Stagecoach East Scotland

[RomeoCharlie71]

The Mon-Sat 73C and Sunday 74s will operate via The Marches in Carnoustie providing a service to Greenlaw Park, however reduces the service provision to Westfield, Barry and Barry Downs to hourly. It was every 20 minutes 5 years ago!

 

[Tayway]

The Mon-Sat 73C and Sunday 74s will operate via The Marches in Carnoustie providing a service to Greenlaw Park, however reduces the service provision to Westfield, Barry and Barry Downs to hourly. It was every 20 minutes 5 years ago!

As in going up to Upper Victoria junction, going along the A92 for a bit then (in the case of the 73C) going straight back down at Ardestie to serve Monifieth?

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

As in going up to Upper Victoria junction, going along the A92 for a bit then (in the case of the 73C) going straight back down at Ardestie to serve Monifieth?

Yes.

The 74 will continue along to Ethiebeaton then the current 73A route. In reverse it will operate from Monifieth Tesco, around Broomhill Drive "the wrong way", Ashludie, Ethiebeaton, Upper Victoria, The Marches then into Carnoustie

The Mon-Sat 74A/74C loops around Monifieth are utterly bizarre and personally think the current setup works better. The 74A going along the High Street in both directions with "West End" on the front will confuse passengers no-end

 

[Strathtay 260]

Carnoustie Greenlaw Park on the 73C... Is this a mistake and meant to be Barry Bypass?

Edit: nevermind. I now see the above posts.

both directions

Both directions? It will display Ethiebeaton Park going towards Monifieth though.

PS: every 15 minutes services on a Sunday returning to Monifieth!

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Both directions? It will display Ethiebeaton Park going towards Monifieth though.

Yes, but the 74A from Ethiebeaton to the City Centre operates via Grange Road, High Street, the Broomhill loop then back onto the High Street towards Dundee

PS: every 15 minutes services on a Sunday returning to Monifieth!

No they're not, it will be a 2-hourly 73, 2-hourly 73C and hourly 74 - combining to every 30 minutes

 

[Strathtay 260]

No they're not, it will be a 2-hourly 73, 2-hourly 73C and hourly 74 - combining to every 30 minutes

Oh. Traveline displays the 74A/74C running on a Sunday but now I realise that's an error

Yes, but the 74A from Ethiebeaton to the City Centre operates via Grange Road, High Street, the Broomhill loop then back onto the High Street towards Dundee

Why will it go back down to the High Street instead of using Durham Street/Hill Street?

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Why will it go back down to the High Street instead of using Durham Street/Hill Street?

I don't know, but that's the way it's registered and how it's explained in the changes post:

Within Monifieth, service 74A will operate from High Street (eastbound) via Lorne Street, Hill Street, Victoria Street to Ethiebeaton Park then return via West Grange Road, Grange Road, High Street (eastbound), Lorne Street, Broomhill Drive, The Fairway, Panmure Street and the High Street (westbound).

 

[Strathtay 260]

I don't know, but that's the way it's registered and how it's explained in the changes post:

How bizarre! That is definitely confusing.

There isn't a timing point on the High Street between Grange Road and Broomhill it seems.

 

[Yorkshireguy]

Most new times have popped up in bustimes.org, including for Fife, though the 74 is still to be added.

For Fife, St Andrews town services gain a 90C/D. 99 looks like it's had a load of peak services added. 42A's had its Strathkinness variants split out into the 42B. 65 has had its retiming to run from St Andrews, goes via Auchtermuchty as the 65A on Sundays. Don't know much about the 36 to say if it's changed.

 

[overthewater]

It looks like 8 of the buses used for the No99 will be parked at Dundee bus station overnight. I wonder if some of the St Andrews drivers will now have to travel up to Dundee to start there shift instead of starting at St Andrews?

The 36A is now gone and replaced by the 42 which will operate via Glenrothes Hospital. 36 Sunday service will only operate to Auchtermuchty to connect with 65

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

It looks like 8 of the buses used for the No99 will be parked at Dundee bus station overnight. I wonder if some of the St Andrews drivers will now have to travel up to Dundee to start there shift instead of starting at St Andrews?

The 36A is now gone and replaced by the 42 which will operate via Glenrothes Hospital. 36 Sunday service will only operate to Auchtermuchty to connect with 65

Due to it being the only place they can install chargers, not enough room in St Andrews of course, Dare say one BZL will be kept on charge at Dundee then taken back to St Andrews in the evening for the first run of the the day the following morning.

 

[overthewater]

Im sure St Andrews is getting 16 electric buses and thus 8 charging points will also be built at St Andrews depots, there just not enough room for 16 charging points.

 

[ajrm]

Most new times have popped up in bustimes.org, including for Fife, though the 74 is still to be added.

For Fife, St Andrews town services gain a 90C/D. 99 looks like it's had a load of peak services added. 42A's had its Strathkinness variants split out into the 42B. 65 has had its retiming to run from St Andrews, goes via Auchtermuchty as the 65A on Sundays. Don't know much about the 36 to say if it's changed.

I hadn't previously realised that there's a reduction in the off-peak frequency of the 99s. It moves from one bus every 7/8 minutes to one every 9 minutes, losing one bus an hour and moving to a completely random timetable (since 60 doesn't divide by 9). Mind you, long-term roadworks over the past couple of years mean that the 99 timetable is only ever an approximation (and St Andrews depot does an excellent job of keeping the service running).

