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First Midland Bluebird

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Observer

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PM0000003/596 MIDLAND BLUEBIRD LTD, CARMUIRS HOUSE, 300 STIRLING ROAD, LARBERT, FK5 3NJ
Operating between Larbert Cross or Forth Valley Royal Hospital and Falkirk Bus station given service number 7 effective from 06 November 2017. To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.

PM0000003/321 MIDLAND BLUEBIRD LTD, CARMUIRS HOUSE, 300 STIRLING ROAD, LARBERT, FK5 3NJ
Operating between STIRLING ( MURRAY PLACE) and UNIVERSITY (ALEXANDER COURT) given service number UL effective from 07 November 2017. To amend Timetable.

PM0000003/92 MIDLAND BLUEBIRD LTD, CARMUIRS HOUSE, 300 STIRLING ROAD, LARBERT, FK5 3NJ
Operating between Stirling, Rail Station Layby or Murray Place and Stirling University, Macrobert Centre or Alexander Court given service number UL effective from 06 November 2017. To amend Timetable.

PM0000003/638 MIDLAND BLUEBIRD LTD, CARMUIRS HOUSE, 300 STIRLING ROAD, LARBERT, FK5 3NJ
Operating between Falkirk Bus Station and Regent Road, Edinburgh given service number X9 effective from 06 November 2017. To amend Route and Timetable.

PM0000003/131 MIDLAND BLUEBIRD LTD, CARMUIRS HOUSE, 300 STIRLING ROAD, LARBERT, FK5 3NJ
Operating between Stirling, Bus Station and Stirling, Bus Station given service number 62 / 63 effective from 06 November 2017. To amend Timetable. PM0000003/351

MIDLAND BLUEBIRD LTD, CARMUIRS HOUSE, 300 STIRLING ROAD, LARBERT, FK5 3NJ
Operating between Camelon Police Station or Falkirk (Bus Station) and Edinburgh (Regent Road) given service number 38 / X38 effective from 06 November 2017. To amend Timetable. PM0000003/352

MIDLAND BLUEBIRD LTD, CARMUIRS HOUSE, 300 STIRLING ROAD, LARBERT, FK5 3NJ
Operating between Stirling (Bus Station) and Falkirk (Bus Station or Forth Valley College) or Linlithgow Cross given service number 38 / 38A / X38 effective from 06 November 2017. To amend Timetable.

PM0000923/325 FIRST SCOTLAND EAST LTD, CARMUIRS HOUSE, 300 STIRLING ROAD, LARBERT, FK5 3NJ
Operating between Regent Road, Edinburgh and South Bridge Street Bathgate given service number N1 effective from 10 November 2017. To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.
 
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overthewater

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most are to improve timing etc while the No7 once again goers back to Hospital. I wonder if it will no longer serve the bus station during the day and what way it will go to the hospital.
 

DuncanS

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Falkirk
Whilst walking home yesterday ahead of me by around a 100 yards or so I saw a 38A wallop into the bus shelter as he pulled in, it making an awful noise - by the time I got there it was clear there was a problem as the mirror was back to front and spread-eagled back across the door and the whiplash of the mirror thumping the shelter had clearly send it off on a ricochet into the bodywork as there was a hole a few inches wide in the bodywork.

Driver was on the phone to HQ by this time and as I went up my path a look back showed that everyone had been decamped. They'll need to put the fares back up to pay for that one ;)
 

Observer

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most are to improve timing etc while the No7 once again goers back to Hospital. I wonder if it will no longer serve the bus station during the day and what way it will go to the hospital.
Since they would need two buses to maintain an hourly service they would be still able to serve the bus station without running late. Probably will have some time laying over as well.
 

alexf380

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Looks like buses on the Glasgow to Balfron to Stirling corridor are to be route branded. A photo has appeared on Flickr of one of their Scania deckers in the blue base with "Discovery Route" branding. Hopefully they'll be based at Balfron permanently now so they can actually take care of those buses.
 

overthewater

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Do you have a link to that Pic? Also this sound Glasgow telling Bluebird what to do...
 

GaryMcEwan

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Do you have a link to that Pic? Also this sound Glasgow telling Bluebird what to do...

