West Lothian buses

[overthewater]

Hasn’t the 281 been cancelled?

Your right, I need to go back to Specsavers. We will have to wait until the TT come out to figure out if certain areas are getting cuts.

Has anyone else noticed the 287 is getting extended to Bathgate Railway Station, that will keep them in the good books with certain councillors. It seems x18 not going to Whitburn anymore? Again leaving that market to First.

 

[Weemidi135]

Not been operating it illegally we would hope

No I would imagine there is some change to the route hence the spilt registration

 

[Weemidi135]

Your right, I need to go back to Specsavers. We will have to wait until the TT come out to figure out if certain areas are getting cuts.

Has anyone else noticed the 287 is getting extended to Bathgate Railway Station, that will keep them in the good books with certain councillors. It seems x18 not going to Whitburn anymore? Again leaving that market to First.

No the registration has never actually changed to Whitburn and I can’t see them taking the X18 out of Whitburn because it’s so popular

 

[Weemidi135]

BIG Question will be around the X38 is the fares... First has mostly likely lost the Kirkliston passengers, However the Winchburgh passengers will put up more of fight., because said passengers will still be saving £30 a month if there stick with First.

Kirkliston will fall under city west so £2.70 singles or £5.00 day ticket
Winchburgh likely be zone A so £3.70 single and £7.50 day ticket

 

[Observer]

X38 should have happened when First reduced the 38...then they reinstated the frequency. I think the ship has long sailed for that one, doubt it will work as well as they think it could.

 

[Swampy21]

No the registration has never actually changed to Whitburn and I can’t see them taking the X18 out of Whitburn because it’s so popular

I hope not........it's handy in emergencies and at weekends.
If they scrap the X18 between Armadale and Whitburn, I'm a bit scuppered because, with First only being 1/2 hourly during daylight hours, then flipping back to hourly after 6pm, If i miss the 21, then I've only got 20 mins or so to wait for an X18 to come along............ and on a Sunday, the X18 is pretty much essential, as there's a HUGE gap in the 21 timetable, being that a bus leaves Whitburn for Armadale/Bathgate/Livingston at 17:48 and the next one after that isn't till 20:48, so the X18, being 1/2 hourly 7 days a week is a lifeline.

 

[Bluebirdscot66]

Kirkliston will fall under city west so £2.70 singles or £5.00 day ticket
Winchburgh likely be zone A so £3.70 single and £7.50 day ticket

That’s not too far away from first fares . Kirkliston - Ed by first is £3.40 single but day ticket is £4.00 winchburgh -Ed is if I remember right 4.20 ish single £4.00 return .7.30 LM dayticket .i think .( should’ve looked it up before posting)

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Oh boy this was completed unexpected! well untill word comes out on what these changes are this is all sounded pretty positive so far!

Here is my 2 cents

X17 - Maybe a Sunday service added, especially with the 281 being withdrawn, perhaps a later journey from Edinburgh to Fauldhouse or Livingston

X18 - Probably a frequency increase since it’s the most popular service on this network

X27 - Definitely a surprise, makes me wonder how they are going to work the frequency between Edinburgh and Livingston now. but Blackburn getting a direct link to the City is definitely a plus

X28 - Hopefully a frequency increase? no idea

X38 - The elephant in the room, a new service and lets be honest this was only a matter of time, the Ex2 being an experiment to test the Linlithgow residents and clearly LCB feel confident to challenge the 38! Kirkliston residents will finally be happy to have a direct Lothian service now so honestly I have faith this will go well for certain people! As for the fares I’m sure Linlithgow will fall under the Zone B area.

43/X43 - Probably a timetable change to accommodate the depot move? or maybe a timetable increase

N43 - A return journey added? I’ve no idea how well the N43 has been doing to being with so this is just a guess, maybe more journeys?

275 - The Cutback seems fair enough, especially with the X27 replacing it, if it wasn’t for the fact the 275 serves Pumpherston and Uphall Station I would
of seen this withdrawn also, but maybe it could serve more of Livingston before terminating at the centre?

280 - No idea what they could do with this service to be honest, timetable revision no doubt

281 - Well not surprised it’s getting withdrawn, clearly must be wanting to boost up the X17, since the Route was an essential
Copy of the X28 in the Livingston area

287 - Extending to the Railway station to
Cover more of Bathgate, I guess with the Ex1
being withdrawn they want another service
to run to the station

Ex1 - Withdrawn, and in other news Rain gets you wet!

Ex2 - Good news about the extension! Clearly the more popular one, though will be interesting to see it with the X38 running alongside this, also with the Ex1 withdrawn will be strange to see Green Arrow as a one service operation.

Will have to wait untill LCB officially announce the changes, but so far it sounds promising. Nothing on the N28, surprised they haven’t brought out another night service

 

[oldman]

43/X43 - Probably a timetable change to accommodate the depot move? or maybe a timetable increase

N43 - A return journey added? I’ve no idea how well the N43 has been doing to being with so this is just a guess, maybe more journeys?

