Dunblane services will now sit in platforms 6&9 at Stirling for around 10 minutes. It’s a reduction in journey times for Stirling, Larbert, Camelon (unnecessary) and Grahamston, not for Dunblane and Bridge of Allan. Linlithgow and Polmont are having their double unit morning Dunblane/Perth/Alloa services replaced with single unit bizarre Cumbernauld services. There’s no doubt it benefits a fair amount of people, but it also inconveniences a lot (Dunblane, Linlithgow, Polmont, Bridge of Allan). There were ways to deliver these improvements without making the timetable worse for these 4 stations
Looking at the off-peak pattern, southbound the Dunblane services currently depart around xx:28 and xx:58, taking around sixty six minutes to arrive at Waverley.
The new timetable sees them leave at around the same times each hour but arrive at Waverley approximately eight minutes earlier than they currently do.
Northbound the xx:04 and xx:34 departures get into Dunblane around sixty four minutes later.
The new timetable becomes departures at around xx:24 and xx:54, taking around an hour.
(there's a minute here and a minute there due to pathing, but I'm trying to go for average times in both scenarios)
I appreciate that there's one evening departure (17:18) in the new timetable that sees the unit sit at Stirling for thirteen minutes (admittedly Dunblane passengers can change onto the Stirling service for a faster journey home) but the general service pattern is a faster service for Dunblane.
IF these Cumbernauld services are as empty as everyone keeps saying then Polmont passengers will be boarding a virtually empty train in the morning rush hour without having to worry about the large numbers of Stirlingshire passengers already on board.
Also note that Grahamston is more of a “destination” than an Edinburgh commuter station. 4tph to Edinburgh isn’t really necessary considering High gets 4tph shuttles to Edinburgh. So whether these can be considered necessary improvements, considering the busy stations (Linlithgow, Polmont, Dunblane) that this is affecting.
Falkirk High is quite out of the way for a lot of the Falkirk area - over half a mile walk and a climb of over a hundred feet - so an improved service at Grahamston will be a big boost for local passengers. Much better local bus connections at Grahamston for more of the Falkirk area too.
Attracting more "Falkirk" passengers to Grahamston will hopefully free up a few seats on the Edinburgh - Glasgow service via Falkirk High (in the way that Cumbernauld may free up a few seats from passengers who currently use Croy). Given the platform constraints at Queen Street, every little difference helps here.
My main gripe is feeling hoodwinked and misled. , the service has been suffering for years , delays short stopping overcrowding. They tell you for years that it's all going to be better after all the upheaval.. so when the reality dawns it's actually worse , then it's a bitter letdown.
Do remember this project has caused a lot of inconvenience . Not just to passengers . The springkerse bridge closure has affected buisinesses badly. People are out of pocket. Retailers down , lost income. Thistle centre adversely affected. You say so what? Remember it's standard life and your pension income. It has hit incomes and rents . Its not just a longer detour around town. So the end result needs to be worth while long term. I accept it is infrastructure improvements. But to unveil the new electric trains with a poorer timetable is going to go down badly when the majority of the public realise , not just the handful on this forum. So I hope that those who are disappointed shout loud and don't let the hype drown out the reality. Don't let Transport Minister or Alex H spin the truth . It's not just about a few minutes potentially saved for Glasgow Edinburgh commuters
I agree - it's not
just about a few minutes saved for Glasgow - Edinburgh commuters. It's about a few minutes saved for Dunblane - Edinburgh passengers too (due to no longer stopping at Polmont/ Linlithgow).
But instead we'll have more arguments on here about the seemingly huge cut in Dunblane's service (because bringing the first departure after seven to 06:58 means it no longer counts in the carefully cherry-picked timeframe.
These are only the December timetable changes, it's worth remembering there are going to be further changes on the Edinburgh-Glasgow, Glasgow-Dunblane and Edinburgh-Dunblane timetables in May.
I appreciate that regardless Polmont and Linlithgow lose direct services from the Stirling direction, but the timings may well change again in May seeing as a further 5 minutes is to be cut from journey times then.
True.
The first timetable with electric stock generally doesn't see a big improvement in journey times (based on when this has happened elsewhere in the UK), partly due to the fender of DMU-substitution meaning that they can't guarantee the faster accelerating electric stock - once 385s etc are virtually guaranteed next year, the timetable can be stepped up to something that a 90mph 158 couldn't have coped with.