West Coast Motors & Borders Buses

[WestieBus]

Does anyone know if the 477/479 routes in Dunoon have been relaunched? I saw a 477 on a school service today. First time I saw a 477 in about 5 years

Think the 477 might have been a mistake. Every other time since that its shown as 478 and tracked as that.

 

[InOban]

I guess the service using the ferry is long gone.

There's a connecting bus on the other side at Rhubodach (90/490)

 

[317 forever]

I had 2 reasons not to be pleased with Borders Buses on my visit to Edinburgh last month.

Firstly, they only offer a network-wide day ticket for sale on an app. While I do understand if they prefer no longer to take cash, I do not understand why they do not allow us to purchase such a ticket on the bus with a contactless card. They are therefore showing favouritism to customers with smartphones.

Secondly, the combined ScotRail and Borders day ranger turned out to have been discontinued in 2020.

As a compromise, I rode 2 buses locally between Edinburgh and Penicuik and paid single fares. These were good value to be fair, costing £1.80 as Lothian Buses would for the equivalent journeys. Although elegant and comfortable, the grey seat frames and grey leather was not very colourful.

 

[route101]

I had 2 reasons not to be pleased with Borders Buses on my visit to Edinburgh last month.

Firstly, they only offer a network-wide day ticket for sale on an app. While I do understand if they prefer no longer to take cash, I do not understand why they do not allow us to purchase such a ticket on the bus with a contactless card. They are therefore showing favouritism to customers with smartphones.

Secondly, the combined ScotRail and Borders day ranger turned out to have been discontinued in 2020.

As a compromise, I rode 2 buses locally between Edinburgh and Penicuik and paid single fares. These were good value to be fair, costing £1.80 as Lothian Buses would for the equivalent journeys. Although elegant and comfortable, the grey seat frames and grey leather was not very colourful.

So, what tickets can you buy on the bus with a contactless card?

 

[M803UYA]

I had 2 reasons not to be pleased with Borders Buses on my visit to Edinburgh last month.

Firstly, they only offer a network-wide day ticket for sale on an app. While I do understand if they prefer no longer to take cash, I do not understand why they do not allow us to purchase such a ticket on the bus with a contactless card. They are therefore showing favouritism to customers with smartphones.

I wonder if that's peculiar to Borders Buses? The same operation on the Isle of Mull can sell a day ticket on the bus and accept payment on a contactless bank card. I travelled from Craignure up to Tobermory six weeks ago.

 

[317 forever]

So, what tickets can you buy on the bus with a contactless card?

At least single fares. I did pay both single fares using my contactless card.

It just meant they had less money from me than had I been able to purchase a day ticket for the whole network.

As an aside, I am delighted that my plans for Galashiels were thwarted. I later read in Today's Railways UK that the railway line to Galashiels/Tweedbank is due to be electrified in the mid-2020s. This may have been mentioned here but I had not spotted it.

I wonder if that's peculiar to Borders Buses? The same operation on the Isle of Mull can sell a day ticket on the bus and accept payment on a contactless bank card. I travelled from Craignure up to Tobermory six weeks ago.

Yes, it is a bit inconsistent for the same company owners to have a different policy in different areas of Scotland.

 

[RELL6L]

I did a day trip on Borders Buses back in August as reported on the ‘trips’ thread. Having seen that the day ticket was only available on the App I downloaded the App (first time for a bus company), bought a ticket then validated it before my first journey. As a relative dinosaur on tech matters it was very easy.

 

[route101]

At least single fares. I did pay both single fares using my contactless card.

It just meant they had less money from me than had I been able to purchase a day ticket for the whole network.

As an aside, I am delighted that my plans for Galashiels were thwarted. I later read in Today's Railways UK that the railway line to Galashiels/Tweedbank is due to be electrified in the mid-2020s. This may have been mentioned here but I had not spotted it.


Yes, it is a bit inconsistent for the same company owners to have a different policy in different areas of Scotland.

They also have offers only available on the app too. The 253-route offer which is £2.53 single on the 253.

Usually, I prefer a day ticket as it offers more options.

