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Stagecoach West Scotland

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Christmas

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This is a pathetic timetable which is set up to fail. People will hardly have time to finish their jobs or shopping before they miss the last bus home!
If this is receiving financial assistance from SPT then I might suggest that they cut the 125 at night and divert the subsidy to the X36 as significantly more people wish to travel between the Garnock Valley and Glasgow than they do to Kilwinning and Irvine.
 
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Scotrail314209

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This is a pathetic timetable which is set up to fail. People will hardly have time to finish their jobs or shopping before they miss the last bus home!
If this is receiving financial assistance from SPT then I might suggest that they cut the 125 at night and divert the subsidy to the X36 as significantly more people wish to travel between the Garnock Valley and Glasgow than they do to Kilwinning and Irvine.
The 25A in the evenings also extends from Irvine Cross and covers the suburbs of Bourtreehill, Broomlands and Stanecastle. It replaces services 28 and 23.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Currently on an X36 to Glasgow, going very slowly due to the amount of passengers we’ve picked up. We’ve stopped at almost every stop between Saltcoats and Beith to pick someone up.
 
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fisher2511

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Stagecoach have been using a couple of deckers on the 585 recently. Often one is on a schedule that becomes the subsidised 585A between Largs and Stevenston in the evening, alongside an Optare. Overkill for the few passengers that use it.
 

Scotrail314209

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Stagecoach have been using a couple of deckers on the 585 recently. Often one is on a schedule that becomes the subsidised 585A between Largs and Stevenston in the evening, alongside an Optare. Overkill for the few passengers that use it.
That specific duty used to be an E200. Not fun mid-afternoon.

On other news, as several of the Eleven branded MMCs (practically all of the batch) are down in Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games, Kilmarnock depot has received some loans.

Aviemore:
19214 - NK57 DXA
19216 - NK57 DXC

Cumbernauld:
10515 - SN16 OMA
10518 - SN16 OME
10520 - SN16 OMG
10522 - SN16 OMJ

Inverness:
10525 - SN16 OMO

The Ardrossan runs are being covered by Scania Enviro 400s.

However, reliability has practically fallen off a cliff over the last few days, with most buses being over 40 minutes late by 6pm. The 585 has suffered much the same, with buses being nearly an hour late.

I'd imagine this is due to the reduced frequency and road closures all over the place, plus the recent hot weather.
 

ClydeCoaster

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I've noticed a hit on the 585 in Largs and, given the sunny warm weather, saw an E300 integral leaving town Ayr-bound late afternoon creaking at the seams with standing passengers.

And the last few weeks have regularly seen a Scania/E400 on the evening 585A.
 

Scotrail314209

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I've noticed a hit on the 585 in Largs and, given the sunny warm weather, saw an E300 integral leaving town Ayr-bound late afternoon creaking at the seams with standing passengers.

And the last few weeks have regularly seen a Scania/E400 on the evening 585A.
I agree, even looking now there’s 585s already running over 10 minutes late, with one being 26 minutes late.

Reliability seems to have fallen off a cliff recently.
 

DanT2014

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To combat all the negative nancys on this here page, I will notate some positives of this bus service:
  • #42 managed to stick to timetable despite it being standing room only at times yesterday
  • X77 impressed me with big coaches and good views
  • X76 similar to the above
  • #97 looking packed as ever, with throngs of happy holiday makers
  • All electric buses are in stunning condition. They are very clean and spacious and I find them comfortable
  • New vehicles may come soon. Some or all may be electric.
I hope this helps.
 

Scotrail314209

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To combat all the negative nancys on this here page, I will notate some positives of this bus service:
  • #42 managed to stick to timetable despite it being standing room only at times yesterday
  • X77 impressed me with big coaches and good views
  • X76 similar to the above
  • #97 looking packed as ever, with throngs of happy holiday makers
  • All electric buses are in stunning condition. They are very clean and spacious and I find them comfortable
  • New vehicles may come soon. Some or all may be electric.
I hope this helps.
“Negative Nancy’s?” Considering a bus I relied on to get to Edinburgh on time in the morning has now been scrapped, and vastly cut down during the day. I think there’s a reason to be slightly irritated with Stagecoach.

The same goes for the reliability over recent days, with most buses through Ardrossan being extremely late.

