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West Lothian buses

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overthewater

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Nor can I (re Glasgow). However, if they increased the service to half-hourly Dunfermline to Livingston, and maybe some extra morning/evening journeys then they could get somewhere.

I've never seen an X51 so can't comment on the passenger levels, however as far as I'm lead to believe it's quite popular.

Not to a level of every 30mins. Well except for one point I won't say that here incase the nosey LCB managers are reading this, and heavens for bid have to do some proper work for once... and go out into the real world...
 
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Lothian_Bus

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Look how they pushed First out of Queensferry, and East Lothian. Not saying it can be done to Fife (Express, specifically), but Lothian will try their best to take a jump at any gap in the market, ...whether the public see it like that or not!
They didn't really push out First though did they? In both cases Lothian stepped in to fill gaps left by rival operators.
 

overthewater

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They didn't really push out First though did they? In both cases Lothian stepped in to fill gaps left by rival operators.

But what gaps? Craigshill to Bathgate and Broxburn to Gyle. Why does it go to Whitburn and compete with Blue bus and First? Why operate from livingston - East Calder to Edinburgh and compete with first?
 

Lothian_Bus

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But what gaps? Craigshill to Bathgate and Broxburn to Gyle. Why does it go to Whitburn and compete with Blue bus and First? Why operate from livingston - East Calder to Edinburgh and compete with first?
Hi. My post was in relation to Queensferry and East Lothian. To my knowledge Lothian stepped in when Stagecoach and First pulled out. They didn't push anyone out. Admittedly the West Lothian situation is different as First are still very active.
 

overthewater

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Hi. My post was in relation to Queensferry and East Lothian. To my knowledge Lothian stepped in when Stagecoach and First pulled out. They didn't push anyone out. Admittedly the West Lothian situation is different as First are still very active.

Ah right :D Cheers
 

backontrack

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CThe 275 might work. Depends on the numbers willing to go with Lothian. The Gyle and Edinburgh Park always seem to be poorly served from the west, but is there much demand in the evenings?

There is the First Scotland East 21A (Edinburgh Park-Gyle Centre-Edinburgh Airport-Ratho Station-Newbridge-Broxburn-Uphall-Dechmont-Livingston-Howden-Kirkton-Seafield-Blackburn-Bathgate-Whitburn-Fauldhouse). Last bus from Park and Gyle to Fauldhouse is at 8pm-ish (serving Armadale before Whitburn), with the last service from those points to Kirkton an hour or so later. A few later buses run from the Airport to Fauldhouse and Howden; these also serve Armadale.

So the 275 is essentially a duplication of this service (albeit avoiding the Airport and terminating/starting at Whitburn, but with a later end.
 
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overthewater

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It's not a duplication since 21A will be gone and replaced with something different :D
 

SpeedbirdA350

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I just don't agree with paying my depot lower than the other for the same work.

it also baffles me that since drivers at my depot are refusing to do overtime till it's fixed, that they are getting Lothian drivers in to do our overtime for 22 pound an hour.
Hopefully that won't end up with strike action but it seems illogical that they won't just sort out the pay with current drivers rather than draft in lothian for £22ph.
 

overthewater

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Here is the thing the lowest pay depot, I would bet is North Berwick depot? So any strike would not affect these new services,
 

MrHopefull

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Here is the thing the lowest pay depot, I would bet is North Berwick depot? So any strike would not affect these new services,
north Berwick are paid the same 10.61 as the rest of us ECB drivers, it's simply just another location where they run the majority of 124/x5 out off.
so if we got the go ahead for strike north Berwick would not have any buses from Edinburgh
 

overthewater

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Nor would haddington and 253 would make a mint. ;) My point was as were in West lothian thread, any strike wouldn't effect the new routes.
 

SpeedbirdA350

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Unless other drivers decided that it was also unfair and do so in solidarity? Not sure how it all works if I am completly honest but it just seems like LB have not thought it might go that far.

I wonder why LB have not renamed ECB to LCB or even just keep it as LB although they do the fare stages on ECB/LCB
 

route101

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Surprised theres not express routes using the M8 from Livi housing estates , or im i missing something here?
 

overthewater

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For years there were fast buses to Edinburgh, X1, X2 the X23, X24, X32. But over time and along with the improved rail services the express buses have whittle away. I still think there is a market somewhere, but its more for Edinburgh park/gyle area and OR West Lothian to North Edinburgh or City By pass.
 

backontrack

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With First in West Lothian: I don't get the logic behind some of the cutbacks. The hourly 25 Armadale-Bathgate-Deans-Livingston-Broxburn-Edinburgh service will mean that Armadale and Bathgate still get a bus service to Edinburgh - but the train serves these places. Surely it would make more sense to operate a simple Blackridge-Armadale-Bathgate-Livingston shuttle?

Instead, the 25 could run Harthill-Whitburn-Blackburn-Livingston-Broxburn-Edinburgh, making sure that the towns that don't have a direct train service to Edinburgh get a bus service instead.

Stupidly, Harthill no longer has a bus service to any of the stations on the Edinburgh-Bathgate-Glasgow line, making travel via public transport from there to Edinburgh prohibitively difficult and lengthy. (why bother changing in Livingston?)
 

overthewater

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I have to say that post is nearly all incorrect.

Blackridge-Armadale-Bathgate-Livingston shuttle is just that, and it will be every 30mins. https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/...ston - Pumpherston - Broxburn - Edinburgh.pdf On top of that 25 Armadale-Bathgate-Deans-Livingston-Broxburn-Edinburgh service will also be every 30mins, not hourly.

Harthill doesn't need a link to a train service, because if the public go on a 5min walk to Harthill services, they will get a coach every 15min to Glasgow or Edinburgh. You do have a point about Whitburn and Blackburn, but most people want the old 20 back as it was quicker, omniting livingston. Also there are plans for a new Park n ride at Whitburn which would get the Citylink coaches.

Harthill still have a bus to the train stations: https://bustimes.org/services/150-bathgate-harthill , even at nights: https://bustimes.org/services/50-boghall-harthill but again with coaches every 15min why would people take a bus to the train station?
 

backontrack

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Silly me, forgetting about the coach services. :oops:

I didn't know about the buses to Bathgate. Thank you!
 

Darklord8899

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Unless other drivers decided that it was also unfair and do so in solidarity? Not sure how it all works if I am completly honest but it just seems like LB have not thought it might go that far.

I wonder why LB have not renamed ECB to LCB or even just keep it as LB although they do the fare stages on ECB/LCB

Lothian Country Buses is part of Lothian Buses, East Coast Buses are not. ECB is owned by TfE and was set up as a separate, stand alone company, with its own accounts, it's own assets, its own vechicle/route registrations, hence LB will never rename ECB as it is not theirs to rename!
 

backontrack

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Lothian Country Buses is part of Lothian Buses, East Coast Buses are not. ECB is owned by TfE and was set up as a separate, stand alone company, with its own accounts, it's own assets, its own vechicle/route registrations, hence LB will never rename ECB as it is not theirs to rename!
Don't forget: East Coast Buses were originally Lothian Country Buses!
 

overthewater

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So does that mean East Lothian council own share in a bus company that doesn't really serve its area yet its connected to main operator that does but does not own any shares?
 

Darklord8899

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The main issue was if LB were to have taken over the entire First East Lothian operation it would have never got past the competition commission, the only way that was possible was for a separate company to be set up, hence ECB was formed by TfE.
TfE was set up to run the trams and to manage the tram/bus integration (the latter on behalf of Edinburgh Council)
 
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