[Speculative] Ideas for First Glasgow service changes

[Bus Lightyear]

As you will know, all the social housing in Queenslie was demolished years ago, that`s nearly 700 houses. Cranhill has also been subjected to widespread, mass demolition in the area. The area is characterised by massive, sprawling open spaces and there appears to be no strategy to build on the land. With such a population decline, I guess it`s no surprise that bus services have taken a massive hit. However, people still live there and it`s not a small area by any stretch of the imagination. In the more recent past, in terms of City Centre services, the 51 serviced the area. It was cancelled and a 138 covered Cranhill. When this was removed, the 39 appeared but it didn`t last either. FG have zero commitment to the area although years ago they tried a no 7 then the 29 via North Carntyne and Ruchazie both of which went to Cardowan, another area they have turned their back on.

Are there any other bus operators committed to Cranhill and North Carntyne? At the end of the day it's a free market.

 

[DJFraz]

The 6 from Cardowan is another service I remember, although I don't remember the exact route and there's been the likes of the 32/33 across the east end too. I definitely think that if First actually communicated with the public they'd find a better use of some of their resources. Some suggestions from people are wild but even trialling things for 5-6 months would be something that shows that people are at least being listened to.

The City Centre tends to be where most people want to go but the likes of the 8, 34 and 90 show that other things can absolutely work if done right. Queenslie Industrial Estate is absolutely massive and just next to Cranhill so both could certainly be worked into one service.

I'm surprised that the 46 doesn't serve the stop on Blairtumnock Road that the SPT part of the service uses as a terminus. It would really only add another minute or two to serve. The 38E, 41 and 43 are all close enough to the bottom end of the industrial estate to cover that end of it.

The 6 from Cardowan went via Craigend and Gartloch Road in Ruchazie. The 33 ended up like the 32, a very basic service and was cancelled when they re routed the 46 via Cranhill. The 43 then covered much of the old 46 route but they terminated the 43 at Parkhead instead of the City Centre. Another City Centre service lost. The 43 will be very much on their radar as it`s still every 30 minutes. I see this bus regularly and I feel an hourly service coming. Also worth noting that Ruchazie has neither a local service to Parkhead nor a bus service to Easterhouse Centre since they decided to terminate the 38 at Glasgow Fort. First Glasgow eh?

Are there any other bus operators committed to Cranhill and North Carntyne? At the end of the day it's a free market.

I wrote to a number of companies but I got fairly standard replies that ended in off! I obviously linked North Carntyne to the Cranhill issues.

 

[PaulMc7]

The 6 from Cardowan went via Craigend and Gartloch Road in Ruchazie. The 33 ended up like the 32, a very basic service and was cancelled when they re routed the 46 via Cranhill. The 43 then covered much of the old 46 route but they terminated the 43 at Parkhead instead of the City Centre. Another City Centre service lost. The 43 will be very much on their radar as it`s still every 30 minutes. I see this bus regularly and I feel an hourly service coming. Also worth noting that Ruchazie has neither a local service to Parkhead nor a bus service to Easterhouse Centre since they decided to terminate the 38 at Glasgow Fort. First Glasgow eh?


I wrote to a number of companies but I got fairly standard replies that ended in off! I obviously linked North Carntyne to the Cranhill issues.

I get why they axed the last part of the 38 route but for me personally, the bus stop area at Glasgow Fort is too narrow to use it as a terminus. The 38's reliability can also be absolutely awful too.

The old 38 terminus wasn't great either though to be honest as buses sitting idle tended to block the ones that people were trying to stop to use. It happened to me a couple of times where I'd try to get a 41 or 60/60A and it wouldn't stop due to the driver just going straight past the 38 as they didn't see anyone. The terminus for the 41 and 60/60A is probably the best Easterhouse terminus in my opinion.

NEW POST:

One thing I've always wondered is if First would ever reduce the frequencies of services in the evening on quieter routes and put on a couple of earlier journeys to some services than we currently have to try and tap into a potential passenger market that they haven't done. Some services have starts before 5am of course but not very many. I often wonder if more people would use the bus if it covers more hours of the day particularly for those who work very early shifts or have obscure night shifts that finish at 5am-6am and not 7am or later.

