First Greater Glasgow

[Glasgowbusguy]

Tbh is a complete redesign of the network really that bad an idea? personally my view would be rip up the current network and redesign it using a hub and spoke method I.e. have high frequency services every 5 mins between fixed points i.e. bbs partick, qeuh govan
Then from these out stations run local services that can be single deckers but less frequent say every half hour route example govan pollok

 

[PaulMc7]

Last real change of the network was Simplicity in 2013 and I think we are due a big change.

Keep the branded services and big profit makers as they are then gather as much feedback as humanly possible from MSPs' councillors and the local community for the rest of this year then launch the new network early 2021 and make sure the routes and services are so much clearer to the public than Simplicity was

 

[overthewater]

Tbh is a complete redesign of the network really that bad an idea? personally my view would be rip up the current network and redesign it using a hub and spoke method I.e. have high frequency services every 5 mins between fixed points i.e. bbs partick, qeuh govan
Then from these out stations run local services that can be single deckers but less frequent say every half hour route example govan pollok

Hub and spoke won't work in Glasgow since you have so many central hubs to deal with like silverburn, the fort etc.

A new network isn't a bad idea.

 

[PaulMc7]

Fury as 'lifeline' Dumbarton bus service is axed permanently

First Bus has cancelled the 208 service, which runs between Brucehill and Silverton.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

Add the 208 to the cut list although it's not a surprise to me. Was never ever busy when I seen it plus it's covered fairly closely at both ends by other buses.

 

[PaulMc7]

What services do we think are really under threat?

That's 3 in total for cuts now but I can see a good few more:

I can see this 4/4A timetable becoming permanent

3 and 6 frequency being cut

8 being cut back to Partick

16 going completely as it's not busy outside of peaks

32 going despite actually being busy when I've seen it

34/34A being merged into one

43 going 1 an hour

46 maybe going 1 an hour

64 frequency being dropped from every 30 mins to hourly

81 frequency dropping

89/89A/89B being kept as the current timetable with just the 89/89B

255 short workings axed

 

[overthewater]

Personally I think some of your points are miles off. With the 208 I thought that was SPT service already, it

Anger as First Glasgow scrap X1 Hamilton to Glasgow express route

The largest bus operator in Lanarkshire say it is no longer viable following the pandemic.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

Trouble with First is its once again mismanaged the problems with the X1, Mcgills are as clear as a brick though a glasshouse, and its a shame First can't be the same.

We applied various methods of support in an attempt to boost the service, including a revamp look for the service and a massive online and on-street promotion. We also offered an off-peak discount in an attempt to boost dwindling numbers as well as local politicians committing to promotion of the service within their constituencies.
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Unfortunately, all of this support did not translate into passengers using the service and even prior to the pandemic, simply was not carrying enough passengers despite the renewed efforts to even cover its costs of operation.

The Peak passengers will look at that and think First are a off their rockets...

 

[awsnews]

Personally I think some of your points are miles off. With the 208 I thought that was SPT service already

It is in the early morning, evenings and weekends, albeit operated by McGill's. The morning journeys use the same bus as the M10.

 

[PaulMc7]

The Facebook comments on the Hamilton Advertisers status regarding the X1 made for fun reading

Hamilton Advertiser

What do you make of this?

www.facebook.com

 

[lastbus]

I did say some services wouldn’t return.

 

[PaulMc7]

404 also going from the 18th August according to VOSA too although it's only a school service so more expected than others. Fully expect the 431 to go too as it's the only other school service here

 

[Jordan Adam]

The X1 going was inevitable, especially given they were going to axe it last year. Bus provision to Hamilton is already good with 8 buses per hour (typically) along with a decent enough rail service. A classic case of people moaning to save a service they don't use.

 

[PaulMc7]

The Facebook reactions on the Lennox Heralds status regarding the 208 pretty similar to what's being said about the X1 everywhere.

Lennox Herald

The 208 service, which runs between Brucehill and Silverton, has been cancelled.

www.facebook.com

As much as Hamilton does have the 255, 263 and 267 into Glasgow they're all from the town centre and most of Hamilton on the X1 route is uphill so not ideal really plus the journey time is a massive issue. They could extend the 255 or 263 but I doubt they will.

