Stagecoach Bluebird are inviting customers to give feedback on proposed changes to timetables for services in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire.
For a number of years, public feedback received during consultation has shaped the local bus network, offering better connections for the local communities to the places that matter most to them.
The proposals come following an extensive review of the network and travel patterns following the pandemic. Bus services are vital for connecting communities to jobs, education and leisure opportunities. The proposed changes aim to reflect the level of customer demand in different areas and ensure that the network can operate sustainably. The consultation is open from Monday, August 29 until Sunday, September 11with the new timetables proposed to begin operation on Monday, October 31, 2022.
Daniel Laird, Commercial Director for Stagecoach Bluebird said: “We invite customers to give their feedback about our planned revisions to the bus network in Aberdeenshire. Everything we have planned is to best use our fleet of buses to meet the travel habits in the area as well as improve the punctuality of the services. The pandemic has undoubtedly changed travel habits across the region, and these proposals are designed to ensure the ongoing sustainability of our network. We continue to invest in our people and in our fleet so that we can deliver improved services to our customers.”
Feedback can be submitted via email to bluebird.support@stagecoachbus.com
or in person at consultation events scheduled to be held in Aberdeen, Inverurie, Alford and Kemnay. Comments should be submitted before the end of Sunday, September 11.
Full details of the proposed changes, including draft timetables can be found here.
Full details of changes are as follows:
West Aberdeenshire (Inverurie, Kintore, Blackburn, Kemnay, Alford)
In the West of Aberdeenshire, services between Inverurie and Aberdeen will be revised to offer two fast journeys per hour; one on service 10 (operating directly to ARI and the city centre) and one on new service 9 (also serving Blackburn as well as ARI and the city centre).
Service 9 effectively replaces the additional journeys on service 10 operating between Inverurie and Aberdeen, which were introduced in 2020. A small number of journeys operating between Keith and Aberdeen will also be withdrawn (the core service from Keith to Aberdeen and Elgin is not affected).
Service 37 will be revised to operate between Inverurie and Kintore only, with additional stops at Kintore Railway Station to allow customers to connect to rail services.
Kintore will maintain a direct connection to Aberdeen via a revised service X20 (Alford-Kemnay-Aberdeen), which will offer faster journeys into the city centre via Hilton and Westburn. The section of route covering Berryden Retail Park will be withdrawn due to very low usage.
Services in Alford and Kemnay will be revised as all journeys will operate as X20, connecting with Kintore and Aberdeen via the faster route described above. This will provide a faster, more consistent service for these communities, with the removal of stopping restrictions previously enforced on certain journeys.
Regrettably, service 22 (Inverurie town service) is proposed to be withdrawn. This service previously operated under contract to Aberdeenshire Council, but was replaced by the Ready2Go Demand Responsive service in August 2021. Stagecoach Bluebird agreed to continue operating a more limited timetable on service 22 as a trial following customer feedback. However, it is clear that passenger numbers on service 22 cannot cover the costs of operation, which is no longer sustainable. Customers will still be able to travel on the Ready2Go service or alternative Stagecoach services.
Westhill
Following the successful revamp of the Westhill/Countesswells – Kingswells P&R – Aberdeen corridor in 2020, we have refined the timetable for services 4, 5 and 6 to offer faster and more consistent journey times for all customers. Customers travelling from Kingswells Park & Ride will see the biggest benefit, with journey times to the city centre of just 27 minutes through the day. We are also proposing adjustments to early morning and late evening services, as well as those serving Prime Four and TotalEnergies to reflect customer demand.
Aberdeen City
Service 727 (Aberdeen Airport – P&J Live – Aberdeen city centre) will see a revised timetable which will improve punctuality and offer a more consistent experience to customers, following an extensive analysis of traffic patterns on the route. There are no changes proposed to the frequency of the service, which will continue to offer convenient connections to the Airport, local business parks, P&J Live and the Great Northern Road corridor.
Service 59 is proposed to operate a revised frequency on Saturdays, with journeys operating every 15 minutes most of the day. This change reflects the level of demand on the service, following the significant increase in capacity for the service, which now operates exclusively with double deck vehicles.
Consultation Events
- Wednesday, August 31- Union Square Bus Station, Aberdeen: 08:00-11:00
- Thursday, September 1 -Village Hall, Kemnay: 15:00-18:00
- Friday, September 2 - Union Square Bus Station, Aberdeen: 15:00-18:00
- Monday, September 5 - Inverurie Town Hall, Inverurie: 15:00-18:00
- Wednesday, September 7 - Alford Hall, Alford: 15:00-18:00