West Lothian buses

[Train368]

40 minutes on the EX1 full route at off peak times is actually really good, only 15 minutes longer than the train. Issue is at peak times it takes 55 minutes full route which is 30 minutes longer than the 25 minute train route. I'm not sure how it will do but it will be a difficult sell to consumers although the introduction of a monthly ticket may help gain more customers.

 

[livi man]

Think maybe the Person that wants a quicker route than the x18 should get a taxi

 

[overthewater]

A new leaflet has appeared highlight all the er? connections on the LCB network... it's more like an advertisement for the shopping centre. We're still no further forward with the details on the Green arrows... like Fares. If it relays on the current crap weeklies I think it's going to have a problem.

40mins off peak is still not great when you have to changed bus stops and catch another bus pushing you up to 50mins? Your only saving 10mins on the X18...

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Now that the Ex1/Ex2 times are on bus times at last, it seems that unlike the tracker stated it does serve all the stops between Haymarket and the exchange meaning it will stop near Dewer Place, Semple Street and Usher Hall to connect easier, not a bad concept in terms of serving more ground but an extension to Waterloo place or even Waverley Bridge would of been ideal to say the least.. plus it’s only running till 6PM which I guess for starting ground is fine but if this service does well I hope it will change for the future..

Now it’s the fares, I’m hoping it will lie under LCB fare zone since this Green Arrow branding has me thinking a new fare zone will be incorporated, also curious if the Ridacard will be valid for city journeys, yes all 3 stops..

I am hoping they get their heads in gear and sort out a monthly ticket soon as I know they said on a Facebook comment they were looking into it.. something reasonably priced anyway. It’s only £56 for 4 weeks on the Ridacard, can’t mind how much the Zone C/D ridacards cost but at the very least around those prices anyway.. it should of been a top priority before all of these new services, a fine deal that will make everyone happy

 

[Volvodart]

The Lothian Buses and East Coast Buses 2018 accounts have been filed with Companies House, but as I suspected, the Lothian Country ones have not. They have until the end of September to file them.

 

[LiviCrazy]

The Lothian Buses and East Coast Buses 2018 accounts have been filed with Companies House, but as I suspected, the Lothian Country ones have not. They have until the end of September to file them.

I thought they were just an operating name of the main company not a separate company like East Coast?

If I’m reading it right they have seen a £9m reduction in operating profits despite revenue increasing.

 

[smtglasgow]

Yes, but nothing to do with West Lothian. They’ve changed their depreciation period to 12 years from 15 – that’s quite a hit to take, but is sensible given the scale of fleet renewal to meet emissions targets. The bigger worry is the almost 2m drop in passenger numbers – put down to changes in working patterns and delays caused by congestion. That’s something that’s going to cause all bus companies a headache going forward.

 

[smtglasgow]

A new leaflet has appeared highlight all the er? connections on the LCB network... it's more like an advertisement for the shopping centre. We're still no further forward with the details on the Green arrows... like Fares. If it relays on the current crap weeklies I think it's going to have a problem.

Can’t see these EX services lasting in their current form for more than 6 months. Not saying they’ll fail, just that we’ll see them mutate into something more realistic. The Edinburgh terminus arrangement is going to confuse the off-peak concession market who just want a couple of hours in Princes St. Really struggle to see Linlithgow supporting a 30 min frequency when the rail link is so good. For the commuter market to work it’s going to have to offer a decent discount on a rail season ticket – can Lothian price it right and still make money? Same goes for Bathgate. They’ve had 10 years of fast, frequent electric trains into Edinburgh, so why would people abandon it now – unless Lothian make it significantly cheaper? How Lothian price these services will probably make or break them.

 

[Volvodart]

Lothian Buses is the consolidated accounts so will include the results from East Coast Buses Limited, Lothian Country Buses Limited and so on.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Can’t see these EX services lasting in their current form for more than 6 months. Not saying they’ll fail, just that we’ll see them mutate into something more realistic. The Edinburgh terminus arrangement is going to confuse the off-peak concession market who just want a couple of hours in Princes St. Really struggle to see Linlithgow supporting a 30 min frequency when the rail link is so good. For the commuter market to work it’s going to have to offer a decent discount on a rail season ticket – can Lothian price it right and still make money? Same goes for Bathgate. They’ve had 10 years of fast, frequent electric trains into Edinburgh, so why would people abandon it now – unless Lothian make it significantly cheaper? How Lothian price these services will probably make or break them.

That hit the nail in the coffin right there, it’s not the route to the exchange that’s the issue it’s just the Terminus, fair enough they want to target office workers since East Coast do that with the 124, but we’ll just wait and see, i hope they keep the day tickets the same and farezones similar, i imagine 4.70 single for Linlithgow? (Don’t know how much the train or Firsts 38 costs for there) unless they do something silly like a new Green Arrow dayticket which is more expensive, idk I want these services to succeed and I’m glad Lothian is serving Linlithgow but like @overthewater stated ages ago they should of hit that corridor first when the 38 was only every 30 minutes! I’m having mixed feelings about this phase

 

[overthewater]

I think the company is still trying to hammer out the details, why else has it taken so long to get evern a timetable out of them. Were still to see if the ex3 plus the other coaches will actually appear.