See here
photolist-YmgEZi-ZiAqEN-ZmkHiP-Zjgppc-Zd8jvw-ZbqXNq-C9qGky-Zf4F9M-YQKndu-Y9bSjq-Z8x4JQ-YaMVpg-Z98fyd-Z5udcq-Y7KzED-YJ72sh-YGWW5C-Z6zQix-BXXhLU-BWo7M7-Z3qa84-YXQQMb-YZicCs-Y1NwLH-BUTxHo-YBq2BS-Yzv4ou-YztyYf-YVudXy-XTwLyh-Yz97yQ-YSU5C1-YW1f7r-XUagWn-XUagNg-YwF76w-YwF72o-YwFb9S-YwFb2h-YwFaB9-YwFavC-YVhyB6-YVhyrr-YVhycZ-YVhxMF-YVhxx2-YVhxqZ-YSE9nu-YwF7js-YwpZiJ
 

overthewater

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Cheers. That looks rather nice, It good to see there keeping the old blue from Bluebird.
 

overthewater

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What on earth is going on with the restructuring plan? Has parts of Aberdeen and FSE been merged? it was believed that parts of FSE and Glasgow were to be merged. Its becoming a joke.
 

overthewater

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First will be taking over a route in West lothian from E&M horsburgh. Its old Route 36, Livingston - Bent - Bathgate, Its now 803. Of course since it's E&M there run the service in the ground and cut lots of journeys for Schools journeys. I can't tell if its commercial.

When the council come knocking on the last council tenders this route made a profit for the council hence why there withdraw the funding, and E&M took it on and ruined it.

PM0000923/327 Registered (Short notice)
FIRST SCOTLAND EAST LTD
Route: Bathgate, Morrisons to Livingston Bus Terminal via Blackburn, Stoneyburn, Bents, Addiewell, Loganlea, West Calder, Polbeth
Service number: 803
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 27 Nov 2017
 

Volvodart

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https://www.firstgroup.com/south-ea...ce-updates/news/n1-night-bus-serve-more-areas

N1 night bus to serve more areas

First West Lothian has responded to feedback by announcing new areas for its popular N1 weekend night service linking West Lothian with Edinburgh.

From Friday 10 November, Service N1 will operate a revised route from Newbridge to offer a new night service to Kirkliston and Winchburgh, and then Broxburn to Bathgate.

N1 night busFirst West Lothian said this follows discussions with customers and stakeholders about the service which, up until now, has operated between Edinburgh, Newbridge, Broxburn and Bathgate.

A revised fare structure will also be introduced offering a single fare to Winchburgh and Broxburn of £5.00, Newbridge and Kirkliston at £4.00 single and continuing with a local West Lothian fare of £4.00.

First West Lothian launched the N1 and its sister service N2 in July in response to customer feedback which highlighted the absence of public transport between Edinburgh and West Lothian after midnight at weekends.

With a package of cut price fares available, the Friday and Saturday night services now offer customers a cheaper travel option when planning a night out in the capital.

Andrew Jarvis Managing Director of First West Lothian, said: “We’re very pleased to be announcing these new destinations for our N1 service. Both the N1 and N2 evolved from discussions with our customers and local representatives and we’re now responding to further requests for additional stops.

“We’re grateful for the feedback we have received and we hope this change will encourage more people to use these services, which offer a much cheaper option for nights out in the capital.”

About the services:

Service N1: Operates from Edinburgh Regent Road to Bathgate, via St Johns Road, Newbridge, Broxburn, Uphall, A89 to Bathgate. From 10 November Service N1 will operate a revised route from Newbridge to offer a new night service to Kirkliston and Winchburgh, and then Broxburn to Bathgate.
Service N2: Operates from Edinburgh Regent Road to Deans, via Dalry Road, Sighthill, Wilkieston, East Calder, Livingston Terminal and Carmondean.
From Edinburgh: Both services operate two journeys and depart from Edinburgh Regent Road at 0100 and 0200 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Service N1: Operates two journeys from Uphall to Edinburgh, departing 0010 and 0110 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Service N2: Operates two journeys from Livingston Terminal to Edinburgh, departing 0013 and 0113 on Fridays and Saturdays.

I must admit I had not noticed that most,if not all, the long-standing directors of First Bus in Scotland have had their directorships terminated.
 
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overthewater

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I must admit I had not noticed that most,if not all, the long-standing directors of First Bus in Scotland have had their directorships terminated.

A number of keys roles are still yet to be filled in the company, but a few other higher management within FSE have been given roles covering all of Scotland. There does seem to be a mix of staff, I wonder who will take over the marketing brief.

FSE is still working on its five year business plan ( two years in) while its unclear how the depot controls will change if any in the revised company format.

As long as Javis leaves FSE alone to get its business plan implemented over the next three years ( and the blue livery stays) I think most ppl will not mind.
 