 

[chiltern trev]

The 2 Scania Omnicity double deck YR61RTU and YT11LSE which were on Mull during the summer and route branded 95/495 Craignure Tobermory are now based at Galashiels according to bustimes.org.

Have these buses retained their 95/495 route branding?

Is this a tourist off season transfer meaning they will return to Mull for 2023 summer season?

Anyone know the whereabouts of Astromega formerly M40WCM which suffered a fire and thus withdrawn from service - has it been scrapped?

YT11LSE retains Craignure to Tobermory branding.
Photo on Facebook of YT11LSE on X62

https://m.facebook.com/groups/psvcircle/permalink/5991544747530352/?m_entstream_source=feed_mobile&anchor_composer=false&paipv=0&eav=AfYoYGVMnVCDW0hUq5cnT6_i7mTGPd08EPjcLVZCh0sE3z-Op1VXVX4gDt5u6KhsY4M

 

[Volvodart]

Increased journeys - 253 and X62 routes

Increased journeys - 253 and X62 routes

We're pleased to confirm from Mon. 28 November we are making improvements to service X62 and 253

www.bordersbuses.co.uk

We are pleased to confirm from Monday 28 November we are making improvements to service X62 Peebles to Edinburgh and service 253, Berwick upon Tweed to Edinburgh.

Over the past 18 months we have invested heavily in our recruitment initiatives and whilst it is still a huge challenge; we are now able to make some changes and increase journeys in response to demand.

Service updates include:

Service 253

Service 253 will be re-routed to serve Fort Kinnaird Shopping Centre. We expect this will be a popular change, providing travel opportunities for work and leisure, especially for those under the age of 22 eligible for free bus travel.

Service X62

The demand for service X62 between Peebles and Edinburgh has continued to grow. We are making improvements to the weekday timetables, where we are experiencing the most significant demand. In time we hope to extend weekend journeys.

In order to accommodate the proposed timetable service 362 will be cancelled from the same date as this has been incorporated within the timetable for service X62.

X62 Journey information

		No of Journeys	First Journey	Last Journey
From	To	Pre 28 Nov	28 Nov	Pre 28 Nov	28 Nov	Pre 28 Nov	28 Nov
Galashiels	Edinburgh	13	25	5:55	5:55	19:25	19:55
Peebles	Edinburgh	13	26	6:44	5:44	20:14	20:44
Edinburgh	Galashiels	13	26	8:20	7:20	22:20	22:20

We appreciate this might not be the best news for those travelling on other routes and would ask that those customers recognise this is our first steps in regrowing our network. We cannot physically increase other journeys without negatively impacting our bus network or put added pressure on our Borders Buses' team, who have worked tirelessly ensuring we keep people moving.

As we secure more drivers and continue to regrow the network we would like to point out it it will - in some parts - be a different one to our pre-C19 service offering. Hybrid working, home working, a huge drop in those over 60s travelling on bus, and an increase of younger people now eligible for free bus travel is changing customer travel patterns and in turn creating a new demand on our network.

We will continue to monitor and when possible add extra resource where we can. We thank you in advance for your understanding.

 

[scosutsut]

Increased journeys - 253 and X62 routes

Increased journeys - 253 and X62 routes

We're pleased to confirm from Mon. 28 November we are making improvements to service X62 and 253

www.bordersbuses.co.uk

Boo, that weakens the 253 as a commute option for me, I guarantee that diversion will impact journey times negatively in the peaks.

Advantage ECB now for Dunbar through to Haddington! Shame you can't ever get on a X7 as they are always full!

 

[Bus Lightyear]

It's encouraging to see some operators making some small improvements. The industry needs to see more of this.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Boo, that weakens the 253 as a commute option for me, I guarantee that diversion will impact journey times negatively in the peaks.

Advantage ECB now for Dunbar through to Haddington! Shame you can't ever get on a X7 as they are always full!

Everyone seems to want a piece of that Fort Kinnaird pie, let’s see how this works out especially with the routing! it didn’t say if it was still going to serve The Jewel or not, because it could do what the 49 does currently then onto the A1, or follow the N106 route to Fort Kinnaird then on the A1!

