Ways to improve the First Glasgow Network

[route101]

The x18 from Stagecoach linking EK to Silverburn via Mearns was a flop .

 

[Get Out There]

Craig of Campbelltown would be a good fit for the 38 corridor. Create a luxury Citybus variant. "Premier by Glasgow CityBus" leather seats, USB etc. Silver livery. Mearns to City but serving a different route within G77.

Mearns and to some extent EK are "7-7" bus towns. Commute by bus (maybe) and take the car for sushi at Silverburn at night. This fits with Citybus's model.

Could even have an X78 coach competitor "Quicksilver by CityBus"

 

[route101]

Craig of Campbelltown would be a good fit for the 38 corridor. Create a luxury Citybus variant. "Premier by Glasgow CityBus" leather seats, USB etc. Silver livery. Mearns to City but serving a different route within G77.

Mearns and to some extent EK are "7-7" bus towns. Commute by bus (maybe) and take the car for sushi at Silverburn at night. This fits with Citybus's model.

Could even have an X78 coach competitor "Quicksilver by CityBus"

In EK a lot drive to station then train into town. When your at a bus stop you can sense the pity from the drivers !

 

[PaulMc7]

In EK a lot drive to station then train into town. When your at a bus stop you can sense the pity from the drivers !

Yeah I've got friends in Calderwood and Greenhills and my girlfriend's parents stay next to Greenhills too and every time we make the journey it feels like we get pity looks when we wait on a bus. Doesn't help that the 21 is closest to her parents house and the 6 terminus in Calderwood is right at my friends house

 

[PaulMc7]

On the subject of EK express routes what way would you have it run guys?

I thought of 2 ways:

Through The Murray and Westwood then on to the M77 after Philipshill or through Calderwood and then EK expressway onto M74. Would probably have it terminate further down the city centre though

 

[Get Out There]

On the subject of EK express routes what way would you have it run guys?

I thought of 2 ways:

Through The Murray and Westwood then on to the M77 after Philipshill or through Calderwood and then EK expressway onto M74. Would probably have it terminate further down the city centre though

Doigs use the M77 option for private hire work from most parts of EK. Not sure how stage carriages would fair going this way though.

 

[PaulMc7]

Doigs use the M77 option for private hire work from most parts of EK. Not sure how stage carriages would fair going this way though.

Yeah that's true. Main reason I said that option was because only the 6 goes towards City Centre in that direction from EK bus station and the 18 and 21 on the other side of the road would be longer routes too as they still have most of EK to go through at that point

 

[Get Out There]

Go all out then.
6X
Calderwood to Hairmyres normal stopping
Express to City
Expressway to Anniesland
Normal stopping to Clydebank

Will never happen though. FiG were quick to pull the X9/10 after inheriting them. Apart from the X8, 1C/D and X4 they're not keen on short expresses. They pulled the limited stop 19X to Milngavie/Baljaffray. I think the concession holders drive a lot of demand. Many want to go to Partick or Shawlands etc rather than into City.

To quote a Caledonia Depot Driver:"Few people on a bus want to go where it's going. Most just want to go in that general direction"

 

[PaulMc7]

Go all out then.
6X
Calderwood to Hairmyres normal stopping
Express to City
Expressway to Anniesland
Normal stopping to Clydebank

Will never happen though. FiG were quick to pull the X9/10 after inheriting them. Apart from the X8, 1C/D and X4 they're not keen on short expresses. They pulled the limited stop 19X to Milngavie/Baljaffray. I think the concession holders drive a lot of demand. Many want to go to Partick or Shawlands etc rather than into City.

To quote a Caledonia Depot Driver:"Few people on a bus want to go where it's going. Most just want to go in that general direction"

Only problem is that Crow Road can be absolutely terrible for congestion. Even an express work of the 6A would be interesting. Yeah the 1C has been brilliant but even at that I'd go against the Avondale 400 with something else like the old 42. Could even have it go to Kelvingrove like the 92 did at one point. Could also do with a bus into Great Western Retail Park again too

 

[ClydeCoaster]

The stagecoach 4 or first 4 ? 38 uses new buses . 38 is quicker and feels due to it being one straight road. I think with Newton Mearns most people are at work during the day and have cars .

