McGill's Scotland East (Midland Bluebird and Eastern Scottish)

[mb88]

Are McGill’s no longer operating the Sunday 31 service? Saw an SD Travel bus on it today.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Are McGill’s no longer operating the Sunday 31 service? Saw an SD Travel bud on it today.

They are for the next 2 weeks. McGill's were operating it today, it must've just been an agency driver or an SD Travel driver on loan.

 

[jb66]

I think it's ceases to have a Sunday service in two weeks time

 

[JKP]

I think it's ceases to have a Sunday service in two weeks time

Tracking would suggest that the 1810 from Bathgate has just passed through Springfield some 7 minutes early.

 

[mb88]

They are for the next 2 weeks. McGill's were operating it today, it must've just been an agency driver or an SD Travel driver on loan.

Sorry autocorrect strikes again. ‘SD Travel bus’ that was supposed to read. Definitely saw one of their Solos screened 31 Bathgate, must have been incorrectly screened though as I later saw a McGill’s streetlite on it.

 

[overthewater]

Surely the council should be speaking with SD travel or Lothian Country to see if they could start any new routes before handing out money?

West Lothian Council to meet with government ministers in bid to save local bus service

Offer of online meeting comes hours after council backs motion calling for urgent meeting with ministers and Transport Scotland. Only the government has the money to fix bus failures, says council leader

www.edinburghlive.co.uk

The Scottish Government has offered to meet West Lothian Council for talks on the future of bus services.

The email offer of an online call with the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition, Màiri McAllan MSP, came last night, a few hours after the Council’s Executive passed a motion calling for urgent talks with the First Minister and Transport Minister, local MSP Fiona Hyslop.

That motion followed initial discussions which took place on Thursday between the First Minister and West Lothian’s council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick at a meeting of CoSLA, the umbrella organisation for local authorities in Scotland.

Commercial operators McGill’s announced late last Tuesday that it would be quitting all its routes in the county by December.

Councillor Fitzpatrick told a meeting of the Executive on Tuesday morning: “We raised the question with the First Minister at Cosla and he did agree that the transport minister and Transport Scotland would meet with me at the earliest opportunity.

“We are having to move at a real speed. Our job is to very quickly get round the table with the Scottish Government.

“They have the powers. They have the money which we don’t.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said meetings had been confirmed with a government minister yesterday.

A council spokesman confirmed this morning that the council had received an email from the Scottish Government last night looking to set up a Zoom call with Màiri McAllan MSP.

No date has been set but council officers are hoping for a meeting next Tuesday.

During the meeting of the Executive SNP group depute leader Councillor Robert De Bold said he would have backed the Labour motion but branded it “too political” in stating that there had been under-investment in bus networks compared to rail services.

“I agree with what we’re asking for, just less of the politics.” Labour defended the wording of the motion as statements of fact.

The Network Support Grant for the bus network … has flat-lined at £50m since 2012, in comparison with the rail franchise budget which is £800m this year.

In yesterday’s meeting Labour questioned suggestions made online by the local SNP MP Hannah Bardell that she had concerns about how the bus contract had been run. She had added in her online message the council: "Have a duty to make sure that contracts are properly adhered to”.

Depute council leader, Labour’s Kirsteen Sullivan asked Public Transport Manager, Nicola Gill, to clarify the council’s position.

Gill said: “The council has no responsibility, duty or power for any regulatory or performance of management of commercial services. There is not one general contract run or led by the council for services. At this point 80% of bus mileage out there is run commercially that is not contracted by the council.”

Councillors around the chamber lined up to highlight the widespread anxiety from constituents fearful that they would not be able to get to work or medical appointments, and would struggle to travel to meet friends and family.

“This is going to have an untold and devastating impact. There will effectively be no bus service in West Lothian, Councillor Andrew McGuire told the meeting.

Gill told councillors: “There will be a significant impact on all services.”