Do feel for people in that sense because if you don't stay in the centre of Hamilton your options really are non existent without the X1

 

[overthewater]

The X1 going was inevitable, especially given they were going to axe it last year. Bus provision to Hamilton is already good with 8 buses per hour (typically) along with a decent enough rail service. A classic case of people moaning to save a service they don't use.

The problem is just like X23, The peak service was busy and well used but come 9am the service run around dead and its like what can first do for six hours until the Evening peak picks up again. Better Question should be why has off peak passengers stop going to Glasgow? Where are they going instead. Hamilton still have one Express service from Glasgow every hour Via X74.

The Facebook reactions on the Lennox Heralds status regarding the 208 pretty similar to what's being said about the X1 everywhere.

As much as Hamilton does have the 255, 263 and 267 into Glasgow they're all from the town centre and most of Hamilton on the X1 route is uphill so not ideal really plus the journey time is a massive issue. They could extend the 255 or 263 but I doubt they will

Trouble with that is, the fastest it could do it is 90mins instead of 45mins in some part of the town so its not worth it. Maybe the X1 should have done a loop, Ie once an hour its M74 comes off onto A725 - Tch park then into Hillhouse then on to the current route.

 

[lastbus]

The Facebook reactions on the Lennox Heralds status regarding the 208 pretty similar to what's being said about the X1 everywhere.

As much as Hamilton does have the 255, 263 and 267 into Glasgow they're all from the town centre and most of Hamilton on the X1 route is uphill so not ideal really plus the journey time is a massive issue. They could extend the 255 or 263 but I doubt they will.

Do feel for people in that sense because if you don't stay in the centre of Hamilton your options really are non existent without the X1

The 226 covers a few of the areas the X1 operates within Hamilton.

 

[PaulMc7]

The 226 covers a few of the areas the X1 operates within Hamilton.

Which isn't of use to most people hence why there's continual complaints about the X1 cut especially as it's mainly workers and students affected. By the time you get a 226 then another bus it's easily close to 2 hours

 

[PaulMc7]

Trouble with that is, the fastest it could do it is 90mins instead of 45mins in some part of the town so its not worth it. Maybe the X1 should have done a loop, Ie once an hour its M74 comes off onto A725 - Tch park then into Hillhouse then on to the current route.

Yeah it's a tough one but the X1 is definitely needed at peaks. Apparently it's been put forward as an idea to First before to run it as a peak only service and they never done it. Would make plenty of sense to do it that way plus the tech park could be potential as Stagecoach are cutting the X16 that runs through it

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

Hub and spoke won't work in Glasgow since you have so many central hubs to deal with like silverburn, the fort etc.

A new network isn't a bad idea.

See this where maybe hub and spoke is the wrong term my idea would be to have a major hub I.e. Buchanan Bus Station (BBS)
Feeding smaller hubs I.e. partick govan the fort etc where local buses could them leave you could still keep some longer routes but model these could be done as peak only express between areas where there is demand
Biggest issue I think would be for this to work you need joined up ticketing and capacity at BBS
But again these could be fixed very quickly by getting timings right and not allowing buses to sit on stands at BBS for excessive amounts of time
I'll post a mock idea of network for the east end later on that might explain it better

 

[overthewater]

Yeah it's a tough one but the X1 is definitely needed at peaks. Apparently it's been put forward as an idea to First before to run it as a peak only service and they never done it. Would make plenty of sense to do it that way plus the tech park could be potential as Stagecoach are cutting the X16 that runs through it

Then what do we do with the drivers and buses for 6 hours? The only other opions would be reduced 267 to every 12mins at peak and use drivers and buses on that route to put it back up to every 10mins during off peak.

 

[PaulMc7]

Then what do we do with the drivers and buses for 6 hours? The only other opions would be reduced 267 to every 12mins at peak and use drivers and buses on that route to put it back up to every 10mins during off peak.

Tbh that could be an option. It's a tough one for sure but I don't think it's a matter that will disappear anytime soon

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

Buchanan Bus Station (BBS) fort via m8
BBS parkhead via Duke st
BBS baillieston via gallowgate
BBS riddre via Alexandre parade

East end circular fort Baillieston parkhead riddre via Edinburgh Rd and carntyne

Easterhouse local
Fort Auchinlee Rd westerhouse rd aberdalgie rd Lochdochart rd Lochend rd westerhouse rd bartiebeith rd Edinburgh rd wellhouse rd fort

East end 1
Fort craigend ruchzie garthmalock riddre Edinburgh rd cranhill Queenslie bartiebeith rd fort

East end 2
Fort barlanark shettleston parkhead Newbank braidfauld Mount veron

East end 3
Fort gartcosh moddiesburn Chryston kirkie
Milton of Campsie
Thats a rough idea with the 4 outer hubs the the routes leaving from the fort

*Mod note* When using acronyms like "BBS" you must define what exactly it stands for. You need only do it once within the post. Please do not assume that anyone reading the post would automatically know what you mean.