Stagecoach 4. They head for the bus stop based on the Stagecoach times, I haven’t grilled them on why the perception of a nicer bus, I’m guessing the dual purpose seating might play into that and hte fact it’s a quieter run into town.

 

[Get Out There]

I often used the Stagecoach 4 from City to Giffnock when big Rangers or Celtic matches were on. I could board at Buchanan, pay less and bypass the louts in the city and Shawlands who didn't know much about Stagecoach - so it could be that.

 

[PaulMc7]

I often used the Stagecoach 4 from City to Giffnock when big Rangers or Celtic matches were on. I could board at Buchanan, pay less and bypass the louts in the city and Shawlands who didn't know much about Stagecoach - so it could be that.

Would say it's a combination of that and the fact most buses are First's. I think a lot of people tend to use services from one specific company so Mcgills 3 and Stagecoachs 4 tend to be quieter as Shawlands is full of frequent First buses

 

[PaulMc7]

Seen a lot of negative reaction to the 16 cuts earlier and it made me think of a couple of ideas for new hospital services that could work.

QEUH- Run a bus from Drumchapel to QEUH but with the 1C route until the expressway and another service from Clydebank with the 2 route until the expressway both every 30 mins. Could also extend these to Braehead to give a new shopping link too.

I'd also consider a service from Paisley to the QEUH with Mcgills 17 route but then Sandwood Road, Penilee, Hillington, Braehead then the hospital or one with that until Penilee then through North Cardonald with the 3 by using Thurston Road to connect to Kingsland Drive and Berryknowes Road.

I think Stobhill and the Royal are both fine as they are unless you add a service straight up High Street and Castle Street like the old 37 from Castlemilk/Rutherglen. Don't know what else is required for services to the hospital tbh. Even the Vale of Leven is fine unless you put the 206 into it instead of just going by it

 

[CM]

Seen a lot of negative reaction to the 16 cuts earlier and it made me think of a couple of ideas for new hospital services that could work.

QEUH- Run a bus from Drumchapel to QEUH but with the 1C route until the expressway and another service from Clydebank with the 2 route until the expressway both every 30 mins. Could also extend these to Braehead to give a new shopping link too.

I'd also consider a service from Paisley to the QEUH with Mcgills 17 route but then Sandwood Road, Penilee, Hillington, Braehead then the hospital or one with that until Penilee then through North Cardonald with the 3 by using Thurston Road to connect to Kingsland Drive and Berryknowes Road.

I think Stobhill and the Royal are both fine as they are unless you add a service straight up High Street and Castle Street like the old 37 from Castlemilk/Rutherglen. Don't know what else is required for services to the hospital tbh. Even the Vale of Leven is fine unless you put the 206 into it instead of just going by it

Clydebank to Braehead has been done to death by operators and has never worked and I very much doubt it will work now.

 

[PaulMc7]

Clydebank to Braehead has been done to death by operators and has never worked and I very much doubt it will work now.

Think it could possibly given the fact most of the shops are open til 9/10 each day now except Sunday. Completely different work and shopping patterns to the last time someone tried it. If the service isn't limited stop like the last time either when First tried a bus to the hospital it could also help. Been at Braehead 3 times this week and even at 8/9pm the 9A and 77 have both been very busy

 

[CM]

Think it could possibly given the fact most of the shops are open til 9/10 each day now except Sunday. Completely different work and shopping patterns to the last time someone tried it. If the service isn't limited stop like the last time either when First tried a bus to the hospital it could also help. Been at Braehead 3 times this week and even at 8/9pm the 9A and 77 have both been very busy

Brahead has had the same opening times for as long as I can remember, and the 9A and 77 don't go to Clydebank.....

ALL previous attempts at a service between Clydebank and Braehead have been fresh air specials. The first attempt was a service by IIRC Weirs Tourlink and then Avondale tried twice and got nowhere. If it didn't work then it most probably won't work now. Even if they did start a service that also went via the Hospital I still doubt it would get much use.

 

[PaulMc7]

Brahead has had the same opening times for as long as I can remember, and the 9A and 77 don't go to Clydebank.....