An SNP amendment, and one from Conservative Angela Doran-Timson were defeated.

Council transport officers are currently working on long term proposals for public transport.

The motion also called for an update on talks with the Scottish Government and discussions with McGill’s to come back to the next meeting of the Executive in two weeks time.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “We note the decision taken by McGills, which we understand is driven by low use of the services, coupled with the difficulties in recruiting bus drivers. The majority of bus services in Scotland are operated on a commercial basis by private bus companies in the open de-regulated market. The power to subsidise services deemed as socially necessary sits with local authorities.
“We are committed, alongside operators and local authorities, to improving services to ensure everyone has accessible public transport, regardless of geographic location. There is a broad package of long-term investment in bus, including through the National Concessionary Travel Schemes, Network Support Grant, Community Bus Fund, and for bus priority infrastructure.

“There is also an enhanced suite of options we are introducing for local transport authorities to improve bus services according to their local needs, including formal partnerships, franchising and running their own bus services.”

 

[stevenedin]

Surely the council should be speaking with SD travel or Lothian Country to see if they could start any new routes before handing out money?

West Lothian Council to meet with government ministers in bid to save local bus service

Offer of online meeting comes hours after council backs motion calling for urgent meeting with ministers and Transport Scotland. Only the government has the money to fix bus failures, says council leader

www.edinburghlive.co.uk

Even E&M Horsburgh, Stuart’s, Waverley Travel, Prentice Westwood, First and Stagecoach.

I think that the Government will only act if they are pushed into this. I can’t see them budging. Lothian Country may bring back the X17 and 280 but I can’t see many other routes being launched. The 23 between Shotts and Livingston I can see Stuart’s or SD Travel operating.

 

[overthewater]

The big question has to be, will McGills be able to hold on until December?

If your a driver working for the company and you know it's lights out your going to be looking for something else. Lothian needs to get it's act together here and speak with McGill's directly to see how many driver would be willing to stay at McGill's until early December then switch right over to Lothian country.

A lot of people on Social media are demanding the Scottish Government pays for replacement services, personnel that not going to happen. Even if it did happen it would be bare bone service ie:

21: Hourly
23: Hourly
26: Hourly - It would not operate between bus stance and Deans.

 

[stevenedin]

The big question has to be, will McGills be able to hold on until December?

If your a driver working for the company and you know it's lights out your going to be looking for something else. Lothian needs to get it's act together here and speak with McGill's directly to see how many driver would be willing to stay at McGill's until early December then switch right over to Lothian country.

A lot of people on Social media are demanding the Scottish Government pays for replacement services, personnel that not going to happen. Even if it did happen it would be bare bone service ie:

21: Hourly
23: Hourly
26: Hourly - It would not operate between bus stance and Deans.

That sounds like a plan but whether or not Lothian and McGill’s do that is another story.

 

[bobdoe]

The number of short notice cancellations today is laughable.

Short Notice Journey Cancellations

List of daily short notice journey cancellations due to the national shortage of drivers.

www.mcgillsscotlandeast.co.uk

 

[TheEastCoaster]

The number of short notice cancellations today is laughable.

Wow that is shocking, the 63 in particular having no service at all!

 

[NorthClyde320]

Wow that is shocking, the 63 in particular having no service at all!

The 63 and parts of the 21 and 23 are operated with council support so surely if some journeys are continuously being cancelled the councils affected should be able to penalize McGills for non operation. This same thing has also happened in Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and Monklands in the past reg non operation but no penalties.
I struggle to see things improving even when the X22 and X24 end next week.

 

[delt1c]

Yep and the knock-on effects to other businesses has an effect on the local economy. Also, people are unable to get to hospital appointments (a cost to NHS) then people are unable to get to work and could lose their jobs for being absent.

 

[Simon75]

Yep and the knock-on effects to other businesses has an effect on the local economy. Also, people are unable to get to hospital appointments (a cost to NHS) then people are unable to get to work and could lose their jobs for being absent.