 

[Yorkshireguy]

I hadn't previously realised that there's a reduction in the off-peak frequency of the 99s. It moves from one bus every 7/8 minutes to one every 9 minutes, losing one bus an hour and moving to a completely random timetable (since 60 doesn't divide by 9). Mind you, long-term roadworks over the past couple of years mean that the 99 timetable is only ever an approximation (and St Andrews depot does an excellent job of keeping the service running).

That’s a good spot - is it demand-driven, or also to do with the electrics coming in?

Too true about the roadworks situation - feels like there’s something else every time one finishes!

 

[Strathtay 260]

is it demand-driven

Probably not given the 99 is ALWAYS packed!

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Probably not given the 99 is ALWAYS packed!

Must be the most profitable route in East Scotland, Always rammed

 

[Stan Drews]

Must be the most profitable route in East Scotland, Always rammed

It used to be one of the most profitable within the Stagecoach UK business!

Quite an achievement for a service that was only introduced in its current form in the early 2000’s.

 

[PG]

Even running at a bus every 9 minutes gives it a frequency which is better than many purely city services.

 

[aaronspence]

Even running at a bus every 9 minutes gives it a frequency which is better than many purely city services.

Just a shame they cant ever fullfil it, due to the roadworks at Guardbridge that feel like they've been going on for years.

 

[marks87]

Timetables for the 74 family of services have found their way onto bustimes.

It seems the 74/A/C are to compete with the 5 (not 5A) on the Craigiebank-City Centre corridor by turndown down Greendykes.

74 - Carnoustie, Westhaven Park - Dundee - Ninewells Hospital

Stagecoach East Scotland

bustimes.org

 

[739678]

On closer examination, it is less competition and more co-ordination.
5, 5A depart Dundee City Centre at 10, 25, 40, 55 off peak. Evenings at 05, 35.
73, 74 group will depart City Centre at 03, 18, 33, 48 off peak. Evenings at 20, 50.
City Centre to Broughty Ferry is given a combined 7/8 minute interval off peak, 15 minute interval evenings.

Same with departures from Broughty Ferry Post Office Bar....

 

[Tayway]

On closer examination, it is less competition and more co-ordination.
5, 5A depart Dundee City Centre at 10, 25, 40, 55 off peak. Evenings at 05, 35.
73, 74 group will depart City Centre at 03, 18, 33, 48 off peak. Evenings at 20, 50.
City Centre to Broughty Ferry is given a combined 7/8 minute interval off peak, 15 minute interval evenings.

Same with departures from Broughty Ferry Post Office Bar....

Excellent news, I hadn't noticed this. I wonder if they've consulted with Xplore before amending the timetable. I remember Xplore put out a survey a few months ago asking about potential changes, and I mentioned this as an issue, particularly in the evenings and on Sundays.

 

[Metal Mickey]

Excellent news, I hadn't noticed this. I wonder if they've consulted with Xplore before amending the timetable. I remember Xplore put out a survey a few months ago asking about potential changes, and I mentioned this as an issue, particularly in the evenings and on Sundays.

Under competition law, unless there’s a local partnership agreement, bus operators are not permitted to consult each other on timetables. I think in this case, the network planners at operator A have reviewed operator B’s timetable and decided to coordinate the corridor headway which is undoubtedly better for the customer, particularly for those who have no preference of operator like NEC holders and U22s.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

The latest revision of Xplore Dundee timetables (in June or July 2024, I think) put the 5/5A just a few minutes ahead of the 73, so I think @739678’s analysis would be correct that Stagecoach have tried to even out the spacing between each operator’s journeys.

 

[Stan Drews]

The latest revision of Xplore Dundee timetables (in June or July 2024, I think) put the 5/5A just a few minutes ahead of the 73, so I think @739678’s analysis would be correct that Stagecoach have tried to even out the spacing between each operator’s journeys.

The existing timetables for the 5/5a and 73/73a are already evenly spaced every 7/8 mins at the City Centre heading east, and at the Gardyne College Campus heading back towards the City it’s a 6/9 split.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

The existing timetables for the 5/5a and 73/73a are already evenly spaced every 7/8 mins at the City Centre heading east, and at the Gardyne College Campus heading back towards the City it’s a 6/9 split.

Aye, I should’ve been more specific, sorry: from the Ferry the 5 is 2 minutes ahead of the 73

(Because for some reason, 73s get 9 minutes from Broughty Ferry to Gardyne, which is complete overkill)

 

[Strathtay 260]

Random but is it a different team of drivers at the same depot which run the express services such as X7 to the local buses?

 

[Gareth1980]

Yes, There is an X7 Rota - Although they do trips on the 39 etc

 

[overthewater]

The new timetables have finally started to appear on the Stagecoach Website, however there is no sign of the minor changes to the fife services.

 

[Yorkshireguy]

The new timetables have finally started to appear on the Stagecoach Website, however there is no sign of the minor changes to the fife services.

Think you must have called it - 10 minutes after you put this, they showed up! https://www.stagecoachbus.com/servi...rticle?SituationId=ID-10/02/2025-12:59:26:155