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  1. Nelly
    Member

    Having used the bus in a number of other UK cities, I can say with some confidence that if "the app" and payment methods is what bothers you then you have little to really worry about.

    @gembo mentioned Bath as very car centric on the just eat thread. He's right, nobody uses the bus there, it's unreliable, expensive and hence people drive into city centre - my sister and family for example - journeys of a mile or so.

    Our bus service has challenges, but it stacks up well against everything except London imo.

    Contactless early next year sounds good. I really don't see why they would mimick the TfL capped scheme, I would be very surprised if this makes much economic sense on our small network.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  2. crowriver
    Member

    @ejstubbs, "Oh, and mobile data on Three PAYG is 1p per MB. If you only used it for the TfE app I reckon that would be 1p a day."

    Yeah I know, my smartphone is on 3.

    Problem there is that as soon as you switch mobile data on, all your apps start auto-updating, notifications come in from your social media, etc. etc. If you have location services enabled it may start using the network to do AGPS, etc.

    In short, the TfE app may only cost a penny or three to use once you have downloaded the data you need, but everything else...

    Then inevitably you forget to switch mobile data off, and hey presto you have zero credit by the end of the day, if not sooner!

    Easier to just switch it off unless you really, really need it, eg. emergency situation, completely lost, urgent e-mail to send, etc. Not usually worth the bother for TfE app.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  3. crowriver
    Member

    @acsimpson, we were in London last month and public transport, while excellent, is certainly not a nirvana for family travel.

    You need a special Oyster photo card for your kids so they can travel for free. That costs £15 each (admin fee, no travel included). Under 16s do not travel free, but get very cheap travel with the Oyster photocard. Under 12s can travel on TfL services for free if accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket, however that is not the case on National Rail services within London. Much of south London, and certain rail lines in north London, are therefore not free for accompanied under 12s unless they have the photocard, see above. If you don't have these (i.e. if you don't live in London, are not a regular visitor, or don't have 3 weeks to spare before your trip to order the photocards online), then you may find yourself purchasing day travel cards instead as it works out cheaper than the contactless cap if you have a Family & Friends Railcard (which we do).

    Oh and be careful where you buy a single ticket, as many rail vending machines and railway stations will sell you tickets which cannot be used on TfL services only on National Rail! If in doubt, buy at a tube station if at all possible...

    The bus service in Edinburgh is maybe not as good as London's but it is pretty good.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  4. acsimpson
    Member

    Yes, I was talking about bus not the countless other options they have. My mistake that it's under 12s not under 16s which travel free with their parents. Our eldest was 5 so I wasn't paying close attention.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/contactless-payment-coming-to-edinburgh-west-lothian-buses-this-weekend-1-4836476

    Posted 5 years ago #

  6. chdot
    Admin

    “

    Bus passengers must be given greater priority over other vehicles in Scotland’s traffic-clogged cities, the country’s traffic commissioner has urged.

    “

    https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/priority-for-buses-over-other-vehicles-in-scotland-s-cities-urges-traffic-commissioner-1-4852290

    Posted 5 years ago #

  7. gembo
    Member

    I agree with this analysis from Joan Aitken and Alastair Dalton

    Not a bus but 30-40 people whose lives could be made better (those on top deck at back are beyond help)

    Posted 5 years ago #

  8. crowriver
    Member

    "(those on top deck at back are beyond help)"

    However it would be of great benefit to the other passengers that they get to their destination quickly, the better to leave the rest to complete their journeys in peace.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  9. Ed1
    Member

    Bus lanes may delay emergency vehicles as cars are not allowed to pull in to bus lanes to let emergency vehicles passed.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  10. fimm
    Member

    In which case the car driver stays put and the emergency vehicle uses the bus lane.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  11. acsimpson
    Member

    That only works with active lanes of course. If cars are parked in bus lanes they are useless.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  12. chdot
    Admin

    “
    Join us this Sunday for the launch of our 2020 Bus Strategy on George Street.
    It will be your first chance to learn about the strategy and see one of our brand new Alexander Dennis Enviro400XLB buses.

