North East Buses

(28 Sep 2023, 7:39 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]It's the Shotts line (South of the town) that's been recently electrified.

So more recent than the Bathgate line, but obviously in the public domain, planned and in place before they set up operations? 

We've seen some disingenuous comments from operators, but this is up there with the best/worst.

(28 Sep 2023, 8:08 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]So more recent than the Bathgate line, but obviously in the public domain, planned and in place before they set up operations? 

We've seen some disingenuous comments from operators, but this is up there with the best/worst.

Aye, 2019 I believe it opened so long before. Mind unless there's been a sudden surge in the last year, the numbers are way down since pre covid at Livingston South.

(28 Sep 2023, 7:39 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]It's the Shotts line (South of the town) that's been recently electrified.

The Shotts line also has a frequency increase planned from December too.

Further to my post #528, McGill's Eastern Scottish's service 31 is withdrawn after operation today, 15 October 2023. The City of Edinburgh Council contracted services 20, 63 and 68 are due to be retendered in 2024. 
Lothian Country has announced that it will operate additional services from 3rd December to cover most of the areas formerly covered by Eastern Scottish. It appears that Lothian Country will not serve Blackridge, Livingston South and Livingston Village. West Lothian Council has issued a tender for a service to Blackridge.

Lothian Country announces plans for two new routes in West Lothian
Changes to Lothian Country network from Sunday 3 December 2023
October 11, 2023
Lothian Country has today (11 October) announced its intention to register two new routes and extend another in West Lothian from Sunday 3 December.


Extended Service 72 will operate between Kirkliston, Winchburgh, Broxburn, Uphall, Uphall Station, Pumpherston, St. John’s Hospital, Livingston Centre, Eliburn, Blackburn, Whitburn, Fauldhouse. This service will run hourly, between 0700hrs and 2100hrs, 7 days a week.

NEW Service 73 will operate between Livingston Centre and Blackburn via St John’s Hospital, Livingston North, Deans South, Boghall, Bathgate and Wester Inch. This service will run hourly, Monday to Saturday between 0700hrs and 2000hrs.

NEW Service 74 will operate between Livingston Centre and Fauldhouse via Dedridge, Polbeth, West Calder, Loganlea, Addiewell, Stoneyburn and Bents. This service will run hourly, Monday to Saturday between 0700hrs and 2000hrs and Sunday between 0900hrs and 1900hrs.

Sarah Boyd, Lothian Managing Director said: “Operating safe, reliable services is the backbone of our business and our teams have worked extremely hard to stabilise our existing operation to be able to confidently provide a robust and reliable service for customers.

“It is no secret that the last 3 years have been extremely challenging for our industry and as a commercial operator, with only 0.4% of our revenue coming from subsidised services, it is vital that any new service achieves the level of customer usage required to make it financially viable.

“Lothian Country is proud to be a part of the communities that we serve and our team is absolutely focused on running reliable services for those who rely on us.”

Lothian Country have been operating in West Lothian since August 2017. The operator took the difficult decision last year to review its network in entirety, making significant changes to its service provision in the area to improve reliability while continuing to ensure as far as was reasonably possible that all communities would continue to have access to a bus service.

https://www.lothianbuses.com/news/2023/10/w_l_l_c/

I wonder why the major commercial bus operator in the city isn't running this service anyway?

https://news.stv.tv/east-central/edinbur...-transport

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67993056

would be ideal for the GNE 21 and the SCNE 1!!

(18 Jan 2024, 8:42 am)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67993056

would be ideal for the GNE 21 and the SCNE 1!!

Hopefully, it helps eliminate incompetence or at the very least, give some of the schedulers a kick up the backside. 

Times are changing and it's about time.

(18 Jan 2024, 8:42 am)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67993056

would be ideal for the GNE 21 and the SCNE 1!!

Would be interesting to know if it's actually AI, or whether it's just the same software that was always available with a new name and a higher price tag

(18 Jan 2024, 8:42 am)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67993056

would be ideal for the GNE 21 and the SCNE 1!!

Roger French did an article about it regarding First York

https://busandtrainuser.com/2024/01/04/b...more-54349

Lots of different ideas to get cars out of the city centre

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-e...e-68170323

Absolutely terrible news. Nobody should die doing thier job. Hopefully the
detritus faces the full force of the law https://news.stv.tv/west-central/teenage...lgin-moray

Spotted on news.

Thoughts with this guys family. So tragic.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-n...d-68191217

(03 Feb 2024, 5:44 pm)DeltaMan wrote [ -> ]Absolutely terrible news. Nobody should die doing thier job. Hopefully the
detritus faces the full force of the law https://news.stv.tv/west-central/teenage...lgin-moray

Terrible news. Yet another victim to the crime epidemic, and another child-come-killer. How many lives have to be ruined before something is done about it.

I think that incidents like this, always highlight how little care and consideration is given to welfare and facilities for bus drivers. From what I've been able to find, the issues at Elgin bus station (specifically being labelled a 'no-go area') were well documented. See this article from only 18 months ago. It's not the only one either: 

• "Police patrols stepped up after anti-social behaviour closes busy Fife bus station": https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/crime/p...on-4431367
  
• "St Andrews bus station closed due to antisocial behaviour": https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/fif...behaviour/
  
• "Ossett: Yorkshire town will no longer be served by buses after 6pm due to 'anti-social behaviour being through the roof'": https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/tra...of-4247988
  

That's only a handful of examples though. We'll all know of similar situations in local bus stations around the North East. I used to use Durham on a night for years, to the point that in the end, I felt safer standing waiting in the shelter on Millburngate. The Galleries is very much becoming the same way as that.

I'm not sure what the solution is, though I'm sure we'll still get the odd politician or police chief down for a photo opportunity. Maybe the operators or driving unions need to take some drastic action on it, before there's someone else not going home to their family.

Eve Coaches, Dunbar has been taken over by Lothian Buses.  

Lothian announce purchase of Eve Coaches
Dunbar firm to be operated as a subsidiary under Lothian Buses Ltd
February 13, 2024
Lothian has today (13 February 2024) announced it has purchased East Lothian coach operator Eve Coaches.
The award-winning transport operator will acquire the touring operator, based in Dunbar, to expand its own coach and tours offering in East Lothian.
Following the completion of the acquisition, Lothian intend to continue to operate acquired services under the Eve Coaches brand in East Lothian. These include a mixture of local bus services, private hire services and school work.
Sarah Boyd, Managing Director for Lothian said: “Eve Coaches is a well-known operator in the local area with over 40 years of service to the communities of East Lothian. We look forward to the opportunities that this acquisition will afford us in the future.”
https://www.lothianbuses.com/news/2024/0...e-coaches/

Noticed a West Coast Motors coach working a Megabus service on the A19 this evening.

Can't remember seeing them work in this area before.

(20 Sep 2024, 5:34 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Noticed a West Coast Motors coach working a Megabus service on the A19 this evening.

Can't remember seeing them work in this area before.

Borders Buses are operating a weekend-only Megabus turn from Berwick to London via Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Loughborough and Leicester. Usually using either a 22 plate WCM-branded Irizar i6 or the 72-plate former demonstrator Irizar.

(21 Sep 2024, 4:57 am)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]Borders Buses are operating a weekend-only Megabus turn from Berwick to London via Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Loughborough and Leicester. Usually using either a 22 plate WCM-branded Irizar i6 or the 72-plate former demonstrator Irizar.

What time in Newcastle? Permanent arrangement?