Lothian Buses

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A Dennis Trident 2 / Plaxton President on route 25
Slogan	Your locally owned buses / ...way ahead in Edinburgh / ...way ahead in Midlothian
Founded	1919 (As Edinburgh Corporation Transport)
Headquarters	Annandale Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Locale	Edinburgh and the Lothian region, Scotland
Service type	bus, tour bus
Routes	50 (daytime) / 10 (night buses)
Fleet	650+ [1]
Daily ridership	114 million per annum [2]
Operator	self
Chief executive	David Wilson
Web site	www.lothianbus.com

Lothian Buses Plc is the largest municipal bus company in Scotland and the largest provider of bus services in Edinburgh, Scotland. It also serves parts of East Lothian and Midlothian. On 7 November 2007 Lothian was voted Bus Operator of the Year in the 2007 UK Bus Awards,^[3] and has subsequently been voted Public Transport Operator of the Year (Bus) at the 2008 National Transport Awards.^[4] The company was cited for its substantial route development, 32 percent growth in passenger numbers since 1998 and £100 million investment in low-floor buses since 2000.

Lothian Buses plc operates the majority of daytime bus services in Edinburgh, extending to outlying suburbs, towns and villages. The company also operates several limited stop express routes, an Airport service, Park and Ride services and a night bus network. The company also operates several tourist services. The company has 4 travel shops (three in the city centre and one in Dalkeith), and operates buses from three depot locations. The company also maintains a driver training school and an engineering depot. The central depot is located on Annandale Street.

Lothian Buses is the only municipally owned bus company in Scotland, being 91% owned by the City of Edinburgh council and the remainder by the councils in East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian, giving rise to the slogan your locally owned buses, although there are currently^[update] no services to West Lothian. It is registered in Annandale Street, Edinburgh as company number SC096849^[5]

Many aspects of the Lothian operation are different to the standard practice employed elsewhere in the UK bus industry. This can mainly be attributed to a local history, strong council support, and long standing independent identity.

Contents 1 Company history 2 Fares 3 Daytime network 4 Night buses 5 Infrastructure 6 Tram network 7 Main service fleet 7.1 Fleet history 7.2 Current vehicles 7.3 Demonstrators 8 Main fleet liveries & route branding 8.1 Standard liveries 8.2 Minor route branding 8.3 Penicuik City Link 8.4 Playing cards theme 8.5 "Connect" branding 8.6 "Zoom to the Zoo" advertising 9 Tourism 9.1 History of tour operations 9.2 Edinburgh Bus Tours 9.3 Attractions accessible by bus 10 Mac Tours bus services 11 Airport services 11.1 Standard buses 11.2 Airlink 100 12 Park & Ride 12.1 Current 13 Contract services 13.1 Edinburgh University Shuttle Bus 13.2 Forth Tours 14 Driver training 15 Routes 15.1 Daytime services 15.2 Express/Limited stop services 15.3 Night buses 16 Bustracker 17 Preserved Vehicles 18 See also 19 References 20 External links

Company history

The company can trace its history back to the Edinburgh Street Tramways Company of 1871, also involving at various times the tramway companies of Leith, Musselburgh and Edinburgh North. The City Council (Edinburgh Corporation Tramways Department) took over operation of the tramways in 1919, at which time most of the system was cable operated. Electrification of the tram network was completed in 1923, but the first motor buses had arrived in 1919. Tramway abandonment took place between 1950 and 1956, after which the operation became the Edinburgh Corporation Transport Department.

In 1975, under the local government reorganisation which followed the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, ownership of Edinburgh Corporation Transport passed to the Lothian Regional Council Department of Public Transport. The operation was duly renamed Lothian Regional Transport.

The Transport Act 1985 deregulated bus services in Great Britain and required that municipal bus operations be run as commercial companies rather than as public service departments. Therefore, on 26 October 1986 the operation became Lothian Region Transport plc, better known by its initials 'LRT', a company wholly owned by Lothian Regional Council.

On 1 April 1996 Lothian Regional Council was abolished. Although the then Conservative government had sought to have the company privatised, this was resisted by local politicians and ownership the company passed to the new City of Edinburgh Council and the three neighbouring councils. The LRT identity remained until January 2000, when the company was renamed Lothian Buses plc, the LRT logo changing to 'Lothian'.

