Ok. I've done the entirety of both the 275 and X28 today and I think the routes will work, they may just need the odd tweak in a few places. It is obviously difficult to judge what will happen next but here are my thoughts:
The 275 could extend to Harthill to replace most of the 22 should it be withdrawn, this is very much possible in my eyes and I think it is something Lothian will look into. My only questions with the 275 still are the half hourly frequency on a Sunday (I only think it's there to attract folk). Also Serving Kirkton Campus at weekends seems daft too and is there a market for the Gyle/Edinburgh Park section? I personally don't think so and I'd rather it ran into the City but that bit is early days with regards to the latter.
I wouldn't change the X27/X28's routes much, Possibly X28 could run through Deans South and maybe change the stopping pattern in Edinburgh, Perhaps running to Morrisons and Birniehill may be looked at too, But overall things look very promising for these two routes. If there were to be a double in frequency this should only happen Monday to Saturday and if the 23/X23 is cut.
I noticed quite a few people were angry with First not serving the hospital much these days and all of 5 of the Lothian Country routes will serve here, this could prove to be a key market for Lothian. Having just the crap 26 and 27 running there is largely pointless as the market is very limited on those two routes any. The 26 takes ages to go anywhere beyond Fauldhouse and The 27 is merely half of a town service serving markets First are no longer interested in.
Despite strong criticism from a few on this thread I personally don't think there's anything wrong with the routes around Livi and I expect them to stay that way. It worked and it didn't feel like it took that long. Nobody seemed to moan about it either when onboard, In fact they liked it.
Also worth noting that the introduction of the 287 may very well kill off most of the 21 too.
So, I think the 21 and 22 will be completely withdrawn in the near future. The 22 replaced by 275 extension to Harthill, The 21 replaced by an extension of the 287 to Whitburn or Harthill. The 27 which isn't under any threat may be withdrawn too I feel if it stays as it is. The 26 may suffer from cuts between Bathgate and Fauldhouse too. The rest of the network from First is fine for now. I doubt first would cut the 25 between Livi and Blackridge instead perhaps the bit between Bathgate and Blackridge but I guess we'll see as time goes on with that one.
Right now the 24/25 aren't under any real threat although a small part of the 25 will be when the 280 launches.
Again this all talk for now but long term it looks to be in Lothian's favour, Well at least for now it does.
Would be interesting to hear your thoughts/ideas on new routes/extensions/replacements
I've always said, and been supported, by an idea of a Harthill - Whitburn - Blackburn - Livingston - Broxburn - Edinburgh service which would give connections from the places without trains to Edinburgh. Let's call this the X22, replacing the 275 between Whitburn and Blackburn. This would run every 30 minutes with double deckers, and run through Livingston Village to Livingston, and limited stop into Edinburgh.
Run the 275 as it does to Blackburn, but then to Bathgate replacing the 287, or run the 287 like the 275 from Whitburn. Probably make this run with single deckers, every 30 minutes Mon-Sat, hourly Sundays. Call this the 275 or 280. The X22/2xx combine to run every 15 minutes Blackburn to Livingston.
Run the 280 every 30 minutes along the full route with single deckers, hourly evenings/Sundays (probably not much change from what it's going to be).
Change the X27/X28 to two routes: X27 as Deans to Edinburgh, running like the 280 to Livingston then the current route to Edinburgh, running this every 30 minutes with double deckers, and have the 28, running the current X28 route every 30 minutes with either single deckers or double deckers but maybe run it the current First 23/X23 route (slower) to allow people to get on/off here.
Finally have the X21 running via Howden and Ladywell every 30 minutes with Single deckers, like the 275 but skipping Pumpherston maybe?
The X21/X22 combine every 15 minutes Livingston - Uphall - Broxburn - Edinburgh, with the X22 providing a faster service.
The X22/275 combine every 15 minutes Blackburn - Livingston, with fairly equal journey times (give or take a few minutes)
The 28/280 combine every 15 minutes Bathgate - Livingston, with the 280 providing a faster service (maybe cut the 28 back to Deans and run some sort of route like the 25 every 30 minutes if people don't use the 28 between Deans and Bathgate?)
The X27/280 combine every 15 minutes Deans - Eliburn - Livingston, with equal journey times.
The X27 and 28 both run through Mid Calder and East Calder along different routes - one is a limited stop service, the other a stopping service via Kirknewton.
Thoughts? As I have said before while posting versions of this, I don't know the area well, and whilst LC have some good base ideas they are executed poorly. These ideas would build on what they are doing at the moment, whilst making services more competitive against First. I'd guess it would need a few more resources than currently planned, but I'm sure Lothian can find a few extra buses!
