioner today for 28th September.

Variations registered for Angus services 72, 73 and 76
Cancellation registered for Angus service 74/A/C
New registration for a revised 74 operating Carnoustie - Monifieth only, and the existing 74B operates to its own registration.

so it will be the 72, 73, 74 and 74B, or will there still be the other Tayway buses?

 

[739678]

Timetables are available on Traveline for Tayway changes.
As stated, 4 buses an hour Carnoustie to Dundee City Centre, but only hourly to Ninewells Hospital. Hourly from Arbroath, but all services now via Easthaven including early morning, evening and Sunday. Muirdrum unnerved by 73, as is Carlogie Road in evening.
74 hourly as suggested, but only 79 will now serve road past former Ashludie Hospital. No service north of Monifieth High Street in evening or Sunday apart from the 74B 2/3 times in early evening.

 

[Strathtay 260]

Timetables are available on Traveline for Tayway changes.
As stated, 4 buses an hour Carnoustie to Dundee City Centre, but only hourly to Ninewells Hospital. Hourly from Arbroath, but all services now via Easthaven including early morning, evening and Sunday. Muirdrum unnerved by 73, as is Carlogie Road in evening.
74 hourly as suggested, but only 79 will now serve road past former Ashludie Hospital. No service north of Monifieth High Street in evening or Sunday apart from the 74B 2/3 times in early evening.

I've looked at the timetables and it's an interesting set of changes. The main positive is 4 buses an hour from Carnoustie to Dundee, which is double what there is currently.

And what I find weird is, as you mention, completely leaving out Hill Street and Victoria Street in Monifieth which at one point had buses in each direction every half an hour with the old 73A (before the 74 era).

 

[jamieintercity]

The Carnoustie to dundee 4bph is welcome indeed, better than the pre-covid/conductor era but it's only 1bph to ninewells as opposed to 2bph. Also, is muirdrum village no longer being served from September.

The 73 appears no longer serving Cliffburn, instead a new 76A replaces it.

 

[Strathtay 260]

Also, is muirdrum village no longer being served from September.

No longer served apart from the once daily on weekdays 181/A to Carnoustie, Monifieth and Forfar, but there is the 72, X7 and Ember E17 from the bypass.

The 73 appears no longer serving Cliffburn

Good. It caused far too many delays and was unnecessary.

 

[overthewater]

Doesn't the X7 stop on the main road just outside the village of Muirdum village

In very late news, Perth and Kinross council will now pay for the X56 as short term measure every 2 hours, while a meeting takes place next week for a longer term solution.

X56 update

Good news for communities along the X56 route - an interim replacement bus service will operate from Monday 24 August, helping to ensure passengers can continue to travel while councillors consider longer-term arrangements at next week’s Finance and Resources Committee meeting.

The replacement service will operate on the existing route on a two-hourly timetable. We’ll share the full timetable as soon as it is available.
Councillor Eric Drysdale, Leader of Perth and Kinross Council, said: “We know how important the X56 is for many residents and communities, and we have heard clearly the concerns raised since Stagecoach announced their decision to withdraw it.

“A longer-term solution will be considered by the Finance and Resources Committee next week. However, ahead of that decision arrangements are being put in place to ensure a replacement bus service is available from Monday so that passengers can continue to travel on the route.

“I am delighted that we have been able to find a potential solution which provides reassurance and continuity for communities.”
Councillor Richard Watters, Convener of the Council’s Climate Change and Sustainability Committee, said: “Buses play a vital role in connect people to work, education, healthcare and other essential services, while also supporting more sustainable travel choices.

“I am very pleased that we have been able to find a way to help fill the gap residents would otherwise have been facing on Monday.

Glenfarg Community bus is also starting a new journey on it's 55 leaving Glenfarg around 8am.

 

[marks87]

No longer served apart from the once daily on weekdays 181/A to Carnoustie, Monifieth and Forfar, but there is the 72, X7 and Ember E17 from the bypass.

Good. It caused far too many delays and was unnecessary.

Yes, and was confusing at the bus station when you had a service advertised for Dundee/Ninewells that went all round the houses before coming back again.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Full information now available on the Stagecoach website: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/servi...rticle?SituationId=ID-20/08/2026-08:21:43:237

Angus network changes from Monday 28 September 2026
From Monday 28 September, we're making some changes to bus services across Angus to make getting around easier, with simpler routes, improved journey times and more straightforward travel options.

Service 72 – Arbroath to Ninewells  
We've made changes to the timetable to improve reliability on journeys between Arbroath and Dundee throughout the day.

If you're travelling from Ninewells, your bus will no longer stop at Dundee Bus Station. Instead, you can get on and off at Sugarhouse Wynd, just opposite the bus station, with easy access to the city centre and connecting bus services. Not sure where this is? View it here on the map.

Service 73 – Arbroath to Dundee City Centre/Ninewells  
If you travel from Arbroath, you'll continue to have an hourly service 73, serving Easthaven, Carnoustie, Barry, Monifieth, Broughty Ferry, Gardyne College, Dundee City Centre and Ninewells. View the map here.