 

[scotrail158713]

fair enough they want to target office workers since East Coast do that with the 124, but we’ll just wait and see,

I think it works for East Coast as the 124 runs along Princes Street first, something these services won’t do. If they were to run some sort of loop via Princes Street to the terminus it may work, but I’m not sure how they’d do that.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

I think it works for East Coast as the 124 runs along Princes Street first, something these services won’t do. If they were to run some sort of loop via Princes Street to the terminus it may work, but I’m not sure how they’d do that.

Maybe a one way loop via Bread Street, Johnstone Terrace and down the mound terminating at Waverley Bridge before continuing via Princess Street onto the Exchange

So the Ex1/2 timetable has been taken off Bustimes and Traveline only has the Ex2 timetable but with an additional late journey from Edinburgh after 7PM? something tells me these timetables are not even finalised yet, honestly what is even going on anymore?

 

[Jordan Adam]

Maybe a one way loop via Bread Street, Johnstone Terrace and down the mound terminating at Waverley Bridge before continuing via Princess Street onto the Exchange

So the Ex1/2 timetable has been taken off Bustimes and Traveline only has the Ex2 timetable but with an additional late journey from Edinburgh after 7PM? something tells me these timetables are not even finalised yet, honestly what is even going on anymore?

They have to be finalised if they were sent to the Traffic Commissioner and accepted.

 

[Train368]

What's the EX3 that keeps getting mentioned, I never knew their was a EX3?

 

[In Focus]

The Lothian Buses and East Coast Buses 2018 accounts have been filed with Companies House, but as I suspected, the Lothian Country ones have not. They have until the end of September to file them.

Now there is a might shock ,,,, or perhaps not !!

 

[In Focus]

Lothian Buses is the consolidated accounts so will include the results from East Coast Buses Limited, Lothian Country Buses Limited and so on.

So they wont issue accounts for LCB separate to others ?
Wonder why that would be ?

 

[LiviCrazy]

So they wont issue accounts for LCB separate to others ?
Wonder why that would be ?

I’ve never understood why ECB gets its own accounts but LCB doesn’t. It’s not like ECB is posting amazing results itself.

 

[scotrail158713]

It’s not like ECB is posting amazing results itself.

At least ECB buses seem busy whenever I’ve been on one or seen one

 

[LiviCrazy]

At least ECB buses seem busy whenever I’ve been on one or seen one

They are busy but how much of that is new passengers and how much is displaced from ex-First and Lothian routes that were cut back. I think that has brought their naivety, when they’ve not had to compete for passengers.

 

[scotrail158713]

They are busy but how much of that is new passengers and how much is displaced from ex-First and Lothian routes that were cut back. I think that has brought their naivety, when they’ve not had to compete for passengers.

Most ECB routes were launched due to First cutting the routes (X7, 113, 124). In my opinion it seemed sensible for Lothian to cut their routes that were duplicating ECB (X15, 44). The only ECB route that was launched like any of these Lothian Country routes (launched whilst First still ran a route) was the 104 - which was made deckers permanently rather quickly due to its popularity.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Noticed this on Twitter, anyone got any thoughts on the citylink branding

 

[overthewater]

This is just getting weird. ie Citylink branding..

In relation to the cut backs by Lothian outside Edinburgh, Lothian made rather big cuts overall to the network, and people still forget Lothian withdrew a few service and forced alot of people on to East coast buses.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Most ECB routes were launched due to First cutting the routes (X7, 113, 124). In my opinion it seemed sensible for Lothian to cut their routes that were duplicating ECB (X15, 44). The only ECB route that was launched like any of these Lothian Country routes (launched whilst First still ran a route) was the 104 - which was made deckers permanently rather quickly due to its popularity.

It was extremely the most sensible decision by Lothian to do so, as soon as the 124 was reintroduced in 2016 to run via Portobello I knew it was a matter of time before the 15 was cut back! I remember the 104 like it was yesterday! I think it was the same year East Lothian Buses changed to Lothian Country Buses, and that stirred the speculation pot of them extending to West Lothian not long after!

Overall ECB biggest success goes down to their being no competition, well except for maybe Prentice.. Lothian Country will still have other operations besides First like Horsburgh/Blue Bus and Stagecoach to compete with in West Lothian! That’s why passenger numbers are so 50/50 from time to time, it’s not underused but some folk still stick with First for many reasons.

Anyway the bus wars go on

 

[overthewater]

That’s why passenger numbers are so 50/50 from time to time, it’s not underused but some folk still stick with First for many reasons.

Like a better routes, Faster journey times, A proper weekly and monthly tickets...

 

[A330Alex]

The paper timetables apparently have "in partnership with Scottish Citylink" on them which is just... odd. Will be interesting to see the fares - I imagine they might do something like a Green Arrow supplement. e.g. £1 extra to use EX# services.

 

[Bluebirdscot66]

The branding on the side too says in partnership with Scottish city link ,maybe they have another contract ready for them and use something else on the EX services. Interesting....

 

[overthewater]

The roadshow is still on tomorrow, so the coaches are going to operate these routes.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

The paper timetables apparently have "in partnership with Scottish Citylink" on them which is just... odd. Will be interesting to see the fares - I imagine they might do something like a Green Arrow supplement. e.g. £1 extra to use EX# services.

If they did that i doubt it would go down that well, unless the fares are directly in line with LCB folk will no doubt stay with the X18

 

[Jamee]

The green arrow website is live https://greenarrowexpress.co.uk/
Single £5 return £8