Lothian Group discussion (Lothian City, Lothian Country Bus and East Coast Buses)

[Lx008]

BusTimes seems to be showing the first Volvo 7700 (14) has been painted in the driver training livery
Can anyone confirm this?

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

BusTimes seems to be showing the first Volvo 7700 (14) has been painted in the driver training livery
Can anyone confirm this?

Where does it say this? I have Bus Times open in front of me and the only edit close to what you’re referring to is a disapproved edit to 24.

 

[Bus9120UK]

BusTimes seems to be showing the first Volvo 7700 (14) has been painted in the driver training livery
Can anyone confirm this?

No 7900s have been or are being put in training livery. On occasion these buses do go out in service on peak journeys or as extra in service trips.

 

[Spsf3232]

No 7900s have been or are being put in training livery. On occasion these buses do go out in service on peak journeys or as extra in service trips.

Another example of people using bus times as fact. It's unreliable and people need to take it with a pinch of salt

 

[Bus9120UK]

Another example of people using bus times as fact. It's unreliable and people need to take it with a pinch of salt

In fairness, me and @FlybeDash8Q400 do try to keep the fleet list as reliable as possible. It's these incorrect edits which ruin things, although in this instance the edit had already been rejected before the post was added.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Another example of people using bus times as fact. It's unreliable and people need to take it with a pinch of salt

I can’t speak for the other companies on it, but good luck finding an inaccuracy on the Lothian page. It’s about as accurate as it gets!

 

[NorthClyde320]

Do Lothian and East Coast Buses currently operate any services either fully or partly with council support? If I recall, when East Coast Buses first started operating, some evening and Sunday journeys on the 113 and 124 operated with East Lothian council support but I'm not sure if this is still the case now

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Do Lothian and East Coast Buses currently operate any services either fully or partly with council support? If I recall, when East Coast Buses first started operating, some evening and Sunday journeys on the 113 and 124 operated with East Lothian council support but I'm not sure if this is still the case now

I was wondering that aswell, I'm sure I was told the 43 was operating with council support back in 2017 but it could just be a rumour!

 

[Siemens Trains]

I was wondering that aswell, I'm sure I was told the 43 was operating with council support back in 2017 but it could just be a rumour!

I suspect that would only be a rumour as my understanding is that the 43 has been entirely commercial since withdrawing the Bo'ness extensions run under a contract to Falkirk Council. And of course the occasional Festive season subsidy from Edinburgh Council, which ended before Lothian Country days.
Some Lothian Country routes/journeys certainly remain subsidised by West Lothian Council, but the question here seemed limited to East Coast and Lothian (City) routes. Outside the obvious Festive subsidy from East Lothian Council I reckon the 38 was a council tender from Edinburgh at least until recently.

 

[EnchantGaming]

Can anybody estimate when the new buses will be entering service.

The first batch of BZLs haven’t been delivered yet. They’ve literally just been built and are still at Volvo. So it’s probably gonna be at least a couple of months, after driver familiarisation and training has taken place.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Do Lothian and East Coast Buses currently operate any services either fully or partly with council support? If I recall, when East Coast Buses first started operating, some evening and Sunday journeys on the 113 and 124 operated with East Lothian council support but I'm not sure if this is still the case now

East Coast Buses is fully commercial these days. I don't think the school journeys are but apart from that.

 

[Flange Squeal]

The Daily Record are reporting that an award winning Lothian driver has allegedly been found over the limit while on duty.

Scots bus driver crowned 'best in UK' found 'over alcohol limit' at work

Adam Stitt, from Midlothian, was reportedly breathalysed after a passenger and fellow staff members said they could 'smell alcohol' on him.

A Scots bus employee once crowned the UK's 'driver of the year' was allegedly found over the alcohol limit at work.

Adam Stitt, from Midlothian, was reportedly caught on Thursday, February 29 following a breathalyser test. He was reported to employer Lothian Buses after a passenger and a colleague said they could "smell alcohol" from him.

The driver has reportedly taken the journey at AirLink airport before being escorted to the staff room at the Lothian Shandwick Place depot between 10am and 11am, a source said.

A spokesman for the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland confirmed to our sister title,Edinburgh Live, that they had been made aware.

He said: "I am able to confirm that Lothian Buses Ltd have notified us."

Stitt was crowned the winner of the UK Bus driver of the year in 2019 for going the "extra mile" for passengers. He overcame stiff competition from more than 100 other drivers to win the contest. The dad-of-three was previously described as one of Lothian's "most knowledgeable and popular drivers".

Lothian bosses said they have a "robust drugs and alcohol policy in place" and that all colleagues are subject to regular "randomised testing".

A source, who wished to stay anonymous, said: "Two members of staff could smell alcohol on him and there was also a report that came from a passenger who also said they could smell alcohol coming from him while they were on the bus. He was then brought in to the Shandwick Place Hub while on his dinner break and was breathalysed.

"Because he was on his break, it means that he had been to the airport at least twice by that time. He is a really quiet man and has no reason to do this. It's just come out of nowhere.".

After being contacted by Edinburgh Live, Adam Stitt said: "I do not wish to speak to you regarding any story about me. I just wish to be left alone to move on and get better."

A spokesperson for Lothian said: “Lothian has a robust drugs and alcohol policy in place and all colleagues are subject to regular randomised testing to ensure compliance. We do not comment on matters related to the individual circumstances of existing or former employees.”

Police Scotland claimed to have no reports of the incident "using the information that was provided".

Source: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scots-bus-driver-crowned-best-32635683

 

[90019]

To clarify, since the papers haven't bothered mentioning it, he was over the company limit, not the legal limit.

 

[buslad1988]

The Daily Record are reporting that an award winning Lothian driver has allegedly been found over the limit while on duty.