If you travel from Carnoustie, you'll now have up to four buses an hour to Dundee on service 73. Three buses an hour will start from Westhaven Park, plus an hourly service from Arbroath. Your bus will take you to Stop 3 on Whitehall Street, right in Dundee city centre. View the map here.

Buses from Carnoustie will continue to run via Panbride Road and Carlogie Road. Together with the hourly service from Arbroath, you'll have a bus up to every 15 minutes between Carnoustie and Dundee, throughout the day. See timetable for journey times.

Service 74 – Carnoustie to Monifieth  
We're making it easier for you to travel between Carnoustie and Monifieth. Services 74, 74A and 74C will be replaced by a revised service 73 and a new service 74, creating a simpler network that's easier to use. View new service 74 map here.

If you travel along the new service 74 route, the revised service 74 will provide a direct link between:

• Shanwell Road
• Carnoustie High Street
• Greenlaw Park
• Ethiebeaton Park
• Grange Road
• Monifieth High Street
• Broomhill Drive

This new service makes travelling between Carnoustie and Monifieth easier.

If you're travelling to Dundee, you can connect with service 73, every 15 minutes at Carnoustie High Street or Monifieth High Street. You can also connect with services X7 every hour and 72 every 30 minutes at Ethiebeaton Park, with connections taking just three to six minutes, and the longest wait being around ten minutes.

Don’t worry – one ticket is all you need for your connecting journey.

Service 74B – Ethiebeaton Park to Dundee City Centre
Service 74B, which runs in partnership with Angus Council, will continue to provide evening journeys between Ethiebeaton Park and Dundee City Centre. View service 74B map here.

The timetable will change as follows:

From Dundee City Centre	From Ethiebeaton Park
19:05	19:41
20:18	20:54

The new timetable gives you better connections between Ethiebeaton Park, Carnoustie, Monifieth and Dundee.

Service 76A – Arbroath Bus Station to Cliffburn 
We're introducing new daytime journeys between Arbroath Bus Station and Cliffburn, running Monday to Saturday. Your route and frequency will stay the same. The only changes is the service number and bus times.

Service 76A will replace the current service 73 journeys that serve Cliffburn. You’ll continue to have the same number of journeys, with the same route and frequency. The main change is that buses will generally run around 5 minutes earlier than they do today, so please check the new timetable before you travel. These changes will help improve the reliability across the network.

View service 76A map here.

 

[739678]

Anyone else noticed that the 72 and 73 will both leave Ninewells Hospital simultaneously at 35 past the hour most of the day?
Two buses, both with Arbroath as a destination, following the same route...

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Anyone else noticed that the 72 and 73 will both leave Ninewells Hospital simultaneously at 35 past the hour most of the day?
Two buses, both with Arbroath as a destination, following the same route...

That’s a tad confusing. Wonder what the rationale is behind dropping from four per hour to three on that corridor, with two of the three journeys basically at the same time?

Does feel like a drop in overall requirement also? Wonder if 74 will be single deckers? 72/73 to be fully E400EV’s? 10483 (or any of the MMC’s for that matter) as spare when not doing Forfar routes.

I make it to be 6 on the 72, 4 on the Arbroath 73’s (that also do the 76A) and 6 on the shorter 73’s.

Are some of the E300’s likely to be the ones to move, assuming the overall allocation is reduced slightly? Appears to be a reduction of 2.

 

[jamieintercity]

That’s a tad confusing. Wonder what the rationale is behind dropping from four per hour to three on that corridor, with two of the three journeys basically at the same time?

Does feel like a drop in overall requirement also? Wonder if 74 will be single deckers? 72/73 to be fully E400EV’s? 10483 (or any of the MMC’s for that matter) as spare when not doing Forfar routes.

I make it to be 6 on the 72, 4 on the Arbroath 73’s (that also do the 76A) and 6 on the shorter 73’s.

Are some of the E300’s likely to be the ones to move, assuming the overall allocation is reduced slightly? Appears to be a reduction of 2.

1 E300 is needed for the 27 (forfar vehicle). Is there any plans for forfar depot to get electric chargers installed in the future?

 

[overthewater]

They have now released details of the part replacement for the X56, Docherty's Midland Coaches has the short term contract. Of course that could just run and run...

Replacement bus service to operate on X56 route on Monday - Perth & Kinross Council

Good news for residents along the X56 bus route as Perth and Kinross Council has today confirmed arrangements for an interim bus service will operate on the route from Monday 24 August 2026, ahead of a longer-term decision at a meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee on Wednesday (26...

www.pkc.gov.uk

Good news for residents along the X56 bus route as Perth and Kinross Council has today confirmed arrangements for an interim bus service will operate on the route from Monday 24 August 2026, ahead of a longer-term decision at a meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee on Wednesday (26 August 2026).