 

[lastbus]

They won’t run it as a peak only service this has been suggested before.

 

[PaulMc7]

They won’t run it as a peak only service this has been suggested before.

Which is what I alluded to

 

[PaulMc7]

Will be interesting to see what else goes and just how much backlash there is considering the areas with cuts aren't exactly small either. Absloute worst time possible for drawing negative attention to yourself too. Could probably expect other people turning to other transport methods off of the back of this.

East Kilbride with the 31
Hamilton with the X1
Dumbarton with the 208

3 not exactly small areas

 

[Jordan Adam]

Will be interesting to see what else goes and just how much backlash there is considering the areas with cuts aren't exactly small either. Absloute worst time possible for drawing negative attention to yourself too. Could probably expect other people turning to other transport methods off of the back of this.

East Kilbride with the 31
Hamilton with the X1
Dumbarton with the 208

3 not exactly small areas

What do you expect when bus use is at an all time low due to the pandemic and bus operators are expected to maintain a service but with buses at 25% capacity. Yes there may be funding but it's not enough, it's only inevitable that previously at risk routes are going to go.

 

[PaulMc7]

What do you expect when bus use is at an all time low due to the pandemic and bus operators are expected to maintain a service but with buses at 25% capacity. Yes there may be funding but it's not enough, it's only inevitable that previously at risk routes are going to go.

First actually communicating instead of customers having to find out from local politicians and the papers might have been a start. It's pretty shady when you look at it that way and ultimately if you treat your passengers like that you deserve to lose them

 

[lastbus]

Will be interesting to see what else goes and just how much backlash there is considering the areas with cuts aren't exactly small either. Absloute worst time possible for drawing negative attention to yourself too. Could probably expect other people turning to other transport methods off of the back of this.

East Kilbride with the 31
Hamilton with the X1
Dumbarton with the 208

3 not exactly small areas

You can talk all you want about negative attention but at the end of the day first bus is a business and they cannot afford to take chances atm. The X1 isn’t coming back because no one knows when the passengers will come back for a start. It was mostly used by students when will they be back at uni/college? The other people who used it were going to work in offices etc the majority of which are now working from home. Will they return to the office? No one knows! As the statement said first need to prioritise the busiest routes just now so they can maintain social distancing.

 

[PaulMc7]

You can talk all you want about negative attention but at the end of the day first bus is a business and they cannot afford to take chances atm. The X1 isn’t coming back because no one knows when the passengers will come back for a start. It was mostly used by students when will they be back at uni/college? The other people who used it were going to work in offices etc the majority of which are now working from home. Will they return to the office? No one knows! As the statement said first need to prioritise the busiest routes just now so they can maintain social distancing.

See my last response. At the end of the day First should have at least communicated early enough with passengers first instead of hearing it from elsewhere. Doing that would have helped a fair deal. If you can't even treat passengers with the slightest bit of care then if they don't come back then it's deserved

 

[Busmaddy]

It’s a shame the x1 has gone now but I don’t understand why first have increased their service 266 to every 10 mins to shotts and every 10 mins to west crindledyke, making it every 5 mins from Newmains across to Hamilton. maybe they are trying to flood the place with buses to get rid of jmb travel from shotts.

Plus first Bus has increased their 241 to every 10 mins to North Motherwell I think first want Jmb travel Number 56 of the road

 

[ginge8991]

Route 31 was one of the old "SCOTRAIL" controlled route which meant it had to operate as seen back in the early 2000s and it was unable to be revised to keep up with passengers demands.

So maybe the X74 can fill the gap? One spare bus running back and forth to hamilton off peak etc

What does Scotrail Controlled mean? Sorry if this sounds stupid I've never heard it before

 

[Busmaddy]

This is definitely true as Blantyre depot doing all the extra 266 and 241 work