Observer

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I don't see the blue livery going, buses are still getting repainted in it regardless of what age. The blue livery is fine but is rather basic, with decals on it they look a lot better, but they sometimes get it wrong too in that regard. Just look at the Scania double deckers now getting that treatment where they put a Midland Bluebird sticker where the windscreen wipers are at. Should have been put somewhere else where it wouldn't get obscured.
 

overthewater

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It seems Stirling council has at long last find some pennies for an improved service to the rural parts of the area:

https://www.firstgroup.com/south-ea...dates/planned-changes/new-service-27-november

Service Changes from 1 December 2017 - Stirling Area

Service B12/C12/C12A Balfron - Buchlyvie - Kippen - Gargunnock - Stirling
Additional C12A & B12 early evening journeys on Fridays & Saturdays.
B12/C12/C12A

Service 59/C59 Balfron - Buchlyvie - Kippen - Gargunnock - Stirling
Additional late evening journeys on Fridays & Saturdays.
New service C59 operated on behalf of Stirling Council.
59/C59

New Service S60/160 Tyndrum - Killin - Kingshouse - Callander - Stirling
New occasional rural community shoppers service operated on behalf of Stirling Council.
Service will run first and third Saturday of each month.
Operational Dates:
2017 - December 2 & 20
2018 - January 6 & 20, February 3 & 17, March 3 & 17, April 7 & 21, May 5 & 19, June 2 & 16, August 4 & 18, September 1 & 15, October 6 & 20, November 3 & 17, December 1 & 15,
2019 - January 5 & 19, February 16, March 2 & 16.
S60/160
 

overthewater

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Some more Good news:

https://www.firstgroup.com/south-ea...s/news/paul-named-engineer-year-uk-bus-awards

Paul Branigan, Engineering Manager with First West Lothian, has been named Engineer of the Year at the UK Bus Awards, the industry equivalent of the ‘Bus Oscars’.

The 34-year-old, who is based at the Livingston Depot in Deans Road, saw off stiff competition to take the Gold Award at a ceremony in London.

First%20West%20Lothian%20Pic%201%20-%20Paul%20Branigan_crop.jpg
The UK Bus Awards recognise outstanding performance, achievement and ground breaking projects delivered by the bus industry. The Engineer of the Year award, given in partnership with The IRTE (Institute of Road Transport Engineers), rewards inspirational management talent in engineering disciplines from across the industry.

Mark Yexley, Chairman of the UK Bus Awards, said: “The judges were very impressed with Paul’s achievements, especially the way he has inspired a team of employees who now all support each other and continue to make improvements for customers.

“We would like to congratulate Paul on his outstanding achievement, there was lot of tough competition. Well done from everyone at the UK Bus Awards.”

Paul started his career at First Bus before 12 years’ service as an engineer in the Army. He then returned to First Bus and has been influential in taking the Livingston Depot from strength to strength.

The Livingston Depot team have won a number of accolades and achieved the highest standards. The 33-strong team recently became the first to attain Bronze, Silver and then Gold Standard in the highly acclaimed First Bus Wrench Awards. The awards were established to develop and sustain best practice in maintenance and presentation of the First Bus fleet.

Livingston Depot was named Depot and Team of the Year Scotland in the First Group Excellence Awards and Paul received the Quantum Leap Award for the team’s work in reducing lost mileage and breakdowns, and improving vehicle reliability.

Last year the depot won the West Lothian Chamber Award for Learning and Development and has a close partnership West Lothian College, providing local placements for students and an international exchange programme.

Paul said: “I’m very proud to have received this award but for me it is very much an achievement for the whole team. They are a hard-working, professional and dedicated group and I dedicate this award to them for the effort they put into ensuring the fleet is always available to serve our customers.

“You can only really be successful as a manager if you have a good team and you’ve got to strive to ensure that everyone is working together and that they feel supported. There’s a great spirit amongst the Engineering Department and across the whole depot here.”

First West Lothian Managing Director, Andrew Jarvis, said: “We’re thrilled with Paul’s success at the UK Bus Awards, this is richly deserved and a tribute to him and the depot team.

“Paul and the team are going from strength to strength and this award recognises the great strides they are making in engineering excellence and in meeting the high standards expected by our customers.”

First Bus enjoyed further success at this year’s awards, with Martin Brand, Manager of the First Bus Regional Repair Centre in Glasgow, receiving a Highly Commended prize in the Unsung Heroes category and First West of England taking Gold in Marketing Initiative of the Year for its mobile mTickets campaign.

