X4 - Revised Route and Timetable
Revised Route in Prestonpans, buses now run via Prestonpans Railway Station to improve running times, Buses now extend from Tranent Windygoul to Elphinstone (Durie's Park) providing a direct link from Elphinstone to Edinburgh, increased frequency on Sundays to every 30 minutes during the day.
The Elphinestone link would be cool, though I did the full (now withdrawn) Prentice 112 down to Duries Park about a year ago now & even on a fairly short E200 it struggled to turn around, & even needed to do a ~5 point turn if I’m not mistaken. Good luck getting any bus on the Lothian fleet list bar 193 (& maybe 191/2) to turn there.
X5 - Revised Timetable
New Sunday Service Introduced running between 0900 and 1800, on Monday to Saturdays, the final journey from North Berwick is at 1750, and the final journey from Edinburgh is at 1930
Think the residents on the East Lothian coast would appreciate later express journeys.
X6 - Revised Route and Timetable
Revised Terminus in Edinburgh, buses now terminate in Haymarket, Western General now served by 113. Buses now run during the day pre April 2025 to improve services in Macmerry and Glasdmuir, buses will continue to serve Fort Kinnaird.
I personally think (after having about 4 months to reflect on the April 6th changes) that the X6 should be reinstated, but with the 106 altered to run via the old 26 route as you proposed, just terminating at Windygoul instead of Haddington.
121 - Revised Timetable
Revised Timetable, frequency is now increased to every 60 minutes to help interchanging with the 123
123 - Revised Route and Timetable
Revised Route, the circle route has now been abolished, so services will now run direct from Haddington High Street to Pencaitland (Pencaitland Park) and return via the same route, buses will run direct from Haddington to Gifford, East Saulton, West Saulton and Glenkinchie on a 60 minute frequency Monday to Sunday, Gifford as a result is now been moved to Zone D to provide Haddington with a cheaper single fare for Gifford and East Saulton.
Interesting, I like this idea but I am certain that the residents of Pencaitland would be simply fuming because god forbid they can’t get home from Haddington in ~15min.
139 - Revised Route and Timetable
Revised Route, buses now extend beyond Midlothian Community Hospital to Gore Avenue via Bonnyrigg, Cockpen, and Newtongrange to provide better links for Residents within Midlothian.
Wasn’t the Borders 339 (which did the same route as what you’re proposing) withdrawn due to low customer usage?
140 - Revised Timetable
Timetable revised to work with improved 141, Sunday buses now extend to Penicuik.
141 - Revised Route and Timetable
Buses now run via Auchindinny, later evening timetables to provide an evening 30 minute frequeny throughout the route along with service 140.
If anything, I’d cut the 141 off-peak & sort of run it in a 47/47B style manor, just running as every other journey to Penicuik in the mornings & Musselburgh in the evenings instead of every journey like the 47B does.
Bolton is part of the tender as well as part of Haddington losing a bus service. Wouldn’t be popular nor would ELC be likely to accept it.
I’m sure Prentice of Haddington would be willing to run the 101 via Bolton.
Also they should make the X5 every 30 minutes between Blindswells South and Edinburgh IMO.
…And this is where I’ll draw the line on this. Your other ideas make sense but I don’t think there’s demand for the X5 to be half hourly to Blindwells, especially with the X4.
The X4 in its current form is very flawed. It’s an express bus but it’s as fast as the local bus? Makes no sense. If it’s changed to go direct from Tranent to Wallyford then fine.
In Tranent there’s the 113 which is quicker, & in Prestonpans there’s the train (which is more expensive, sure, but takes a third of the time), only thing it’s good for is Blindwells really but that still gets the X5.
Surely this is suggestion of a Lothian Country review?
73 to Blackridge perhaps? Then 72 via Livingston Village, Blackburn and Wester Inch to Bathgate maybe?
Leaves room for rerouted X27 to Whitburn as per pre covid routing? Then 74 extension to Deans to boost the frequency of the X28 section between Deans and Livingston Centre.
Few frequency increases needed to make it work. Say 74 half hourly Deans to Loganlea and 73 half hourly in full? That to me is limited resources. No new route at all.
Don’t get your hopes up, this is West Lothian we’re talking about.
I would hope so, the X27/X28 could do with a frequency increase to at least every 15 mimutes going to every 12 at peak times, the times I use them they are always busy.
Every 12 minutes at peak times is a bit excessive, especially since the train goes up to every ~15min along the North Clyde Line. Could just do what the X27/8 do currently & have a couple extra runs starting/ending at Craigshill, like what
@FlybeDash8Q400 suggested.
Honestly, it's not even excuseable anymore, its been almost a year and a half since Lothian stepped in for McGills, it's about time they change up the local services and hopefully improve them for the better, i'm guessing they must be viable to some degree if they haven't been touched in so long, but viable as in that's the only option the residents have.
Maybe we can see something this autumn? maybe?
I think that the September changes are our best bet, I doubt they’ll do another Winter change instead of lining up LCB changes with the rest of the Lothian Family’s service changes.
I think this will be the start of a very long haul slug to get the network back to basic standard. As stated it only needs 3 extra buses and you could give Broxburn a 30min service, Livingston village a service and finally connect Armadale and Livingston together.
Ah, if only…
I suggest that is around £400,000 per annum worth of revenue that would need to be generated to provide that level of service to break even. Not sure whether that level of demand exists.
Would this cost be less if they put on single deckers? A half hourly 72 wouldn't need a double decker
I'd wouldn't imagine it would be by a significant margin - similar weight, engine size and (thus fuel consumption) and need for a driver.
They also don't have a surplus of suitable single deckers.
The last point’s the main thing that I was thinking, they don’t have enough deckers to put, say, the 1 & 2 up to decker operations unless they moved some Ex-Londons to Marine or whatever. Also I think the 72 would still probably need deckers at every 30min.
Will if Lothian are happy to waste over 600k on X19 for much lower demands, Im sure where be fine with minor increase around the Livingston area
To be fair, the past couple X19s I’ve seen haven’t been particularly desolate. It’s for from Lothian’s busiest route but it would probably fill up an entire 7900H with about 3 people standing.