These are Lothian Buses routes at the moment so it could be just a re-registration. The EX2 is also changing from LB to LCB.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

So I’m looking at the 275 and I’m thinking it’s now quite short, I was hoping for it to serve EDI Airport though that now looks to be unlikely - yet Edinburgh Park (which hardly anyone uses on the 275) is still served. I’m wondering if they may make the 275 every 15 minutes between Broxburn (or Pumpherston) and Livi to part cover withdrawn buses (using singles of course).

I’m wondering if 280 will go up to every 15 minutes to fill the gap left by the 281? It is after all doing the 281’s bit at Carmondean.

I reckon 287 has only been extended to the station to avoid that awkward layover point on South Bridge Street, it was something I and others suggested in the past. Frequency I’d expect to stay the same. Big question for me is will it finally pick up Morrison’s?

I do wonder if the X17/X18 will be increased to every 20 minutes each? I don’t think it’s really needed but this is Lothian we are talking about. X17 to fill the gap left by the 281 and the X18 as said in my last post. It would give Broxburn an every 10 minutes service to Edinburgh. X17 really should be going back to using singles as it just isn’t busy enough (doubles at peaks).

Wester Inch back on for X18 or just a registration error like Armadale?

X27/X28 are almost certain to double in frequency otherwise Knightsridge is down to an hourly service from LC which surely isn’t gonna happen.

Anyone clued up as to what they plan to do with the spare coaches? EX2 won’t need 8 and there’s apparently more due.

One thing is for certain I reckon there’s gonna be a strange frequency increase to one route - I’m just not sure which one it will be at the minute. Should point out that I’m talking about other routes rather than the X18, X27/X28.

X38 would require 7 or 8 buses even if it’s every half an hour and given how much resources LC apparently have I doubt we’d see much better than that. Number of singles (13) adds up to work the X38 and 287 perfectly. I wonder if Bridgend will be served?

 

[wlbusser]

That’s not too far away from first fares . Kirkliston - Ed by first is £3.40 single but day ticket is £4.00 winchburgh -Ed is if I remember right 4.20 ish single £4.00 return .7.30 LM dayticket .i think .( should’ve looked it up before posting)

I'm sure it's £3.80 single to Edin from Winchburgh but £4 return, though I usually get a £21.50 LM weekly ticket these days and sometimes I grab a £4 return so don't know what singles are like?

 

[Driver362]

First make very little in Linlithgow and Winchburgh and considering EX2 is doing linlithgow now it is really only winchburgh so that's no real big issue in real terms

Realy, it's hard to imagine all those pax I see on 38 in Newbridge have came from falkirk/Stirling well in my experience of driving them for many years. So we will have to wait and see how much a loss it

The Changes to the Green arrow, now means there will be surplus of coaches... I wonder if the x17 will go up to every 20mins?

With the X27 be every 30mins? Has anyone noticed it going back to its original route. However if passengers STILL have to operate via Dedridge West and Craighills, then its a non starter for many passengers, and the 600 and Blue bus will keep people.

LCB are cutting back on the Livingston to Broxburn market, So First are managed to hold its own on that route it seems.

Don't worry about Ex2 competing with the X38, it wont. X38 is copy of the current First service and yet Ex2 still get passengers..

Full of positivity as usual otw

 

[Jordan Adam]

Realy, it's hard to imagine all those pax I see on 38 in Newbridge have came from falkirk/Stirling well in my experience of driving them for many years. So we will have to wait and see how much a loss it

I agree, i doubt the 38 gets Edinburgh - Stirling passengers, however Falkirk passengers wouldn't surprise me. Not to mention the areas east of Falkirk. It's pretty clear the current 15 minute frequency isn't justified, but the new X38 could go either way. The launch of the X38 could potentially end with a poorer service for residents along the 38 corridor as Lothian will have issues going west of Linlithgow and i doubt First will want to pump resources in to the 38. Another outcome is that the X38 will just take passengers from the EX2. However as i should stress, at this stage we can only speculate, however in my view the future doesn't look great for bus services in the Linlithgow area.

Full of positivity as usual otw

I don't see anything negative or unfair in his post....

 

[TheEastCoaster]

The launch of the X38 could potentially end with a poorer service for residents along the 38 corridor as Lothian will have issues going west of Linlithgow and i doubt First will want to pump resources in to the 38. Another outcome is that the X38 will just take passengers from the EX2. However as i should stress, at this stage we can only speculate, however in my view the future doesn't look great for bus services in the Linlithgow area.

It agree that it could take passengers off the Ex2 to save them money especially with the £7.50 dayticket and Ridacard discounts, in terms of fares it is to be expected what they will be

As for passengers eitherway as i stated Kirkliston residents will be the ones who will be head over heels the most about this, so no doubt residents there who already have Ridacards but use the 63 will be pleased and maybe more residents will buy them.

Can’t really comment on winchburgh but if the corridor is really struggling then what have Lothian got to lose, as far as I’m aware this is essentially the final part of the West Lothian area they got to cover. it is only a matter of time.

Speaking of speculation, you don’t suppose maybe LCB will announce some new annual ticket along with these service changes? probably too far fetched and given past missed opportunities it’s doubtful but really don’t know what is taking them too long, ECB is as big of an offender for this too, of course both services accept Ridacard in the City areas but not offer an alternative for country residents?