Post deregulation Lothian experienced alternating periods of competition and stability with the other major bus operator in Edinburgh, First in Edinburgh (First), and its previous incarnations SMT/Eastern Scottish. During this time Lothian acquired a number of smaller Edinburgh operators. In 2001, Lothian alleged anti-competitive practises by First.^[6][7] This claim was later rejected.^[8] One lasting effect of competition was the extension of Lothian services beyond the City of Edinburgh boundaries, in response to incursion by Eastern into Edinburgh city services. However, Lothian subsequently withdrew from West Lothian, leaving this area to First. Retrenchment from this area and not the others that Lothian extended into has caused concern amongst residents who had experienced low fares and greater choice of services during the period when Lothian and Eastern Scottish were competing. Although its area is no longer served by Lothian Buses, West Lothian Council remains a shareholder of the company.^[9]

Operators other than Lothian and First do currently operate stage services into Edinburgh, including Stagecoach, Munro's of Jedburgh, E&M Horsburgh of Pumpherston, Perrymans of Berwick and MacEwans of Dumfries. These services tend to be long-distance routes or subsidised local services and thus offer less of a competitive threat.

Lothian Buses was voted Best UK Bus Company in 2002 and 2003,^[10] and vehicles currently carry the wording Voted Scotland's Best Bus Company 2006 in a laurel wreath type logo near the fleetname.

In 2005 the drivers of Lothian Buses plc staged official and wildcat strikes over pay.^[11] In some cases this resulted in passengers being abandoned as buses were taken out of service by drivers.^[12]

Fares

Lothian operates a flat-fare system, with a daytime adult singles for any journey costing £1.20, £3 on Night Buses. Child fares, all-day tickets, pre-paid multiple singles and 'Ridacards' are also available, with senior citizens travelling on free travel passes in line with the rest of Scotland.^[13].

Cash payment is placed in a hopper, which automatically dumps into a vault that the driver has no access to. Change is not given, increasing security and allowing passengers to board more quickly. As a consequence some Firstbus services display 'this bus gives change' as a competitive device.

The Lothian 'Ridacard' bus pass is a pre-paid plastic smart card giving unlimited travel on regular daytime services, and discounted night bus travel. It is purchased initially from a Lothian Travel Shop, where the owner's picture is incorporated on the card to prevent mis-use. Once purchased, the card can simply be placed on an on-board reader, which reads the RFID chip contained in the card. Cards can be credited for a weekly, 4 weekly or annual period. A warning is displayed on the last day of validity. The card can then be topped up at Lothian Travel Shops or Pay Point equipped retailers.

Daytime network

In conjunction with management changes and route branding, the route network has undergone considerable rationalisation, with the removal of several apparently confusing aspects such as letter prefixed routes and clockwise/anticlockwise circular services. Some services have been transferred to and re-routed in Princes Street from the parallel George Street in New Town, after the banning of cars from most of Princes Street and the closing of certain access points.

The majority of the current network comprises through routes that pass through the city centre from opposing termini. Most services pass in part or in full along Princes Street, with Bristo Place and Leith Walk being the crossing points for the remaining cross town services. There also exists a northern and a southern semi-circle orbital routes, and a local loop in the Sighthill area. Lothian bus services do not call at the St. Andrew Square Bus Station, however a number of Lothian services stop close to the entrance.

Many routes are contained within the Edinburgh conurbation, whereas others, most notably the 'playing card' branded routes, extend into surrounding areas, such as Penicuik, Tranent, Mayfield, Balerno and the Airport.

As in London, double deck buses show an intermediate points display, as well as a final destination, which is useful for the longer through services and many tourist passengers. In early mornings and late evenings, some services are curtailed to the centre or to early termini, in the transition to the night bus service. In such cases, 'Part Route' is displayed in the intermediate display. Certain routes have all day short working termini, and minor diversions. These are often indicated through the use of internal or external 'tram boards'.

The most recent double-deck deliveries, from 2006 onwards, feature a "Route Diverted" intermediate display, used when road closures cause a service to be diverted from its normal route.

It is thought that it is possible to travel from any point of the network to any other point, through just one change of bus, although this obviously may not always be the quickest option.

Night buses

Lothian also operates a night bus network sponsored by the Edinburgh Dungeon, who also run discount offers on the back of Lothian bus tickets. All of the night services are detailed in a timetable and map pocket leaflet.