Source: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scots-bus-driver-crowned-best-32635683

Also worth mentioning that this doesn’t reflect badly on the companies policies and procedures. All alcohol and drugs tests are done on a random basis unless any complaints/concerns are brought to the companies attention (as has what’s happened here).

I hope the individual concerned is now left alone and given the help required to get better and move on with their life. Nobody knows or has the right to judge what’s happening in other peoples lives as it’s no one else’s business.

The fact it’s taken the media so long to get hold of this story just proves there isn’t much to say about it - if the driver hadn’t previously won bus driver of the year it’s doubtful the Daily Record would have even ran with it.

 

[Porty]

East Coast Buses is fully commercial these days. I don't think the school journeys are but apart from that.

....and Christmas/Hogmanay. I'm pretty sure I noted East Lothian council mentioned as supporting services in the last seasonal booklet.

 

[JKP]

....and Christmas/Hogmanay. I'm pretty sure I noted East Lothian council mentioned as supporting services in the last seasonal booklet.

Yes, routes on 1st January and 25th December have always received financial support from City of Edinburgh and East Lothian Councils and unless sponsored by commercial companies by Lothian Region back in the day.

 

[NorthEastern]

Also worth mentioning that this doesn’t reflect badly on the companies policies and procedures. All alcohol and drugs tests are done on a random basis unless any complaints/concerns are brought to the companies attention (as has what’s happened here).

I hope the individual concerned is now left alone and given the help required to get better and move on with their life. Nobody knows or has the right to judge what’s happening in other peoples lives as it’s no one else’s business.

The fact it’s taken the media so long to get hold of this story just proves there isn’t much to say about it - if the driver hadn’t previously won bus driver of the year it’s doubtful the Daily Record would have even ran with it.

Well said

 

[Siemens Trains]

Yes, routes on 1st January and 25th December have always received financial support from City of Edinburgh and East Lothian Councils and unless sponsored by commercial companies by Lothian Region back in the day.

My understanding is that only East and West Lothian councils now subsidise local services over Christmas and New Year. City of Edinburgh Council withdrew funding a few years back. Not sure when Midlothian stopped financial support, or if they ever started.

 

[ScotRail158725]

My understanding is that only East and West Lothian councils now subsidise local services over Christmas and New Year. City of Edinburgh Council withdrew funding a few years back. Not sure when Midlothian stopped financial support, or if they ever started.

Midlothian never have

 

[DunsBus]

Midlothian never have

No Christnas Day buses have run in Midlothian since 2005. I remember a poster on the old SEScotbus Yahoo group having a go at First for running no services there on December 25th. It was pointed out to him that Midlothian Council wouldn't fund them and that, in any case, bus drivers were perfectly entitled to spend the day with their families.

 

[CSB0241]

Quick question: when do the service registrations update? Is it every Monday morning or am I misremembering? The reason I ask is because Lothian tend to share updates over a month before they happen, but the uni timetable ends on 26/5/24, & they’ve yet to be announced.

 

[stantheman]

Saw 42 on route 44 heading to Balerno early yesterday evening. Is there a shortage of buses?

 

[Bus9120UK]

Quick question: when do the service registrations update? Is it every Monday morning or am I misremembering? The reason I ask is because Lothian tend to share updates over a month before they happen, but the uni timetable ends on 26/5/24, & they’ve yet to be announced.

There is no change then, simply.

They change the general registration spreadsheet on a Monday which sites like bustimes.org receive data from. They also update notices and proceedings on a Monday.

The bus registrations page can update any time during the week. The registration for the Bright Bus Boat and Bridge tour has appeared starting June 1st so its unrealistic for any Lothian changes to appear for May 26th particularly as its now under 5 weeks away.

 

[CSB0241]

The bus registrations page can update any time during the week. The registration for the Bright Bus Boat and Bridge tour has appeared starting June 1st so its unrealistic for any Lothian changes to appear for May 26th particularly as its now under 5 weeks away.

So does this mean that there probably won’t be any changes until September now then?

Saw 42 on route 44 heading to Balerno early yesterday evening. Is there a shortage of buses?

There has been a double decker for quite a while, yes.

 

[Bus9120UK]

So does this mean that there probably won’t be any changes until September now then?

No idea. There could be. You could also have one in June or July, or later in the year. I'm doubtful they're following the same system that they have been in the last few years.
Could there be one after a good number of the BZLs enter service?

 

[TheEastCoaster]

So does this mean that there probably won’t be any changes until September now then?

Probably nothing major untill then, saying that there is still the council tenders and a potential expansion for West Lothian? It's been almost 6 months since LCB expanded and surely a timetable increase should be on the cards soon.

 

[H00V3R]

Noticed services 120 and 121 are now shown in the TfE app, under the Diversions section. Surely just a matter of time now until these routes are incorporated into the ECB network?

 

[computerSaysNo]

Noticed services 120 and 121 are now shown in the TfE app, under the Diversions section. Surely just a matter of time now until these routes are incorporated into the ECB network?

I think the routes will be added to the app, the ticketing made compatible, and probably added to the Network Map, but I don't think the fleet will be repainted into East Coast livery nor enter into the general East Coast "pool".

 

[overthewater]

Probably nothing major untill then, saying that there is still the council tenders and a potential expansion for West Lothian? It's been almost 6 months since LCB expanded and surely a timetable increase should be on the cards soon.

Since were been told on this group there is no spare drivers or buses its unlikely this will happen any time soon.

So does this mean that there probably won’t be any changes until September now then?

If you check the PDF of the 25 you will notice it does not have the extras, so I would assume there is something on the main reg saying said journeys only operate during term time.

 

[ScotRail158725]

One of the 600s in Volvo Cardonald any ideas what one it is and what its there for?