Councils/government need to realise the problems more.
They of course could nationalise McGillls

 

[LiviCrazy]

Have McGills changed the way they track? None of the buses (East or West) are tracking on BusTimes anymore but still tracking on their app.

 

[bobdoe]

McGills have fully cancelled almost all X22 services today.

 

[WestieBus]

Have McGills changed the way they track? None of the buses (East or West) are tracking on BusTimes anymore but still tracking on their app.

All passenger-based operators in Scotland have stopped tracking

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Have McGills changed the way they track? None of the buses (East or West) are tracking on BusTimes anymore but still tracking on their app.

All passenger-based operators in Scotland have stopped tracking

It seems like there’s been an issue with those that use the MyTrip/Passengers app via the Ticketer data since Tuesday. I’m not sure what this has been caused by but I’m hoping it’ll be resolved soon. I’ve sent a message to the admins on bustimes about it.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

It seems like there’s been an issue with those that use the MyTrip/Passengers app via the Ticketer data since Tuesday. I’m not sure what this has been caused by but I’m hoping it’ll be resolved soon. I’ve sent a message to the admins on bustimes about it.

There are no issues with the data feeds, BusTimes has just stopped using them

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

There are no issues with the data feeds, BusTimes has just stopped using them

There is an issue with the feed. I believe it’s been recoded which is why it doesn’t work. The code for the MyTrip app is quite complicated.

 

[markymark2000]

There is an issue with the feed. I believe it’s been recoded which is why it doesn’t work. The code for the MyTrip app is quite complicated.

Bustimes owner put on a Discord channel (not sure if we are meant to link these) this was their quote.

(I decided to be a good boy and not use so much data that is not permissively licensed/has other problems. I may change my mind. Please use the operators’ excellent websites and apps)

 

[LiviCrazy]

Thanks everyone. Shame to lose that info, as it was useful to see what buses were where rather than for specifically tracking a bus I’m catching. But not really an issue from Monday anyway for me.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

There is an issue with the feed. I believe it’s been recoded which is why it doesn’t work. The code for the MyTrip app is quite complicated.

The feed has not been recoded, it's the same it has been ever since I first looked at it

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

The feed has not been recoded, it's the same it has been ever since I first looked at it

Thanks for confirming.

 

[stantheman]

Which fleet numbers do the buses with the green and white livery carry? And which routes are they likely to be on? Thanks

 

[roadierway77]

Which fleet numbers do the buses with the green and white livery carry? And which routes are they likely to be on? Thanks

8951 is the Enviro400 MMC in original green and white Eastern Scottish livery. 8961, 8962, 8963, 8964 and 8974 are the Enviro400s in new Eastern Scottish livery, and 0468 is the sole Wright Streetlite in new Eastern Scottish livery.

All can show up on pretty much any route at any time - that is, Eastern Scottish services 21, 23, 25 and 26. 0468 will also show up rarely on the council-subsidised routes 20, 63 and 68.

In other news I've just noticed that McGill's services are tracking on bustimes.org again.

 

[overthewater]

Have any buses been transferred over to Midland bluebird? Around 10 have been taken out of service with the X22 and X24 now gone.

 

[LiviCrazy]

Have any buses been transferred over to Midland bluebird? Around 10 have been taken out of service with the X22 and X24 now gone.

Could be coincidence, but not one of the double deckers tracked today. Wouldn’t surprise me if they’ve all been transferred already.

 

[Stan Drews]

Have any buses been transferred over to Midland bluebird? Around 10 have been taken out of service with the X22 and X24 now gone.

The PVR has dropped by 11, but I’m not aware of any planned transfers to Midland Bluebird.

 

[stevenedin]

Surely it would make sense to keep all Eastern Scottish branded buses for when they just operate the 20, 63 and 68 then all other buses which are still in the old livery would be transferred elsewhere or sold and they will operate in the correct livery without having to paint any.