While an earlier night bus network did exist, ridership increased when the routes were re-numbered and re-routed to match daytime routes and increased in frequency. The operation of night buses provides a continuous 24 hour bus service to some areas of the city.

Infrastructure

Lothian operates buses from three garage locations, Longstone in the south west, Central in Annandale Street, and Marine in Seafield Road, Portobello. Located near Marine garage is Seafield engineering works, where major work on buses is carried out.

The previous company headquarters and engineering works at Shrub Hill, Shrub Place Lane off Leith Walk, were sold in 1999 subject to planning permission, after Lothian occupancy dating back to tram operation in 1871.^[14] After repeated delays, controversies and a public inquiry^[15][16][17], the site was sold for £12m in 2004 to Bl Developments to develop the site into flats and houses.^[18][19]

Lothian also maintains four Travel Shops. Three of these are in the city, at Waverley Bridge, Hanover Street (off Princes Street) and Shandwick Place (in the West End). A fourth Travel Shop opened at the Jarnac Court shopping mall in Dalkeith town centre on 4 February, 2008. The Dalkeith travel shop, which carries the slogan "Lothian Buses - way ahead in Midlothian" above the entrance, is the company's first one to be located outwith Edinburgh.

A Lost property office is located at the Central garage.

All bus stops are detailed with the route number/s of calling services. Certain strategic bus stops are designated interchanges, with associated signage, such as Cameron Toll and Haymarket. Many bus stops are accompanied by real time tracking display, giving the time in minutes until the arrival of the next services, or an indication that a delay has occurred. >.

Unlike elsewhere in the country, Lothian operates a strict 'stacking' policy at bus stops. Due to the large number of services calling at some stops, when multiple buses arrive for the same stop, they will queue one behind the other, only opening their doors when at the stop.

Lothian employs a fleet of vans fitted with amber roof lights on 'Traffic Patrol', to assist buses with problems, and to monitor the current service. More vans are used as a method of getting drivers to their change-over points, no longer do the drivers use the services themselves.

Tram network

Lothian Buses will be fully integrated with the forthcoming Edinburgh tram network, with both enterprises being owned by the council. Lothian services will interchange with the trams at various strategic locations. The now closed guided busway element of Fastlink will form part of phase 1a of the tram permanent way, replacing the busway.^[20] Early artists impressions of the trams show them in the same "harlequin" livery used on new Lothian buses.^[21] As a consequence of the trams, the fleet will be reduced in size by 19 buses.^[22]

Ticketing and fares will be matched with Lothian. The fare for a single journey on the tram network will be the same as on Lothian Buses, expected to be around £1.25 when the network opens in 2011. Day tickets and Ridacards will be valid on both the trams and buses.^[23]

In preparation for the arrival of the trams, which will not provide on-board ticketing,^[20] installation of off bus ticket machines at key bus stops has begun. These allow passengers to purchase tickets before boarding a bus.^[24][25] Similar in appearance to parking ticket machines, although these machines are red not grey.

Main service fleet

Fleet history

Edinburgh Corporation and Lothian have historically employed a high degree of standardisation of their service bus fleet, to facilitate maintenance savings. Lothian have never employed minibuses on their services, although some midibuses were used for a time. Buses have generally been purchased new - very few secondhand vehicles have been operated.

Double-deckers have long made up the majority of the fleet. In the period immediately following the Second World War, the Guy Arab and Daimler CV-series were favoured, with a smaller number of AEC Regent III. Between 1952 and 1966 some 452 Leyland Titan PD2 and PD3 were delivered (notably including 300 PD2s with MCCW Orion bodies in 1954-56 for tram replacement). With the move to rear-engined double-deckers, 588 Leyland Atlantean with Alexander bodies joined the fleet between 1965 and 1981.

With the demise of the Atlantean, the standard bus was the Leyland Olympian double decker with Eastern Coach Works or Alexander RH-type bodies (296 between 1982 and 1993). After the purchase of Leyland Bus by Volvo, Lothian remained loyal to the Volvo Olympian chassis, taking 134 with Alexander RH and Royale type bodies between 1994 and 1997. These were the last step-entrance buses purchased. 95 years of continuous Leyland operation with Lothian and its predecessors ended on the 14th March 2009 with the withdrawal of the last Leyland Olympians.