First Manchester and partners won the Silver Award in the ‘Making Buses a Better Choice’ category for the Vantage service. First York was also honoured, with the business collecting the Bronze Award in the Environment category for their Park & Ride Electric Buses.
 

overthewater

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Xmas details have appeared:

West lothian services on 26th and 2nd Jan are paid for by the council, One day hopeful the 38 will operate in Falkirk on these days along side Grangemouth bus.

https://manage.firstgroup.com/south-east-and-central-scotland/more/christmas-new-year-service-levels
Here is a summary of how our buses will be operating over the Christmas and New Year period.
Customers are advised that from Sunday 24 December 2017 until Tuesday 2 January 2018, revised service levels will be in operation for the festive season.
Midland Bluebird
Sundays 24 and 31 December
Christmas Eve & Hogmanay

Normal Sunday timetables will operate, but all services will be withdrawn earlier from around 2100hrs.

Detailed list of last journeys

Monday 25 December and 1 January 2018
Christmas Day & New Year’s Day

No services will operate.

Tuesday 26 December and 2 January 2018
Boxing Day

No services will operate.

Wednesday 27 December to Friday 29 December 2017

Saturday timetables will operate on all services except for service UL Stirling – University which is withdrawn.

Saturday 30 December 2017

A normal Saturday timetable will operate.

West Lothian
Sundays 24 and 31 December
Christmas Eve & Hogmanay

Normal Sunday timetables will operate, but all services will be withdrawn earlier from around 2100hrs.

Detailed list of last journeys

Monday 25 December and 1 January 2018
Christmas Day & New Year’s Day

Services 22, 27, 28 and 38C will operate special timetables supported by West Lothian Council. No other services will operate.
Timetables: 22 27/28 38C

Tuesday 26 December and 2 January 2018
Boxing Day

Services 22, 26A, 27, 28 and 38C will operate special timetables supported by West Lothian Council. No other services will operate.
Timetables: 22 26A 27/28 38C

Wednesday 27 December to Friday 29 December 2017

Saturday timetables will operate on all services.
Night services N1 & N2 will operate on the night of Friday 29 December only.

Additional morning journeys will operate on services 21/921, 22 & 801/802
Timetables: 21/21A/921 22/22A 800/801

Saturday 30 December 2017

A normal Saturday timetable will operate including night services N1 & N2.

Services return to normal from Wednesday 3 January 2018
We would like to wish all of our customers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
 

overthewater

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Fare rises are coming: https://www.firstgroup.com/south-ea...es/planned-changes/fares-revision-sunday-21st

No mention of the falkirk ticket?

Fares Revision – Sunday 21st January 2018
On Sunday 21st January 2018, some of our fares are changing, below is a list of the changes that will take place.

There will be no changes to our mTicket prices.

There will be no change to the ticket prices for Zone M (1 Zone). The student Stirling University 4 Week ticket has been withdrawn, but there are two more ticket types on our mTicket app that will be added for students!

Singles and Returns
  • Adult singles fares below £1.90 frozen at current prices
  • Adult singles fares £1.90 and above will rise by between 20p and 70p
  • Adult return fare calculator revised to 1.7*single fare - offering even better value against two equivalent single fares!
  • Child fares are revised in line with the adult fare revisions.
Click on the link to see ALL price increases:
 

overthewater

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First has retained the H1/H2 tender, it has also pick another tender C1 ( Alloa local - In old money that 64)
 

overthewater

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This has gone well under the radar, SPT is paying First to extend 4B from Croy to Cumbernauld on Saturday mornings, since Cavan has reduced its 43 service to start at 9am.
 

winston270twm

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The below post was posted on SE Scotland Bus Yahoo Group, it's amazing how a route First gave up as unviable, now under Lothian it is now struggling with capacity issues due to passenger growth,

Winston

harrylbarker
Feb 21 8:40 AM


I have heard from a very reliable source that due to capacity issues and what seems to be a continuing almost relentless increase in passenger traffic, plus various high profile golf tournaments at Muirfield that the 124 is to be converted to full double deck operation, and that in order to achieve this eight split new deckers are to be delivered to ECB - timing unknown but presumably from the next batch.

