Bright Bus Airport Express service

[roadierway77]

Bright Bus Tours have begun to tease the launch of the new airport express service between Waterloo Place and Edinburgh Airport, competing with Lothian Buses' Airlink 100, so it's likely time for a new thread after the demise of the previous Scotland East thread. The timetable for the airport service is available already on bustimes.org: https://bustimes.org/services/airx-edinburgh-edinburgh-airport

Here is a link to the tweet, with an image provided below - I imagine the same teaser has been posted on Facebook as well: https://twitter.com/BrightBusEDI/status/1734966567970963539?t=mA8g3W5QKFeC7QqmJH41DQ&s=19

 

[Spsf3232]

Good luck to them!

 

[Auld reekie]

Was there not a stipulation that buses had to be relativity new for Airport services?

 

[Theproinsider]

Trent Barton called, they'd like their branding back.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Trent Barton called, they'd like their branding back.

It's a Stenning job, while his stuff does look very good it all tends to follow similar design patterns.

 

[roadierway77]

A preview of the new liveries has been posted. Source: https://twitter.com/alexhornbybus/status/1735011305596063982?t=0f2sdE3FH-UYoGKoV-mo0Q&s=19

 

[ChrisPJ]

Easyjet called, they’re not entirely happy about the orange and white branding.

 

[Bluebirdscot66]

Looks like Strathclyde red to me

 

[JD2168]

The livery is quite similar to the Bright Bus Tours livery so it fits in well, not sure about the Bright Bus logo on the side, looks like a bit of an afterthought.

 

[KGGXXXY]

Looks like Strathclyde red to me

I'm sure I read on a flickr photo caption inside Caledonia depot when First Glasgow did the heritage liveries the Orange used for the "Strathclyde Red" bus was used for Bright Bus Tours when First Launched it. Can't find the source.

 

[megabusser]

Can’t help but think that cherry-picking Lothian’s profitable services in the way that they are is just making the case for franchising or other regulation of bus services, presumably exactly what McGills don’t want!

 

[Deerfold]

I don't know how much space there is at "Stop E" at the Airport. Is it a problem that almost all of the Edinburgh Airport - Dundee services depart at the same time as buses on this new service?

 

[Spsf3232]

Can’t help but think that cherry-picking Lothian’s profitable services in the way that they are is just making the case for franchising or other regulation of bus services, presumably exactly what McGills don’t want!

Competition is a good thing, wishing it gone will be the downfall of the industry

 

[roadierway77]

Personally I'm dubious about this service, it may do well but it doesn't offer many advantages over Airlink. Older vehicles, less convenient departure point at the airport, lower frequency, roughly equal journey time... the big benefits of this service over Airlink is the lower fares and connection to Waverley, though as many have mentioned it's likely tourists will just board the first bus they see. Of course it also has the potential to indirectly reduce fares on Airlink, but I imagine Lothian would only do this if it appears the Bright Bus services are carrying decent loads of passengers.

Anyway - here's a photo of SN62AYB in the new airport livery shared by Alex Hornby and Bright Bus on social media (source: https://twitter.com/BrightBusEDI/status/1735243331385414138). They've certainly got attractive, modern branding, and the colour scheme definitely makes the vehicles stand out in comparison to the Airlink XLBs:

 

[CN04NRJ]

Personally I'm dubious about this service, it may do well but it doesn't offer many advantages over Airlink. Older vehicles, less convenient departure point at the airport, lower frequency, roughly equal journey time... the big benefits of this service over Airlink is the lower fares and connection to Waverley, though as many have mentioned it's likely tourists will just board the first bus they see. Of course it also has the potential to indirectly reduce fares on Airlink, but I imagine Lothian would only do this if it appears the Bright Bus services are carrying decent loads of passengers.

Anyway - here's a photo of SN62AYB in the new airport livery shared by Alex Hornby and Bright Bus on social media (source: https://twitter.com/BrightBusEDI/status/1735243331385414138). They've certainly got attractive, modern branding, and the colour scheme definitely makes the vehicles stand out in comparison to the Airlink XLBs:

One small luggage rack!!!!!! Not legal to fill the aisles with luggage, how poorly thought through is this?

 

[Deerfold]

Competition is a good thing, wishing it gone will be the downfall of the industry

Is it?

Most areas don't have competition.

Buses have plenty of competition from private cars, taxis, trains.

How does splitting passengers over two providers, forcing them to choose only some of the services running, a good thing. In areas where more passengers are using tickets valid on multiple operators it can be good for passengers. Otherwise it's increasing the cost base within the industry without increasing the income as much.