The 57 has a journey that starts at Eglinton Toll at 4:16 to Silverburn but that's as early as I can think of in the entire network. Interestingly, the 3's First journey leaves Drumchapel earlier on a Sunday than it does on any other day although it only runs to the City Centre. The 6 is also like this although it starts at Scotstoun West at 4:46 on a Sunday and Clydebank during the week.

NEW POST:

Another thing I would change is to divert the 34 after Cardonald Train Station in order to serve Fifty Pitches Road before Hardgate Road and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. I'd do this to give an option to NHS Caledonia House, NHS 24, Southside Housing Association as well as the other businesses in the area. There would also only be 2 stops on this route so it likely wouldn't require more running time. The 34 currently only uses 1 stop going onto Hardgate Road from Shieldhall Roundabout due to the location of the second bus stop and towards Shieldhall Roundabout, it currently only uses 2.

 

[voidwxrranty]

I get why they axed the last part of the 38 route but for me personally, the bus stop area at Glasgow Fort is too narrow to use it as a terminus. The 38's reliability can also be absolutely awful too.

The old 38 terminus wasn't great either though to be honest as buses sitting idle tended to block the ones that people were trying to stop to use. It happened to me a couple of times where I'd try to get a 41 or 60/60A and it wouldn't stop due to the driver just going straight past the 38 as they didn't see anyone. The terminus for the 41 and 60/60A is probably the best Easterhouse terminus in my opinion.

NEW POST:

One thing I've always wondered is if First would ever reduce the frequencies of services in the evening on quieter routes and put on a couple of earlier journeys to some services than we currently have to try and tap into a potential passenger market that they haven't done. Some services have starts before 5am of course but not very many. I often wonder if more people would use the bus if it covers more hours of the day particularly for those who work very early shifts or have obscure night shifts that finish at 5am-6am and not 7am or later.

The 57 has a journey that starts at Eglinton Toll at 4:16 to Silverburn but that's as early as I can think of in the entire network. Interestingly, the 3's First journey leaves Drumchapel earlier on a Sunday than it does on any other day although it only runs to the City Centre. The 6 is also like this although it starts at Scotstoun West at 4:46 on a Sunday and Clydebank during the week.

NEW POST:

Another thing I would change is to divert the 34 after Cardonald Train Station in order to serve Fifty Pitches Road before Hardgate Road and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. I'd do this to give an option to NHS Caledonia House, NHS 24, Southside Housing Association as well as the other businesses in the area. There would also only be 2 stops on this route so it likely wouldn't require more running time. The 34 currently only uses 1 stop going onto Hardgate Road from Shieldhall Roundabout due to the location of the second bus stop and towards Shieldhall Roundabout, it currently only uses 2.

Always said they should’ve done that with the old 34A, when it only went as far as the QEUH. McGill’s could maybe take some initiative off that with the 17A service.

 

[PaulMc7]

Always said they should’ve done that with the old 34A, when it only went as far as the QEUH. McGill’s could maybe take some initiative off that with the 17A service.

Doing it with the 34 would be so handy because it saves the confusion of having them due in both directions very close together. The stances at the Queen Elizabeth are really poorly planned out too. Stance 2 has the McGill's 17, Colchri's 25 and the 2 34s due within 4 minutes at one point each hour off peak. The 34s are due 2 minutes apart and very often come in together.

 

[voidwxrranty]

Doing it with the 34 would be so handy because it saves the confusion of having them due in both directions very close together. The stances at the Queen Elizabeth are really poorly planned out too. Stance 2 has the McGill's 17, Colchri's 25 and the 2 34s due within 4 minutes at one point each hour off peak. The 34s are due 2 minutes apart and very often come in together.

What First should’ve done was send Govan bound 34’s into Stand3, save the normal passenger confusion.

 

[PaulMc7]

What First should’ve done was send Govan bound 34’s into Stand3, save the normal passenger confusion.

I fully agree. 4 stances for the amount of buses is rather tight but I think that's more down to the amount of buses that terminate there too. The terminus area could easily be used as a 5th stance if there weren't any services that only went to the hospital.