ALL previous attempts at a service between Clydebank and Braehead have been fresh air specials. The first attempt was a service by IIRC Weirs Tourlink and then Avondale tried twice and got nowhere. If it didn't work then it most probably won't work now. Even if they did start a service that also went via the Hospital I still doubt it would get much use.

Anytime people get asked about hospital services it always seems to be Clydebank and Drumchapel especially that come up. I used the 9A and 77 because they're the only services first run late enough to show demand is there from Braehead

 

[CM]

Anytime people get asked about hospital services it always seems to be Clydebank and Drumchapel especially that come up. I used the 9A and 77 because they're the only services first run late enough to show demand is there from Braehead

People in Clydebank and Drumchapel WANT a service to the Hospital but when they've had a service to the Hospital it's never used which is why the services have been pulled.

 

[PaulMc7]

People in Clydebank and Drumchapel WANT a service to the Hospital but when they've had a service to the Hospital it's never used which is why the services have been pulled.

The 16 was too long winded tbh and Clydebank hasn't had one that isn't limited stop yet so it's worth a go with one that stops everywhere

 

[CM]

The 16 was too long winded tbh and Clydebank hasn't had one that isn't limited stop yet so it's worth a go with one that stops everywhere

As I said, it has already been tried by Avondale TWICE, both attempts fell flat on their faces. Infact, I'm pretty sure Arriva also had a service that ran from Clydebank to Braehead which lasted all of 5 minutes as well. If 2 or 3 other operators can't get it to work then it's highly unlikley that any other operator is going to be any more sucessfull.

 

[PaulMc7]

As I said, it has already been tried by Avondale TWICE, both attempts fell flat on their faces. Infact, I'm pretty sure Arriva also had a service that ran from Clydebank to Braehead which lasted all of 5 minutes as well. If 2 or 3 other operators can't get it to work then it's highly unlikley that any other operator is going to be any more sucessfull.

I remember the Avondale one a bit and the Arriva one does sound a bit familiar. I think if it's done smartly something could work. I doubt First would try it but out of anyone I think they're the ones that could make it work

 

[route101]

There was a trial bus from First from Clydebank to the Hospital too .

 

[PaulMc7]

There was a trial bus from First from Clydebank to the Hospital too .

Yeah I remember that. Shouldn't ever have been made limited stop though

 

[CM]

There was a trial bus from First from Clydebank to the Hospital too .

Which fell flat on it's face....as has been mentioned already.

 

[PaulMc7]

A bus that only stops once was never ever gonna work though

 

[PaulMc7]

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

 

[Get Out There]

If this thread was to be "if money was no object" then Clydebank to Braehead is fine.

Sadly though, I have to agree that it won't work. Less people than ever use bus services. Whacky services like Arriva's 600 Airport to EK and First's 601 Braehead to EK are fun for the enthusiast and I've travelled on a few over the years just because I could but First Glasgow are in the bus industry not the enthusiast joyride industry, so sadly only profitable services last.

The CQ1 carried fresh air. It wasn't frequent enough to be appealing so noone used it. Making it more frequent would have drawn less passengers (per journey). Even intermediate passengers get put off taking these routes for part of the route because the travelling public tend to stick to routes they 'know', even letting services that would get them there quicker pass them by.

 

[PaulMc7]

If this thread was to be "if money was no object" then Clydebank to Braehead is fine.

Sadly though, I have to agree that it won't work. Less people than ever use bus services. Whacky services like Arriva's 600 Airport to EK and First's 601 Braehead to EK are fun for the enthusiast and I've travelled on a few over the years just because I could but First Glasgow are in the bus industry not the enthusiast joyride industry, so sadly only profitable services last.

The CQ1 carried fresh air. It wasn't frequent enough to be appealing so noone used it. Making it more frequent would have drawn less passengers (per journey). Even intermediate passengers get put off taking these routes for part of the route because the travelling public tend to stick to routes they 'know', even letting services that would get them there quicker pass them by.

For me that's exactly the problem with First though. If they were even remotely good at promoting routes they'd be able to make things like this work. That's why I said earlier that I definitely don't expect them to try it. People don't help though because giving them what they want eventually leads to them not wanting it

 

[PaulMc7]

I hope First have learned that one stop services are a horrific idea too from the CQ1

 

[Get Out There]

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.