Council officers have been working with transport providers and partners to identify a potential replacement and avoid a gap in service for passengers who rely on the route to access employment, education, healthcare and other essential services. The Finance and Resources Committee will consider proposals for supporting a replacement service when it meets next week.
The replacement service will continue to serve communities along the existing route, operating a two-hourly timetable.
Councillor Eric Drysdale, Leader of Perth and Kinross Council, said: "We know how important the X56 is for many residents and communities, and we have heard clearly the concerns raised since Stagecoach announced their decision to withdraw it.
"A longer-term solution will be considered by the Finance and Resources Committee next week. However, ahead of that decision arrangements are being put in place to ensure a replacement bus service is available from Monday so that passengers can continue to travel on the route.
"I am delighted that we have been able to find a potential solution which provides reassurance and continuity for communities."
Councillor Richard Watters, Convener of the Council's Climate Change and Sustainability Committee, said: "Buses play a vital role in connecting people to work, education, healthcare and other essential services, while also supporting more sustainable travel choices.
"I am very pleased that we have been able to find a way to help fill the gap residents would otherwise have been facing on Monday."

 

[Strathtay 260]

Are the short 73s only getting 3 minutes layover in Dundee, or is it 18 minutes?

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Does feel like a drop in overall requirement also? Wonder if 74 will be single deckers? 72/73 to be fully E400EV’s? 10483 (or any of the MMC’s for that matter) as spare when not doing Forfar routes.

I make it to be 6 on the 72, 4 on the Arbroath 73’s (that also do the 76A) and 6 on the shorter 73’s.

Are some of the E300’s likely to be the ones to move, assuming the overall allocation is reduced slightly? Appears to be a reduction of 2.

PVR on the 73/74 is half a bus less than it is currently - it's 11 AM peak and 12 PM peak at the moment, it'll now be 11 across the whole day.

Think the 76/76A will be one bus all day (it would be pointless interworking the 76A with 73 if they've just separated the routes for reliability purposes) whilst all the other services (27, 30, 72, 73, 74, 75 etc.) will be subject to clever interworking to make the bus boards suitable for EVs

Are the short 73s only getting 3 minutes layover in Dundee, or is it 18 minutes?

Suspect it'll be 3 minutes so it fits in with the Ninewells 73s, rather than some City Centre turners getting 3, 18 or 33 minutes layover

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

They have now released details of the part replacement for the X56, Docherty's Midland Coaches has the short term contract. Of course that could just run and run...

Replacement bus service to operate on X56 route on Monday - Perth & Kinross Council

Good news for residents along the X56 bus route as Perth and Kinross Council has today confirmed arrangements for an interim bus service will operate on the route from Monday 24 August 2026, ahead of a longer-term decision at a meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee on Wednesday (26...

www.pkc.gov.uk

Only down for 5 days to run it from the 24th to the 29th until the Council meeting

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

PVR on the 73/74 is half a bus less than it is currently - it's 11 AM peak and 12 PM peak at the moment, it'll now be 11 across the whole day.

Think the 76/76A will be one bus all day (it would be pointless interworking the 76A with 73 if they've just separated the routes for reliability purposes) whilst all the other services (27, 30, 72, 73, 74, 75 etc.) will be subject to clever interworking to make the bus boards suitable for EVs

Seems to be a growing way of doing things across the industry. It is clever.

I figured 75/76 would continue to interwork with one bus with 76A coming off 73?

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

I figured 75/76 would continue to interwork with one bus with 76A coming off 73?

Then there'd be no point in taking Cliffburn off the 73 apart from giving it a different route number

 

[Strathtay 260]

Suspect it'll be 3 minutes

So we can almost guarantee these buses will never run on time? Pretty silly idea in my opinion. Even if the bus arrives on time to Whitehall Street it still isn't enough time to deboard all passengers on Whitehall Street and board all passengers on the High Street necessarily.

 

[kez19]

I also suspect that the 74 is no longer terminating starting from Whitehall Theatre (or as it use to display Dundee University/Monifieth)?

 

[marks87]

I also suspect that the 74 is no longer terminating starting from Whitehall Theatre (or as it use to display Dundee University/Monifieth)?

As mentioned (and shown in the service changes), the 74 will now be a Carnoustie-Monifieth service.

 

[40101]

As mentioned (and shown in the service changes), the 74 will now be a Carnoustie-Monifieth service.

Which will die a death!

 

[Strathtay 260]

I also suspect that the 74 is no longer terminating starting from Whitehall Theatre (or as it use to display Dundee University/Monifieth)?

Was that ever actually used past the city centre? I don't think I've seen more than one or two folk on at that point (if you're lucky!).

 

[Stan Drews]

Was that ever actually used past the city centre? I don't think I've seen more than one or two folk on at that point (if you're lucky!).

It was always doomed to fail, and no real surprise that it has!

 

[Strathtay 260]

It was always doomed to fail, and no real surprise that it has!

Yeah I do wonder why Stagecoach set up questionable routes like that sometimes.