 

[Theproinsider]

Personally I'm dubious about this service, it may do well but it doesn't offer many advantages over Airlink. Older vehicles, less convenient departure point at the airport, lower frequency, roughly equal journey time... the big benefits of this service over Airlink is the lower fares and connection to Waverley, though as many have mentioned it's likely tourists will just board the first bus they see. Of course it also has the potential to indirectly reduce fares on Airlink, but I imagine Lothian would only do this if it appears the Bright Bus services are carrying decent loads of passengers.

Anyway - here's a photo of SN62AYB in the new airport livery shared by Alex Hornby and Bright Bus on social media (source: https://twitter.com/BrightBusEDI/status/1735243331385414138). They've certainly got attractive, modern branding, and the colour scheme definitely makes the vehicles stand out in comparison to the Airlink XLBs:

Attractive? Modern? Just take anything from Ray's drawing book and paste it on from the last 10 years. It's almost as if Hornby has only one idea and recycles it.

 

[Tetchytyke]

It's a Stenning job, while his stuff does look very good it all tends to follow similar design patterns.

He’s been churning out the same stuff for twenty years. His stuff looks dated now.

Competition is a good thing, wishing it gone will be the downfall of the industry

Is it though? On road competition is illusory at best. A bright orange bus with identikit Stenning logos isn’t really going to change anything. It might cause Lothian to temporarily drop their prices, but that’s not going to bring about real improvement to the bus industry either.

 

[Bwsbro]

Attractive? Modern? Just take anything from Ray's drawing book and paste it on from the last 10 years. It's almost as if Hornby has only one idea and recycles it.

What you were meant to say that was #amazing idea haha

On a more serious note, unless the fares are considerably cheaper compared to Lothian or some deal if booked with Bright Bus Open Top buses for Traveling, I doubt how many passengers there is for the new service. When I was up in Edinburgh during the summer, a lot of passengers were heading for the Tram into town

Also will they have enough drivers for the new service. The former operations struggled and that was after the reduction of services (e.g No Sunday Buses) How many of the former Livingstone Drivers have stayed with McGills?

 

[peterblue]

Tourists just tend to take the first service that turns up and/or the service with the most aggressive marketing at the airport itself. The livery doesn't matter much to tourists or visitors who just want to get to the city centre.

 

[ian1944]

Starting at Waterloo Place will be a plus point for anyone fron E Lothian, with the terminus just being a step away from the incoming stop. Taking the 100 requires crossing Princes St to St Andrew Square, or joining at Shandwick Place (OK for X6 and X7, a road crossing required for 113 and 124, hopeless for X5). Joining at the terminus gives better seat choice, or even a seat at all.

 

[fgwrich]

Trent Barton called, they'd like their branding back.

Trent Barton? I’d say apart from the curvature on the ends of the mint green stripe, it’s still very First Group!

 

[dodecahedron67]

Fares are £4 single £6.50 return, as well as combo tour tickets and weekly passes according to Twitter/X https://x.com/brightbusedi/status/1736827829466132567?s=46

 

[318266]

Fares are £4 single £6.50 return

for context Lothian are £5.50 and £8 respectively.
Notable that they do not list child fares, that would be useful for anyone who doesn't live in Scotland (i.e. half the people from the airport!)

 

[SoloSR334022]

Will NEC's be valid on this service?

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Will NEC's be valid on this service?

Yes.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Notable that they do not list child fares, that would be useful for anyone who doesn't live in Scotland (i.e. half the people from the airport!)

All fare details including child fares are now on their site:

prices​

Adult single £4 / Child single £2.75

Adult return £6.50 / Child return £5.25

return + City tour £24.50

return + Both tours £31.50

Edinburgh Explorer £40.50

No mention of any weekly tickets just for people between the Airport and City, so the Ridacard with Lothian may still be the best option for regular travellers . I doubt many people will find the 'Edinburgh Explorer' (7 days to use on the Airport Express and tours) particularly useful.

 

[CN04NRJ]

All fare details including child fares are now on their site:

No mention of any weekly tickets just for people between the Airport and City, so the Ridacard with Lothian may still be the best option for regular travellers . I doubt many people will find the 'Edinburgh Explorer' (7 days to use on the Airport Express and tours) particularly useful.

Does that "explorer" include the X38/20/63?

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

All fare details including child fares are now on their site:

No mention of any weekly tickets just for people between the Airport and City, so the Ridacard with Lothian may still be the best option for regular travellers . I doubt many people will find the 'Edinburgh Explorer' (7 days to use on the Airport Express and tours) particularly useful.

I do think it’s interesting why child fares are no longer “half” fares.

 

[Spsf3232]

I do think it’s interesting why child fares are no longer “half” fares.

It will be to improve the reimbursement they get from the under 22 entitlement cards