Lothian Buses and ECB Discussion

Lothian285 · 23 Jul 2019

Lothian’s Travelshop page (https://www.lothianbuses.com/travelshops/) suggests that the Shandwick Place Travel Hub will be opening this Sunday.

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ScotRail158725 · 23 Jul 2019

looks like 1141-53 are based at Marine as they’ve got MA Depot codes on them. they also have a really annoying “warning exit doors closing” alarm on them that sounds every time the doors close wich is unnecessary and annoying

Lothian_Bus · 23 Jul 2019

ScotRail158725 said:
looks like 1141-53 are based at Marine as they’ve got MA Depot codes on them. they also have a really annoying “warning exit doors closing” alarm on them that sounds every time the doors close wich is unnecessary and annoying

Yes. There are 3 currently on service 4. Similar look and feel to the 1001-1050 batch but obviously with the extra door as you mentioned.

I have noticed these buses often start the day and are taken out of service by lunchtime. Presumably these buses are being eased into service.

A330Alex · 23 Jul 2019

Came up with an excuse to use contactless on the 43 yesterday and it was pretty smooth - it’s hidden away on a submenu which the driver had to find which hopefully changes.

The actual online portal however was impressive since it updated immediately after I bought the ticket.

ScotRail158725 · 23 Jul 2019

Lothian_Bus said:
Yes. There are 3 currently on service 4. Similar look and feel to the 1001-1050 batch but obviously with the extra door as you mentioned.

I have noticed these buses often start the day and are taken out of service by lunchtime. Presumably these buses are being eased into service.

sound much better than 1001/02 though, 1001/02 when they start go to full revs then back to idle until they are started again

Lothian_Bus · 23 Jul 2019

ScotRail158725 said:
sound much better than 1001/02 though, 1001/02 when they start go to full revs then back to idle until they are started again

Yes they do sound better I agree.

90019 · 23 Jul 2019

Contactless will be live tomorrow.

Volvodart · 23 Jul 2019

Plus daily capping too.

A330Alex · 23 Jul 2019

Blog post is up and www.lothianbuses.com/contactless is live

Jordan Adam · 23 Jul 2019

It says on the website...
"From 24 July, our services will accept contactless payment with daily fare capping – a first in Scotland."

However they're not the first! First Aberdeen are...

SpeedbirdA350 · 23 Jul 2019

No plans for Childrens contactless tickets though so if you have a ridacard and want to pay a kids single, you can't use card. Left hand right hand comes to mind.

Super Off-Peak · 23 Jul 2019

Jordan Adam said:
It says on the website...
"From 24 July, our services will accept contactless payment with daily fare capping – a first in Scotland."

However they're not the first! First Aberdeen are...

Technically - TECHNICALLY - according to First's website, the daily capping on First Aberdeen starts from 28th, and Lothian's one starts at 24th.

www.firstgroup.com/aberdeen/tickets/tap-cap

Cheeky from Lothian, but I see your point :P

Jordan Adam · 23 Jul 2019

Super Off-Peak said:
Technically - TECHNICALLY - according to First's website, the daily capping on First Aberdeen starts from 28th, and Lothian's one starts at 24th.

www.firstgroup.com/aberdeen/tickets/tap-cap

Cheeky from Lothian, but I see your point :P

It started on the 21st (last Sunday). I can tell you that as I've used it!

A330Alex · 23 Jul 2019

Jordan Adam said:
It started on the 21st (last Sunday). I can tell you that as I've used it!

Capping started on the 18th for the 43. But regardless, the official launch date of First Aberdeens fare capping is the 28th.

Tom B · 23 Jul 2019

OmniCity999 said:
Mixture.

Drivers could sifgn on/off here and pick up buses that had previously been on night services to start day services, allowing them to sign on then travel on a bus to a garage if need be, or changeover at Shandwick Place, its pretty quiet before 8am and after 8pm. Once the bus is out of fuel a changeover would either be arranged at a designated area, services could run part route or change over at the likes of Elm Row, Longstone, King's Road, Deans or Musselburgh.

