Some more bus changes

More changes to the bus stops as the tram work continues at the east end

http://www.lothianbuses.com/images/stories/pdf_downloads/Diversion120107.pdf

Thanks for posting this. I had forgotten that they were going to make some more changes to the routes. I go back to work on Monday and it will be useful to know where to get the bus home in the evening.

Good reminder, thank you.

Looks like more changes to the timetables / routes etc for all the Penicuik services due from 4th March. Will it make things run better????

http://www.busandcoachforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=9985&sid=cff4361fe7ef4a156f16d552efc47e7d&start=20

http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/transport/bus_fares_forced_up_by_fewer_passengers_and_lower_grant_1_2089549

Seems like we could be paying more for less soon. Only good thing is that the 47 service is coming back to Penicuik on Sundays - don't know how the single deckers will cope with Ikea traffic though!

Found this, apparently full details of all the changes will be revealed later this week;
23 & 27 reduced to every 12 minutes, again!
24 extended to Granton Square
14 & 2 swap routes between Commonwealth Pool and Surgeon's Hall
8 to operate Muirhouse to Surgeon's Hall in the late evening all week, and reverts to using Leith Street
19 to operate Granton-Leith Street in the evening Mon-Sun. Sunday daytime will operate Granton-Lochend
20 extended from Hermiston Gait to Gyle Centre
22 reduced from every 6 to 7 minutes Mon-Sat
44 Sunday service reduced from every 15 to 30 mins but to extend from Wallyford to Tranent Windygoul
X47 to additionally call at Kaimes XRoads
X31 to now call at ALL stops between Haymarket and Salisbury Place, and to operate via Hopefield Estate to/from Brixwold
47 Sunday service re-introduced to Penicuik Ladywood
X12 to replace X48 but operates Ratho/Ingliston to Waterloo Place every 12 mins
12 extended to Ratho/Ingliston, frequency reduced to every 20 mins Mon-Fri (2 buses per hour extend to Ratho from Ingliston)
33 extended to Sherrifhall P&R, and to Dalkeith in the Peak Hour to replace the 48/X48. In the evenings to terminate at Fernieside Terminus on Old Dalkeith Road.

A great "improvement" to the X47 by adding in an extra stop. They are already not much quicker than the normal service due to all the traffic lights on the A701 and the time it takes to call at the park and ride site.
Think it is time they completely revamped the bus routes to get them away from the clogged up A701 and the congestion in George Street and the West End.
Anyone have any ideas of better routes?

I'd agree though can't see what options they really have, in terms of route anyway. Wouldn't surprise me if at some point in the future they ditch the X47 completely and replace it with more standard 47, seems to be the Lothian way of doing things these days. Always surprised that a limited stop service has never been started in Loanhead, given the number of folk that use the bus from here as well. The McEwans buses always seem busy from Penicuik so maybe there is something that they know that Lothian don't...

Found this on the 'bus & coach forum' about the changes;

Service 37/47/X47 (Silverknowes/Granton-Crewe Toll-Princes Street-Cameron Toll-Loanhead- Straiton-Penicuik Deanburn/Ladywood)
Revised Timetable & Stopping Places
A revised timetable is introduced all week on this group of services to improve reliability, with additional running time included. The morning peak timetable on Mondays to Fridays is very slightly reduced. Service X47 will now additionally stop at Kaimes Crossroads in both directions (the Howden Hall Road side of the junction), to facilitate better interchange on to services 7 & 11.
On Sundays, service 47 is extended to Penicuik Ladywood during the daytime to provide better links to IKEA and the new ASDA store at Straiton.

Service 15/15A (Penicuik-Auchendinny/Roslin [15)-Milton Bridge/Easter Bush [15A] Fairmilehead-Morningside-Princes Street-Portobello-Eastfield-Queen Margaret University)
Minor Timetable Changes & Introduction of a new Public Holiday Timetable
Minor timetable changes on Mondays to Fridays mornings, with two journeys withdrawn – the 0950 arrival at QMUC and the 0926 journey from Fairmilehead. On Public Holidays, some morning and evening journeys will now operate via Easter Bush Campus on their way to and from Penicuik. These journeys will continue to serve Roslin.

