Ways to improve the First Glasgow Network

[PaulMc7]

Even if it stopped at every passenger's door I don't think it would have been used, but there would still have been tears and snotters when it was withdrawn.

There's usually a lot of people that get off at Thornwood for the 77 and run across onto 2s and 3s. Yeah that's so true though. People only want to use something when they lose it. 4 and 4A from Knightswood being a great example of this

 

[Get Out There]

Eaglesham to EK is constantly requested to be more frequent and run later, but the only occupied seat would be the driver's.

 

[PaulMc7]

Eaglesham to EK is constantly requested to be more frequent and run later, but the only occupied seat would be the driver's.

Yeah that's true. The 21 terminus is in perfect position for an extension to Eaglesham as well lol. Genuinely think it would only add about 5mins onto the journey but I've seen how quiet the 4A is into Eaglesham a lot of the time so it's not worth it

 

[Bus Lightyear]

Travelling from Clydebank or Drumchapel to the new hospital (after cutting the 16) is quite easy. Travel to Partick, either by bus or train depending where you are, then transfer onto another bus to complete the journey.

I think some of you need to understand that running buses isn't a game and is a very expensive business.

 

[Bus Lightyear]

As First are the main operator in Glasgow and also up for sale I'd love to know what you think First's strengths and weaknesses are as an operator and what could whoever buys them over do to perform better than they have.

A big weakness for me is their promotion. They were good when the new electric buses have come in when it comes to making people aware of them but I feel a big turn off for customers with First is that when service changes occur there isn't enough promotion of what the change is and route maps are sometimes unclear. When the simplicity network was introduced in May 2013 I feel like the amount of time it took to understand the changes was far too long for the largest operator in the city especially when that city is also the largest in Scotland

Simplicity and the new buses and route branding done over the last couple of years has been promoted to the hill.

What electric buses are you talking about? Perhaps I'm missing something.

 

[PaulMc7]

Travelling from Clydebank or Drumchapel to the new hospital (after cutting the 16) is quite easy. Travel to Partick, either by bus or train depending where you are, then transfer onto another bus to complete the journey.

I think some of you need to understand that running buses isn't a game and is a very expensive business.

I'm not one of those people. Everything I've studied since the end of school is accountancy and business related so cost is one thing I always understand. Anything I've suggested is literally just a suggestion not gospel or something I think they'd do

 

[PaulMc7]

Simplicity and the new buses and route branding done over the last couple of years has been promoted to the hill.

What electric buses are you talking about? Perhaps I'm missing something.

The buses you mentioned lol didn't see much simplicity stuff at all especially at the beginning. A lot of people had problems working out which bus they needed because of it not being put across enough. I was only lucky because all they done near me was make the 62 and 66 a 2 and 6 so it was easier for me than most people

 

[route101]

Yeah that's true. The 21 terminus is in perfect position for an extension to Eaglesham as well lol. Genuinely think it would only add about 5mins onto the journey but I've seen how quiet the 4A is into Eaglesham a lot of the time so it's not worth it

Im sure the 44 up to Eaglesham had night buses before . Only thing with extended the 21 is how reliable it would be up to Eaglesham .

 

[PaulMc7]

Im sure the 44 up to Eaglesham had night buses before . Only thing with extended the 21 is how reliable it would be up to Eaglesham .

I think I remember them vaguely. Yeah it's not great at times as it is

 

[route101]

As First are the main operator in Glasgow and also up for sale I'd love to know what you think First's strengths and weaknesses are as an operator and what could whoever buys them over do to perform better than they have.

I feel like their main strength is always having a strong network of core routes to the city centre that cover a lot of areas. A big weakness for me is their promotion. They were good when the new electric buses have come in when it comes to making people aware of them but I feel a big turn off for customers with First is that when service changes occur there isn't enough promotion of what the change is and route maps are sometimes unclear. When the simplicity network was introduced in May 2013 I feel like the amount of time it took to understand the changes was far too long for the largest operator in the city especially when that city is also the largest in Scotland

The thing with simplicity was some routes were not touched and some remumbered and combined . I thought there was going to be another round of changes after that .

 

[PaulMc7]

The thing with simplicity was some routes were not touched and some remumbered and combined . I thought there was going to be another round of changes after that .

Yeah I thought that too tbh. Wasn't as simple as they seemed to be aiming for

 

[route101]

Yeah I thought that too tbh. Wasn't as simple as they seemed to be aiming for

I think the simplicty thing has been canned .

 

[PaulMc7]

I think the simplicty thing has been canned .

Yeah I just had a quick Google search for it and there's not much that comes up at all

 

[route101]

Yeah I just had a quick Google search for it and there's not much that comes up at all

Funnily enough i still have the booklet from the changes . Some services like the 6 have gone from every 10 mins to every 12.