It's a way for the company to save money in the long run and provide a slightly better service as buses would be in service longer as apposed to running light regularly. Wether it works or not remains to be seen. Although having two designated travelshops in the city centre is better than having one. Especially considering this one will have a coffee shop and be used as an access route to offices above, so will get the foot traffic even if its not from direct customers. The Shandwick Place travelshop is first and foremost a staff rest area (basement), then it's a coffee shop, then it's lost property, then its customer service.

Believe Airlink Drivers will be able to sign on/off here and changeovers will take place here, with toilet breaks being given at Waverley and the Airport, of course drivers are also welcome at a number of restaurants, pubs and shops city wide. Great for Night drivers who pass the area to as its often hard to find somewhere to use the loo.

There will also be an on-call fitter based here with basic / common tools to minimise down time. Spare ticket machines and consumables will be stocked too. Believe the fitter may even be bike-based.

Attached are the approved planning documents.

Omnicity999, thanks for such an informative post (esp at such an hour!).

Makes sense and I suppose means Lothian will have a presence at each end of town. Sounds like a good idea to have a fitter there too.

I suppose a bus which has been out on night duty could easily stay out until the end of the morning rush and go into the depot during the day.

Jordan Adam · 23 Jul 2019

A330Alex said:
Capping started on the 18th for the 43. But regardless, the official launch date of First Aberdeens fare capping is the 28th.

If that's the case then Lothian Country were the first operator, however it could be argued that was just one service and not a full network/company, either way if it started on the 18th then it was the first route. The official launch date was the 21st and that is when it started. The site has been altered at some point as it did say the 21st as it was to coincide with the fares changes.

Jordan Adam · 23 Jul 2019

OmniCity999 said:
I'm many things, but i'm no a sheep.

Baa Bye, as i've said before you work for the company so it's obvious you're going to "defend" them, but there's no need to get annoyed and start throwing the "bias" card anytime something not positive is posted.

Jordan Adam · 23 Jul 2019

Anyway back on topic.

Are any more Ex-London vehicles due to transfer to Lothian (besides the 5 open toppers) or is that the lot?

Fryschocream · 23 Jul 2019

Who said 5? There could be one hiding

Jordan Adam · 23 Jul 2019

Fryschocream said:
Who said 5? There could be one hiding

Ohh give up. There's 5 that have been confirmed, hence why i was asking if there was more

OmniCity999 · 23 Jul 2019

C9 VBC (Volvo 9900, the one with the auditorium seating) With motorcoaches for a few days of evaluation.

A330Alex · 24 Jul 2019

Amusing to see the outrage from some people that you can’t get child tickets with contactless. You’d think they’d banned children!

Would be nice to see the citysmart card turned into a stored value card now (with a child version to keep them happy).

oldman · 24 Jul 2019

A330Alex said:
Amusing to see the outrage from some people that you can’t get child tickets with contactless. You’d think they’d banned children!

Banning children would be a good idea

, but seriously, introducing capping before general contactless payment is absurd, particularly with the resulting confusion between different parts of the 'family'. I was on a bus the other which was delayed a couple of minutes by a family putting together £8.50 for their ticket. With contactless symbols being used, people are going to assume it's available.

The best is the enemy of the good. General contactless would have been good, and probably achievable, a couple of years ago.

ejstubbs · 24 Jul 2019

Rode a 400XLB on the number 4 route for the first time this morning. Might not be the first time they've run on that route - I usually take the bus about an hour later to avoid the peak. Also saw a 400XLB on the 27 route, again not seen one before myself.

I would have thought the 44 would be a better choice of route for the 100-seater, given how rammed it gets in the morning and evening peaks. I did wonder whether the turn out of Ardmillan Terrace on to Slateford Road might be a bit tricky for the long wheelbase but of course the 4 takes the same route from Princes Street as far as Slateford.