Good news on the X62, looking forward to the Timetable, although I’m wondering if that 2 and a half hour gap between 5:44 and 8:14 will be fixed with a bus in-between for Peebles and Edinburgh, it was always an issue for me but I suppose baby steps I guess!

 

[scosutsut]

Everyone seems to want a piece of that Fort Kinnaird pie, let’s see how this works out especially with the routing! it didn’t say if it was still going to serve The Jewel or not, because it could do what the 49 does currently then onto the A1, or follow the N106 route to Fort Kinnaird then on the A1!

Good news on the X62, looking forward to the Timetable, although I’m wondering if that 2 and a half hour gap between 5:44 and 8:14 will be fixed with a bus in-between for Peebles and Edinburgh, it was always an issue for me but I suppose baby steps I guess!

I assume Edinburgh bound it will come off a junction earlier, drive through the main stretch of the Retail Park to serve the main bus stops, then head towards Niddrie Mains traffic lights, and turn right back onto the A6106 and rejoin the normal route?

 

[Porty]

They also have offers only available on the app too. The 253-route offer which is £2.53 single on the 253.

Usually, I prefer a day ticket as it offers more options.

Borders Buses - App only offers will be available on Black Friday, for one day only. Use tickets by end of Feb. 100 single tickets on any route for £100, 20 for £10.

 

[scosutsut]

Borders Buses - App only offers will be available on Black Friday, for one day only. Use tickets by end of Feb. 100 single tickets on any route for £100, 20 for £10.

That's great, will take advantage of that. Forgive the ignorance, but when is Black Friday?

 

[scotrail158713]

That's great, will take advantage of that. Forgive the ignorance, but when is Black Friday?

Week on Friday (25th November)

 

[scosutsut]

Week on Friday (25th November)

Magic, thanks!

 

[TheEastCoaster]

I assume Edinburgh bound it will come off a junction earlier, drive through the main stretch of the Retail Park to serve the main bus stops, then head towards Niddrie Mains traffic lights, and turn right back onto the A6106 and rejoin the normal route?

From what Border Buses have confirmed it’s still serving its current route via The Jewel but it’ll come off the A1 just to serve Fort Kinnaird East before heading back onto the A1 Haddington bound.

Honestly in my opinion it’s either go all in or don’t even bother, folk could still walk from The Jewel to Fort Kinnaird anyway, and why not take those extra minutes and serve the main centre instead of one stop off the A1, it’s like having Lothian’s 48/400 terminating at Fort Kinnaird West which to be fair is more understandable as you can’t have too many buses terminating in one area, but if it’s just passing through then why not a proper one way loop instead of one stop? just feels like a waste of time now.

 

[DunsBus]

I see that the departure times of the last buses on service 60 have been moved back with effect from 28th November.
From Galashiels the last bus will be at 1710 Mondays to Saturdays - the Sunday last bus remains at 1500 - and from Tweedmouth the last bus will be at 1705, all week.
Someone, somewhere must have been reading this forum.

 

[scosutsut]

From what Border Buses have confirmed it’s still serving its current route via The Jewel but it’ll come off the A1 just to serve Fort Kinnaird East before heading back onto the A1 Haddington bound.

Honestly in my opinion it’s either go all in or don’t even bother, folk could still walk from The Jewel to Fort Kinnaird anyway, and why not take those extra minutes and serve the main centre instead of one stop off the A1, it’s like having Lothian’s 48/400 terminating at Fort Kinnaird West which to be fair is more understandable as you can’t have too many buses terminating in one area, but if it’s just passing through then why not a proper one way loop instead of one stop? just feels like a waste of time now.

What so come off at Fort Kinnaird, serve the stops the reach immediately on the Newcraighall Road, then spin round the roundabout and go back on again?

I agree, that's worst of both worlds! Deal with both sets of traffic!

 

[RELL6L]

I see that the departure times of the last buses on service 60 have been moved back with effect from 28th November.
From Galashiels the last bus will be at 1710 Mondays to Saturdays - the Sunday last bus remains at 1500 - and from Tweedmouth the last bus will be at 1705, all week.
Someone, somewhere must have been reading this forum.