I also gather that some of the existing single deckers will be used to increase peak hour frequency and alleviate overcrowding at pinch points and others may be transferred back to the main fleet - I suspect 10195-9.
HB
 

overthewater

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Which is strange because there also made the X5 hourly, I just dont believe there is a high demand of people on the cost wishing to travel to muss.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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The below post was posted on SE Scotland Bus Yahoo Group, it's amazing how a route First gave up as unviable, now under Lothian it is now struggling with capacity issues due to passenger growth,

Winston

harrylbarker
Feb 21 8:40 AM


I have heard from a very reliable source that due to capacity issues and what seems to be a continuing almost relentless increase in passenger traffic, plus various high profile golf tournaments at Muirfield that the 124 is to be converted to full double deck operation, and that in order to achieve this eight split new deckers are to be delivered to ECB - timing unknown but presumably from the next batch.

I also gather that some of the existing single deckers will be used to increase peak hour frequency and alleviate overcrowding at pinch points and others may be transferred back to the main fleet - I suspect 10195-9.
HB

Perhaps not a case of the route being unviable in isolation?

However, it’s fair to say that First massively mismanaged the business from day one. From 1996 to 2011, it was little short of disastrous and I found it hard to believe that bastions of my early teens like Bonnyrigg could be lost to Lothian.
 

overthewater

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Perhaps not a case of the route being unviable in isolation?

However, it’s fair to say that First massively mismanaged the business from day one. From 1996 to 2011, it was little short of disastrous and I found it hard to believe that bastions of my early teens like Bonnyrigg could be lost to Lothian.

Part of the problem was there hands were tried to Millage flooring from the late 90s + Scotrail controls which give stricter ruling ( compared to pre privistiation) on how the company operated certain route, even if the demand or the needs of the passengers changed. CC etc etc all have to take a good share of the blame for this mess.
 
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oldman

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Perhaps not a case of the route being unviable in isolation?

That is probably part of it. ECB are able to carry Lothian ticket holders within the LB area, which First could not.

Some of it may have been bad management by First, but some was down to Lothian under Renilson taking a more aggressive position, on services introducing high frequencies on key corridors and on pricing with a single fare zone up to 15 km from the city centre.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Part of the problem was there hands were tried to Millage flooring from the late 90s + Scotrail controls which give stricter ruling ( compared to pre privistiation) on how the company operated certain route, even if the demand or the needs of the passengers changed. CC etc etc all have to take a good share of the blame for this mess.

The mileage floor was only agreed in 2002 and Scotrail was 2004.

The damage to the old ESOL business was perpetrated earlier, from the 1996 reorganisation through to the ill fated Edinburgh bus war.
 

overthewater

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The mileage floor was only agreed in 2002 and Scotrail was 2004.

The damage to the old ESOL business was perpetrated earlier, from the 1996 reorganisation through to the ill fated Edinburgh bus war.

Yet in 96 it remerged the two separate operations back into what was Eastern used to be bar Monklands. The manamanget were in Dalkeith no New street but still, until the bus war the companies Midland and Lowland were making very healthy profits, and running a fleet on par with the likes of Stagecoach Fife. So the Mid - late 90s isn't where the trouble started. I really do wonder what would have happened if First head chickens just kept their ambitions to themselves and instead did up its game in Restalrig, penicuik etc.....

Bus war happened and then just as there come out of it was slapped with mileage floor. It was at that point when the real trouble started. There were told how to operate certain routes, it does seem bonkers there were told instead of trying to provide a service for passengers and their demands there had to operate certain back end route which lost money and drained its resources. I think that why there chopped the old 14 and 23, There were outside of the controls but in the case of the 14 some reclic from back of nationalised days. ( Stagecoach now cover the route which is integrated with its own services) FSE operated some crap routes and it showed, were are there now? most of them are gone.

Yet in 2001 First operated 3 buses per hour over the North Berwick route, two on the 124 and one on the X5. Back in the day it was £4 for day ticket to North Berwick around 2004/05

Its Brand new buses? is that why there more passengers? Or is it more housing has been built? Scotrail service is not on pair? Lothian has cut back its own service like the 15... and forced them all on to the 124? Take two bus routes and merge them and which the profits roll in....
 
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oldman

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East coast depends on the Lothian link - a route like the 113 could not survive on the 'country' traffic from two villages. It needs the city/Musselburgh traffic using Lothian tickets and was given a bit of help in Tranent when the 44 was taken off. The same is probably true of the 124.

In Midlothian and West East Lothian, there was a tipping point in the early 2000s when Lothian became dominant. They used RDG money to strengthen in Bonnyrigg and Gorebridge, were given the dominant position in Penicuik after the bus war and chipped away at other routes, e.g. better early evening services. There was a period of several years when the maximum fare was pegged at 1.00 which affected First's traditional core business from Midlothian to the city. In the end the fitter survived, but not much to do with the undertakings.
 
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