Last night, at the tail end of the evening peak on Lothian Road, I caught the second of two 400XLBs running two minutes apart on the number 11 route. (Driver didn't seem all that keen to stop to pick up me and the other half dozen stragglers who'd just missed the previous bus.) By the time we got to Fairmilehead I was the only passenger on board. Felt a bit guilty having a 100-seat bus all to myself!

Auld reekie · 24 Jul 2019

ejstubbs said:
Rode a 400XLB on the number 4 route for the first time this morning. Might not be the first time they've run on that route - I usually take the bus about an hour later to avoid the peak. Also saw a 400XLB on the 27 route, again not seen one before myself.

I would have thought the 44 would be a better choice of route for the 100-seater, given how rammed it gets in the morning and evening peaks. I did wonder whether the turn out of Ardmillan Terrace on to Slateford Road might be a bit tricky for the long wheelbase but of course the 4 takes the same route from Princes Street as far as Slateford.

Last night, at the tail end of the evening peak on Lothian Road, I caught the second of two 400XLBs running two minutes apart on the number 11 route. (Driver didn't seem all that keen to stop to pick up me and the other half dozen stragglers who'd just missed the previous bus.) By the time we got to Fairmilehead I was the only passenger on board. Felt a bit guilty having a 100-seat bus all to myself!

Good post particularly the 2nd paragraph.

takno · 24 Jul 2019

oldman said:
Banning children would be a good idea , but seriously, introducing capping before general contactless payment is absurd, particularly with the resulting confusion between different parts of the 'family'. I was on a bus the other which was delayed a couple of minutes by a family putting together £8.50 for their ticket. With contactless symbols being used, people are going to assume it's available.

The best is the enemy of the good. General contactless would have been good, and probably achievable, a couple of years ago.

I'm nothing to do with the company, but as far as I can tell from postings on here, they could only have done general contactless a couple of years ago by using the old machines, and the supplier of the old machines was trying to charge them several million more than was reasonable to get it set up. If that was the case then not doing it was probably the sensible option.

I do agree that you should probably be able to buy any of the cash fares using contactless now though - I assumed it was just the tap-and-cap bit that didn't work for child fares.

SpeedbirdA350 · 24 Jul 2019

ejstubbs said:
Rode a 400XLB on the number 4 route for the first time this morning. Might not be the first time they've run on that route - I usually take the bus about an hour later to avoid the peak. Also saw a 400XLB on the 27 route, again not seen one before myself.

I would have thought the 44 would be a better choice of route for the 100-seater, given how rammed it gets in the morning and evening peaks. I did wonder whether the turn out of Ardmillan Terrace on to Slateford Road might be a bit tricky for the long wheelbase but of course the 4 takes the same route from Princes Street as far as Slateford.

Last night, at the tail end of the evening peak on Lothian Road, I caught the second of two 400XLBs running two minutes apart on the number 11 route. (Driver didn't seem all that keen to stop to pick up me and the other half dozen stragglers who'd just missed the previous bus.) By the time we got to Fairmilehead I was the only passenger on board. Felt a bit guilty having a 100-seat bus all to myself!

Route 4 has not had the B8L on it as far as I know. What you are seeing are the ex london B9TL dual doors which have been running on route 4 over the past few days. Gemini 2

SpeedbirdA350 · 24 Jul 2019

A330Alex said:
Amusing to see the outrage from some people that you can’t get child tickets with contactless. You’d think they’d banned children!

Would be nice to see the citysmart card turned into a stored value card now (with a child version to keep them happy).

I think it's more of an oversight than anything re children contactless tickets. Some might be angry and outraged but they need to remember this only came in to play this week, still, it's an oversight imo that the company never thought about.

scosutsut · 24 Jul 2019

At the risk of showing my age here, exactly how many children have debit cards? Or have I missed something?

SpeedbirdA350 · 24 Jul 2019

scosutsut said:
At the risk of showing my age here, exactly how many children have debit cards? Or have I missed something?

I would assume quite a few, probably set up by their parents or encouraged by their parents. However, it's the fact a parent may have a ridacard and contactless card, or 2 contactless cards (I know I have more than 2).

However, you can get a debit card aged 11 however.

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