That's an improvement, along with the considerable increase in service on the X62. Agreed it would be better if the last buses on the 60 were around 17.40 to catch office and shop workers in Berwick and Galashiels but still a plus. I hope they have the resources for the X62 increase. I quite liked it how it was because the through services to Edinburgh were all deckers, now I don't think that will be possible so there will be some element of hit-and-miss.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Noticed they have a brand new dealer stock E400MMC YX72 OML on the X62 recently.

 

[Dfatcontroller]

Noticed they have a brand new dealer stock E400MMC YX72 OML on the X62 recently.

And YX72OMK.

 

[DunsBus]

Some sad news to report this evening - the death of Doddie Weir after a six-year battle with MND and whose charity, My Name'5 Doddie, Scania/E400MMC 11622 (YN16CFU) carries a vinyl wrap for.

 

[scosutsut]

What so come off at Fort Kinnaird, serve the stops the reach immediately on the Newcraighall Road, then spin round the roundabout and go back on again?

To confirm my own question, the detour (Edinburgh bound) is to come off the A1 a junction earlier at Fort Kinnaird, make a full turn at the roundabout you meet almost immediately and serve the bus stop on the opposite side, before using the on ramp to rejoin the A1 (briefly) and then resume the previous route.

No problem early in the morning, but that will be murder for later journeys, especially in the run up to Christmas as that roundabout snarls up like you wouldn't believe.

Fair play to them for trying something new, as they've said over 65 usage is down and under 22 is up, so they have to consider that as a factor.

 

[roadierway77]

West Coast Motors have announced that Glasgow Citybus service 15 will increase in frequency from hourly to every 30 minutes from Monday 6th February. A link to the news article from their website is below, alongside a quote from the page. It seems to have been announced two days ago but I only noticed it through a tweet just now. Mods, if I've messed up formatting the source, I do apologise and feel free to correct it.

Service 15 to move to every 30 minutes

Great news for our Glasgow Citybus customers. Service 15 will be increasing its frequency!

www.westcoastmotors.co.uk

Service 15 to move to every 30 minutes​

2 days ago Sat 28th Jan 2023

Great news for our Glasgow Citybus customers. Service 15 will be increasing its frequency!
The new Milngavie to Glasgow City Centre timetable, launching on Monday 06 February, will increase frequency from hourly to every 30 minutes Monday to Friday, and hourly on a Saturday.
The route serves Milngavie, Baljaffray, Bearsden, Canniensburn Toll, Anniesland and includes Glasgow University, West of Scotland Science Park and Gartnavel Hospital.
We hope the new bus times make it quicker and easier to travel to and from the city for both our commuters and the growing student market traveling to the number of colleges and universities across the city including Glasgow University’s Bearsden and west end and campus.

 

[christopherrfc]

Glasgow Citybus name to be discontinued and renamed into the main west coast motors name.

Glasgow Citybus - name change

We will soon be losing our Glasgow Citybus name and replacing it with West Coast Motors.

www.westcoastmotors.co.uk

Today Tue 31st Jan 2023

We will soon be losing our Glasgow Citybus name and replacing it with West Coast Motors.
All our Glasgow Citybus online information is available from this website and our West Coast Motors mobile app so the name change will make it easier for new and existing customers to access live bus times and plan journeys.
In terms of our buses, the colour and branding will stay the same, the only difference being you will start to see West Coast Motors instead of Glasgow Citybus. Our team’s uniform will start to say West Coast Motors soon too.
For now we will use both Glasgow Citybus and West Coast Motors social channels, with the aim of only using West Coast Motors in the future.

 

[WestieBus]

Glasgow Citybus name to be discontinued and renamed into the main west coast motors name.

Not really surprised about the change. WCM have been changing it closer to their company over their years and the name Glasgow Citybus doesn't really feel right anymore. Kind of expected the change.

 

[InOban]

What's the current City bus livery? They say they're not changing it but it would save money if it was the same as the other divisions.