The service is good, when it actually works properly.
 

route101

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“Negative Nancy’s?” Considering a bus I relied on to get to Edinburgh on time in the morning has now been scrapped, and vastly cut down during the day. I think there’s a reason to be slightly irritated with Stagecoach.

The same goes for the reliability over recent days, with most buses through Ardrossan being extremely late.

The service is good, when it actually works properly.
Not just issues at Stagecoach West Scotland, but all over the UK.
 

DanT2014

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Not just issues at Stagecoach West Scotland, but all over the UK.
It’s mostly the after effects of Covid at this point. The virus causes a noticeable drop in passengers, and it may also have created staff shortages. I would imagine over the next few years, any Covid after effects should disappear. With passenger numbers increasing, and staff numbers also improving with new recruitment and training programmes. Just give it time, I’m sure it will resolve itself.
 

Stan Drews

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Five of the last eight departures (incl the last two) on the half hourly 585 service from Largs were cancelled this afternoon!
 

Christmas

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It’s mostly the after effects of Covid at this point. The virus causes a noticeable drop in passengers, and it may also have created staff shortages. I would imagine over the next few years, any Covid after effects should disappear. With passenger numbers increasing, and staff numbers also improving with new recruitment and training programmes. Just give it time, I’m sure it will resolve itself.
Respectfully I disagree with you. The staff issues are mainly because of the poor rates of pay and that needs to be addressed. People don't want to drive buses for a fraction more than minimum wage.

Perhaps you are too young to remember the Stagecoach Western route network of even just a decade ago, based on the previous Western, A1 and AA routes, this has now largely disappeared because of mismanagement, cuts and passengers moving to trains.

What has become of the 11 service is tragic, down from buses every 5 or 7 minutes at one point to now hourly when people really want to travel is disgusting.

As for the 585, now curtailed at Largs and cannot run to time. The X34 X36 debacle and new timetables with the last bus leaving Glasgow at 17.15 will lead to the service being abandoned by passengers, the beneficiary being ScotRail. None of these changes benefit passengers or concessionaries either.

The West Scotland management should be utterly ashamed of their tenure and destruction of the once thriving network.
 

RomeoCharlie71

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What has become of the 11 service is tragic, down from buses every 5 or 7 minutes at one point to now hourly when people really want to travel is disgusting.

As for the 585, now curtailed at Largs and cannot run to time. The X34 X36 debacle and new timetables with the last bus leaving Glasgow at 17.15 will lead to the service being abandoned by passengers, the beneficiary being ScotRail. None of these changes benefit passengers or concessionaries either.

The West Scotland management should be utterly ashamed of their tenure and destruction of the once thriving network.
Unfortunately this is representative of East Scotland too. Management seem to think it's perfectly acceptable cancelling 300+ journeys at short notice per day, meanwhile numerous drivers are off for a jolly round Birmingham to fulfil the lucrative Commonwealth Games contract for the next 2 weeks.
 

Stan Drews

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The 11 is now down to every 15 mins, with a number of cancellations each day, although not as many as when it was every 10 minutes. It is supposed to go back up to a 12 minute frequency when the schools return next month, which should coincide with the drivers returning from the Commonwealth Games.
 

JModulo

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Respectfully I disagree with you. The staff issues are mainly because of the poor rates of pay and that needs to be addressed. People don't want to drive buses for a fraction more than minimum wage.

Perhaps you are too young to remember the Stagecoach Western route network of even just a decade ago, based on the previous Western, A1 and AA routes, this has now largely disappeared because of mismanagement, cuts and passengers moving to trains.

What has become of the 11 service is tragic, down from buses every 5 or 7 minutes at one point to now hourly when people really want to travel is disgusting.

As for the 585, now curtailed at Largs and cannot run to time. The X34 X36 debacle and new timetables with the last bus leaving Glasgow at 17.15 will lead to the service being abandoned by passengers, the beneficiary being ScotRail. None of these changes benefit passengers or concessionaries either.

The West Scotland management should be utterly ashamed of their tenure and destruction of the once thriving network.
This exactly. The latter being a big factor in the Cumnock area when the depot closed. No through route on the X76 to Glasgow has made a lot of people switch to the train.
 