 

[overthewater]

Kirkliston will fall under city west so £2.70 singles or £5.00 day ticket
Winchburgh likely be zone A so £3.70 single and £7.50 day ticket

Lothian will need to cut its fares on the Winchburgh section or will not get passengers. First it's only Dayrider £7.20, week: £21.40 - £24 and give 7 FULL DAYS, etc.

AS seen on this wonderful NEW Ticket MAP: https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/maps/Scotland East Zones Network_WEB.pdf

X38 should have happened when First reduced the 38...then they reinstated the frequency. I think the ship has long sailed for that one, doubt it will work as well as they think it could.

As with Lothian in West Lothian is been very backwards are time, and has been mishandled so this is no surprise.

Full of positivity as usual otw

AS Jordan said,nothing negative or unfair, just realistic, I even give praise for the Ex2 staying and keeping its passengers.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Lothian will need to cut its fares on the Winchburgh section or will not get passengers. First it's only Dayrider £7.20, week: £21.40 - £24 and give 7 FULL DAYS, etc.

Knowing Lothian I doubt they will cut their fares, Dayticket difference is only by 30p, While Lothian have the benefit of including travel on all the City Buses, trams, Skylinks and ECB within the city zone, First have all their services in the respective zones with their ticket, it’s all just the matter of where folk want to go, Kirkliston residents will be the winners here of the most, but only time will tell

 

[overthewater]

Kirkliston passengers should be able to get Ridercard, but problem isnt the fares its weekly and monthlys..

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Kirkliston passengers should be able to get Ridercard, but problem isnt the fares its weekly and monthlys..

That’s why I’m hoping with all the feedback LCB have received the past year will let them realise that they need to bring something out, but still I remain optimistic

 

[overthewater]

That’s why I’m hoping with all the feedback LCB have received the past year will let them realise that they need to bring something out, but still I remain optimistic

I'll have what your drinking

 

[TheEastCoaster]

I'll have what your drinking

It’s Brand new Lothian juice, Country flavoured

 

[overthewater]

Minty

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Anyway am I the only one surprised that not only LCB went after the 38 route but the route number too! fair enough they did that with the X27/X28 but First already changed it to the 23/X23 at that point. So that’s two 38’s on the same corridor, one by first and one by Lothian.

Also how twisted would it be if they decided to omit Kirkliston and run to Broxburn then Winchburgh and then to Linlithgow! I doubt they will but imagine how funny that would be if they announced it like that

 

[Jordan Adam]

Anyway am I the only one surprised that not only LCB went after the 38 route but the route number too! fair enough they did that with the X27/X28 but First already changed it to the 23/X23 at that point. So that’s two 38’s on the same corridor, one by first and one by Lothian.

Also how twisted would it be if they decided to omit Kirkliston and run to Broxburn then Winchburgh and then to Linlithgow! I doubt they will but imagine how funny that would be if they announced it like that

It makes me wonder how far they can go before the CMA get involved...

 

[Observer]

Does make you wonder if First will do anything regarding the 38. The frequency doesn't need an increase, so the idea of Linlithgow - Edinburgh shorts being put in by First is unlikely. They could try going after the EX2 with their own express service, but with all the cutbacks with First, it's something they would have done years ago, but not today. Chances are they'll just let Lothian play with the X38 until they get bored as they're just chasing the same passengers, all it will do is make everyone's bus quieter.

 

[overthewater]

If first can keep its peak passengers then it has nothing to worry about.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Does make you wonder if First will do anything regarding the 38. The frequency doesn't need an increase, so the idea of Linlithgow - Edinburgh shorts being put in by First is unlikely. They could try going after the EX2 with their own express service, but with all the cutbacks with First, it's something they would have done years ago, but not today. Chances are they'll just let Lothian play with the X38 until they get bored as they're just chasing the same passengers, all it will do is make everyone's bus quieter.

I think the better route for First would be to improve the vehicles rather than the timetable. Perhaps they could divert some vehicles from the next Glasgow order.

 

[scotrail158713]

That’s why I’m hoping with all the feedback LCB have received the past year will let them realise that they need to bring something out, but still I remain optimistic

I wouldn’t get too excited. In East Lothian we’ve been waiting 3+ years for Ridacards beyond Zone D.

 

[overthewater]

I wouldn’t get too excited. In East Lothian we’ve been waiting 3+ years for Ridacards beyond Zone D.

And this is the reason why LCB has not war this war, passengers are not stupid. There have complained about high fares for years, and the fact there is not even a proper silmuley product is rather weird.

 

[Bus9120UK]

For me it is unfortunate about the X17 Cut. It was really useful for me. Edit: There are 2 registrations for this service? One from Edinburgh to Livingston, and one from Livingston to Fauldhouse?

 

[TheEastCoaster]

For me it is unfortunate about the X17 Cut. It was really useful for me. Edit: There are 2 registrations for this service? One from Edinburgh to Livingston, and one from Livingston to Fauldhouse?

The X17 will remain, no doubt there will be some change to the service, especially with the 281 being cut, think they will introduce a Sunday service