For anyone who who uses a car, beware the new cameras that are coming to some bus lanes in Edinburgh from April http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/transport/the_10_bus_lane_hotspots_to_be_cameras_focus_1_2120735?commentspage=0

All the bus changes now available on the Lothian website...

http://www.lothianbuses.com/images/stories/pdf_downloads/r37_120304.pdf

Taking a quick look at the timetable it seems they have finally spread the services out a bit with 47s leaving Penicuik Centre at 5 past and 35 past the hour so hopefully this will stop the long delays as the 37 and 47 wait behind each other at bus stops.
We shall see how the timetable changes work in practice - no doubt someone will dig up all the roads to slow things down again!!!
I see there is no mention of "revisions" to the fares despite the fact they have already removed most of the dayticket stickers from vehicles.

More diversions to bus routes from 3rd March - expect some fun with timetable changes, fare "revisions" and route diversions all kicking in that weekend

http://lothianbuses.com/news/2-general-news/959-east-end-diversions-from-saturday-3-march-2012.html

I see that Firstbus are finally getting round to increasing the fares, surprised it took them this long http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland_east/travel_news/news_initiatives/?item=5221&conf=0

Though interestingly it doesn't suggest any fare increase in the Edinburgh area, assuming that also means Midlothian since we benefit from the £1.30 fare..

More bus diversions around Ladywood coming soon:

http://www.lothianbuses.com/news/11-traffice-news/1044-penicuik-ladywood-from-3-april.html

also saw this interesting article on the bus forums about First Bus possibly selling their Edinburgh operations to Lothian Buses!!!

http://www.busandcoachforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=10694

Looks like it could be goodbye to Firstbus services, doesn't make good reading - could this be the end of service 141 that has been running to Penicuik for many, many, many years...
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland_east/travel_news/news_initiatives/?item=5451&conf=0

More info on First cutbacks here:

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/east-central/302350-200-jobs-at-risk-as-first-close-down-lothians-bus-routes/

and route details here:

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/east-central/302358-first-bus-closures-full-details-of-affected-routes/

Yes, the 141 is going so wonder if Lothian will re-organise other routes to replace it, otherwise it means a long diversion to get from Penicuik to Bonnyrigg or Dalkeith by going in to Cameron Toll then back out again

musicman
If you follow the link you gave and then go to the bottom of the page and open the pdf you will get your answer.
Which is, regrettably, 'yes'!

That's a bit of a nuisance Although I don't use the 141 myself, one of the kids does and that will mean a bit of a diversion to get to Gorebridge.

I would expect Lothian Buses, other operators and the council (especially with the elections looming) will organise something to replace some routes. No one will want to travel from Penicuik to Bonnyrigg, Midlothian Hospital or Dalkeith via Cameron Toll which is the only way to do it without using First services.
Wonder what is going to happen to their vehicles - many of them could be snapped up by bus museums!

Well, it looks as if the affected councils are showing signs of wanting to fix the problem.
http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/edinburgh/council-chiefs-to-rescue-after-first-axes-bus-routes-1-2214145?commentspage=0

Hopefully a solution will be found. The services that are to be axed serve many rural communities with little or no alternatives.

Here is an update on what is happening with a replacement for First's services in the Lothians
http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/edinburgh/council-rules-out-creating-bus-group-to-replace-first-1-2224505

Sounds very sensible for Midlothian to avoid setting up their own bus service when they already have one, even if it is only a tiny share of Lothian Buses. The second part of that article is rather ironic, talking about the "Green Bus Fund" - we used to have green buses round here age ago before First came along and messed them up with horrible pink and purple colours. It is looking like First may disappear from large parts of the country as they don't seem to be doing very well at all - another case of a company getting too big?