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Scotrail314209

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As for the 585, now curtailed at Largs and cannot run to time. The X34 X36 debacle and new timetables with the last bus leaving Glasgow at 17.15 will lead to the service being abandoned by passengers, the beneficiary being ScotRail. None of these changes benefit passengers or concessionaries either.

A fair compromise I would've accepted for the X36 was for it to be every two hours off-peak, with an increase to hourly during the peak times, instead of curtailing all but the first and last two journeys at Dalry.

My mother used the service from Glengarnock to Beith, and she said it was absolutely dead. They were the only people on the bus.

It seems the timetable has scared away regular passengers.
 

Bus Lightyear

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Not just issues at Stagecoach West Scotland, but all over the UK.
Exactly this. It's my view that there is very little to be gained by criticising individual operators when the whole industry is in crisis mode due to a number of different factors.
 

Scotrail314209

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The 11 has really taken a battering for punctuality recently. I thought the service every 15 minutes was supposed to help ease things. It’s 15:09 and the 14:45 to Ardrossan has only just shown up in Kilmarnock.

I understand there are issues all over the place, but as a regular user there’s a point where it really starts to become a nuisance.
 

PaulMc7

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Exactly this. It's my view that there is very little to be gained by criticising individual operators when the whole industry is in crisis mode due to a number of different factors.
It's the handling of the crisis that results in the criticism to be fair. If it's deserved then fair enough. Management should be looking at ways to make the job as attractive as possible for new drivers but nothing really seems to be becoming more positive. They aren't the only operator guilty of it but Stagecoach don't have a good reputation of being a particularly good company to work for.

They also need to just put out timetables they can definitely run unless a major Covid outbreak happens. Reliability is key to recovering from this crisis.
 

Bus Lightyear

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Management should be looking at ways to make the job as attractive as possible for new drivers but nothing really seems to be becoming more positive.
I hear that and I do think bus drivers should be paid more as the pay deals that members have had to accept over a number of years have been nowhere near good enough and that is something the whole industry has to take responsibility for, not just individual operators . The problem is just like any business the operators can only do what is affordable otherwise we could end up with further cuts to routes and timetables and fare increases to pay for it at a time when the industry is in such a bad way and passenger volume is still down compared to 2019 before the pandemic.
 

Scotrail314209

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I do understand the issue surrounding drivers, but the punctuality issue has been really bad. On some key routes, by about 2/3pm most buses will be running over 20 minutes late. Most routes are reliable, but the 11 and the 585 really seem to be suffering the most.

I wonder where West Scotland were able to spare 20 drivers to go to the Commonwealth Games…
 

overthewater

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This has gone past a few people, Some improvements coming... N06, 7 , 22 and 23 are also changing.

X77: now back to every 30mins

From 01st September 2022, the Service X77 route will include the village of Monkton, South Ayrshire.
In addition, the service will be increased to operate every 30 minutes to better improve connections between South Ayrshire and Glasgow City Centre.

The 18:05 departure from Buchanan Bus Station will depart at the slightly later time of 18:15.

Customers who use the X77 to travel to Fenwick or from Fenwick to Glasgow will use Service X76 from Kilmarnock from 01st September 2022. Service 4 can be used from Ayr to Kilmarnock Bus Station.

We hope that the addition of Monkton to the X77 timetable and increase in service will encourage more people back to bus.

X76: now every 30mins

From the 1st September 2022. The Service X76 (X78/X79/X71) will serve the village of Fenwick, East Ayrshire, this route change will replace the current X77 services via Fenwick.

In addition, the service will be increased to operate every 30 minutes to better improve connections between East Ayrshire and Glasgow City Centre.
The X76 fleet is operated with high spec double deck coaches, featuring USB ports, air conditioning and free WiFi on board.
 
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Scotrail314209

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This has gone past a few people, Some improvements coming... N06, 7 , 22 and 23 are also changing.

X77: now back to every 30mins

X76: now every 30mins
It’s already quite tight getting an Enviro 200 through Monkton, let alone a big coach.

Good move to send the X76 via Fenwick though.

I don’t think they should be sending the X77 through Monkton, does it really need an express service to Glasgow?
 

PaulMc7

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Have they got the drivers to run extra services just now? I've not really used Stagecoach in their West Scotland operation only East Scotland so I'm just curious.
 
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