 

[PaulMc7]

Funnily enough i still have the booklet from the changes . Some services like the 6 have gone from every 10 mins to every 12.

Yeah holiday timetables are used on it constantly. Back to every 10mins tomorrow though. I think the good thing with the holiday timetables is that the frequency cuts aren't massive. Biggest is 10mins down to 15 on the 41 I think

 

[route101]

Yeah holiday timetables are used on it constantly. Back to every 10mins tomorrow though. I think the good thing with the holiday timetables is that the frequency cuts aren't massive. Biggest is 10mins down to 15 on the 41 I think

I thought the 6 was every 12 mins permanently now , need to check that .

 

[PaulMc7]

I thought the 6 was every 12 mins permanently now , need to check that .

Says at frequent intervals on the timetable but there's 2 6A journeys 10mins apart before that which makes me think it will be 10mins. With how Great Western Road is it'll probably be constant buses running together anyway as per usual lol. By the time the 6 gets passed Anniesland there was 2 or 3 together even with the every 12min frequency

 

[route101]

Says at frequent intervals on the timetable but there's 2 6A journeys 10mins apart before that which makes me think it will be 10mins. With how Great Western Road is it'll probably be constant buses running together anyway as per usual lol. By the time the 6 gets passed Anniesland there was 2 or 3 together even with the every 12min frequency

I consider the 6a a separate route .On website only find current summer timetable for 6

 

[PaulMc7]

I consider the 6a a separate route .On website only find current summer timetable for 6

There's the new timetable under the forthcoming timetables section. Got the new timetables for the service changes and the buses coming off of summer timetables

 

[Bus Lightyear]

The buses you mentioned lol didn't see much simplicity stuff at all especially at the beginning. A lot of people had problems working out which bus they needed because of it not being put across enough. I was only lucky because all they done near me was make the 62 and 66 a 2 and 6 so it was easier for me than most people

I'll ask you again, what are these electric buses you're talking about? Or have I completely missed something?

 

[PaulMc7]

I'll ask you again, what are these electric buses you're talking about? Or have I completely missed something?

The ones that have come out within the last year on the 18, 75 etc

 

[CM]

The ones that have come out within the last year on the 18, 75 etc

The buses on the 18 and 75 aren't electric, they are diesel.

 

[PaulMc7]

The buses on the 18 and 75 aren't electric, they are diesel.

Aw okay. I've heard drivers being asked on the 18 and 38 and both said electric to the customer that asked. Hmm strange

 

[CM]

Aw okay. I've heard drivers being asked on the 18 and 38 and both said electric to the customer that asked. Hmm strange

Drivers are wrong then, all of the recent Enviro 400s delivered to First Glasgow are 100% diesel powered.

 

[Bus Lightyear]

Im sure the 44 up to Eaglesham had night buses before . Only thing with extended the 21 is how reliable it would be up to Eaglesham .

There's a service from East Kilbride to Eaglesham ran by McGill's on of behalf SPT. As it's subsidised I can't imagine there is any prospect of First or any other operator starting a commercial service.

 

[PaulMc7]

Drivers are wrong then, all of the recent Enviro 400s delivered to First Glasgow are 100% diesel powered.

Aw thanks for the info. Baffling how the drivers didn't know tbh

 

[PaulMc7]

There's a service from East Kilbride to Eaglesham ran by McGill's on of behalf SPT. As it's subsidised I can't imagine there is any prospect of First or any other operator starting a commercial service.

Yeah I wouldn't see it happening tbh. Even to Gardenhall the bus isn't that busy. Most people are off by Greenhills Shops with a handful beyond that

 

[Bus Lightyear]

There's a service from East Kilbride to Eaglesham ran by McGill's on of behalf SPT. As it's subsidised I can't imagine there is any prospect of First or any other operator starting a commercial service.

confirmed here http://www.spt.co.uk/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/mcgills-service-395-300118.pdf

 

[PaulMc7]

confirmed here http://www.spt.co.uk/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/mcgills-service-395-300118.pdf

Seen it around a few times. Never ever looks busy

 

[Get Out There]

Seen it around a few times. Never ever looks busy

That's why I was comparing the Eaglesham campaigners to CQ1 campaigners. Both Clydebank to QEUH and Eaglesham to EK corridors constantly get requested by punters, but if they ever ran, noone would use them. That's why I said it would only be the driver lol. When an operator tries such services they make a loss. The unused services get pulled and the punters write to MPs and Journalists. Headlines like "LIFELINE BUS AXED". Always makes me laugh.
Eaglesham to EK is interesting due to having the tendered 395 which is unused, yet Eaglesham folk complain it is not frequent enough. They want two empty buses an hour instead of one.