    “

    https://twitter.com/on_lothianbuses/status/1090155158967894022

    Posted 5 years ago #

  13. Ed1
    Member

    As far as can gather this new bus is not a hybrid

    Posted 5 years ago #

  14. ejstubbs
    Member

    It is Euro6 though i.e. compliant with more stringent emissions regulations than the ones it will be replacing. Small steps 'n' all that.

    https://www.lothianbuses.com/news/2018/11/new-100-seat-buses-for-lothian/

    IIRC that the routes it will be running on (CBA to check on the bus forum I usually use) aren't the ones best suited to hybrid vehicles.

    (FWIW, my understanding - based on discussions on said forum - is that Lothian's experience to date with their all-electric buses has been less than compelling.)

    Posted 5 years ago #

  15. chdot
    Admin

    https://twitter.com/clare_bridson/status/1092083971138207746?s=21

    Posted 5 years ago #

  16. LaidBack
    Member

    New buses have two doors. Normal for Europe where loading and unloading times are kept tight.
    Great image showing how much city streets would be cluttered if everyone drove. Car use defending politicians must be glad that the buses scoop up that lot of solo drivers.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  17. gembo
    Member

    Edinburgh had two door buses about twenty years ago. Also a brief experiment with four seater tables

    Posted 5 years ago #

  18. chdot
    Admin

    “Also a brief experiment with four seater tables”

    Wasn’t that just some airport buses?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  19. chdot
    Admin

    “New buses have two doors.”

    Perhaps the future is contactless??

    Posted 5 years ago #

  20. chdot
    Admin

    “

    Hi Robert, our commitment to operating only buses which meet a minimum vehicle standard of Euro 5 or above by the end of 2020. Central to this strategy is our vision to meet the Scottish Government’s target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2020.

    “

    https://twitter.com/on_lothianbuses/status/1092345593924648960

    Posted 5 years ago #

  21. ejstubbs
    Member

    @chdot: AFAIK the whole fleet now has now been fitted with contactless-capable card readers. I have heard that the aim is to roll out contactless payments across all the Lothian Buses brands this year (the Airlink and Skylink routes already accept contactless payments).

    I don't know whether there are any plans to implement a fare cap like TfL does, but accepting contactless payments is definitely a key enabler for that.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  22. Klaxon
    Member

    Nice to see this spacial messaging getting through - and being recreated - but was anything actually announced?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  23. crowriver
    Member

    “Also a brief experiment with four seater tables”

    Wasn’t that just some airport buses?

    Yes, I recall sitting at one of those, maybe about ten years ago, or maybe a bit less than that.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  24. ejstubbs
    Member

    According to the app page on Google Play, the minimum spend on the m-ticket app is now £4 (i.e. one day ticket). Previously it was £10.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  25. gembo
    Member

    @chDot, no the 44 would have these tables too. Would sit with no1 daughter when she was about 3 and some adult women with disability would join us at Junioer green and try to give us Mars Bars. No 1 daughter soon to be 21 so maybe 1998?

    Posted 5 years ago #

  26. gembo
    Member

    @ejstubbs noticed the west Lothian version now also advertising they take contactless,

    Posted 5 years ago #

  27. Snowy
    Member

    I would think the contactless, capped fare model would be a massive enabler.

    I know that section of George St is nothing unusual but the camera angle highlighted for me the bizarre allocation of road space we are so used to in Edinburgh.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  28. ejstubbs
    Member

    @gembo: I did have half an idea that Lothian Country was accepting contactless but the Lothian Buses tickets page says not. (It also says that, of the airport services, only Airlink ie the 100 takes contactless, contrary to what I wrote yesterday. My mistake.)

    "Why don't they do contactless?" comes up practically every time I have a conversation with anyone about using the bus in Edinburgh. There seems to be a significant demand for it. Lothian Buses are investing in the technology. But they are doing a thoroughly lousy job of publicising their actual plans (which statement does, I suppose, assume they do in fact have anything that could be called a plan, rather than just a vague aspiration).

    Posted 5 years ago #

  29. jonty
    Member

    Are you thinking of this?

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/contactless-payment-coming-to-edinburgh-west-lothian-buses-this-weekend-1-4836476

    Posted 5 years ago #

  30. ejstubbs
    Member

    @jonty: Interesting. So it was supposed to be live on Lothian Country buses from 1st December last year, but is still not showing as such on LB's web site. Helpful. Not. What's a ordinary punter supposed to do?

    Posted 5 years ago #

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