Subsequently, low floor double-deckers have been purchased. These have comprised Dennis Trident 2 with Plaxton President and Alexander ALX400 bodies, Volvo B7TL and B9TL with Plaxton President and Wright Eclipse Gemini bodies, and a small number of Scania OmniCity.

Post-war single-deckers comprised small batches of Guy Arab, Daimler CV-series, Crossley SD42, Bristol L-type, Leyland Royal Tiger and Olympic, and Albion Aberdonian. In 1959-60, some 100 Leyland Tiger Cubs with Weymann bodies were purchased to replace the assorted front engined single-deckers. In 1961 a solitary Leyland Leopard was delivered. This was number 101 (registered YSG101), which was notable as a very early example (in the UK) of a 36' long bus, for carrying the second ever example of Alexander's long-running Y-type body, and for being completed to an experimental standee layout with three sets of doors.

In 1966 the removal of disused railway bridges on Easter Road enabled the busy Leith circular services to be converted to double-deck operation. Many of the Tiger Cubs were sold to Ulsterbus, and the single-deck fleet declined markedly. Twelve more Y-type Leopards (to a more conventional specification) were purchased in 1975, and ten 1974 Bedford YRTs with similar coach specification bodies were downgraded from the coach fleet after only 1 season. Twenty dual-door Leyland Nationals arrived in 1982-85, followed by 12 dual-door Leyland Lynx in 1991. Later, some reconditioned secondhand Nationals were purchased for use on tendered services. Since the move to low-floor buses, the Dennis/Plaxton Super Pointer Dart and the Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse Urban have been favoured, and the number of single deckers in the fleet has increased.

Minibuses and short wheelbase midibuses have not been used in large numbers by Lothian, although some midibuses had previously been used on less busy routes. Ten Seddon Pennine IV were acquired in 1973. These were replaced by 18 Leyland Cubs in 1981, which in turn gave way to 12 9m Dennis Darts with Alexander Dash bodies in 1992. When the Darts were delivered they were the only non-Leyland vehicles in the fleet. In 2001 five of these Darts were sold to Yorkshire Traction. The ones that remained were gradually cascaded to the Mac Tours subsidiary until their replacement by Optare Solo SRs in 2008.

From 1969 until 2001 Lothian favoured dual-door vehicles, which minimised loading times by allowing simultaneous boarding (at the front door) and alighting (from the rear door). However, in 2002 a decision was made to purchase single-door vehicles only, apparently to stop fraudulent lawsuits claiming that the driver closed the rear doors while they were exiting^[26]. There is an ongoing programme of converting earlier low-floor dual-door vehicles to single door.

Until recently, Lothian and its predecessors operated a small coach fleet. Until 1976 most coaches were lightweight types (mainly Bedfords), but subsequently Leyland Leopard, Tiger and Dennis Javelin were purchased. An oddity (in that it was an import in the hitherto 100% British Lothian fleet) was a Toyota minicoach, new in 1993. The coach operation was closed down in order to concentrate on stage services and the open top sightseeing tours.

Current vehicles

Lothian Buses has a modern fleet by national standards, with an average vehicle age of 5.6 years^[27]. As of September 1 2009 the main service fleet is all low floor.^[28].

The majority of the current main service fleet comprises:

• Single-deck
  • Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodies[180]
  • Volvo B7RLE with Wright Eclipse Urban bodies[181]
  • Volvo B7RLE with Wright Eclipse Urban 2 bodies [182]
  • Optare Solo SR - in use on MacTours services 61 and 69 [183]
• Double-deck
  • Dennis Trident 2 with Plaxton President bodies
  • Volvo B7TL with Plaxton President [184][185]and Wright Eclipse Gemini [186][187]bodies
  • Volvo B9TL with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodies [188][189]
  • Volvo B9TL with Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodies[190]
  • Scania OmniCity

Five Alexander ALX400-bodied Tridents were also operated in the main fleet (501-505), but all of these have now been converted to open top buses for The City Sightseeing Tour. Plaxton President-bodied 506-508 have also been converted.

Current deliveries are drawn from the Volvo / Wright combination.

All new vehicles are fitted with internal and external CCTV cameras and cab radios, for passenger and driver safety^[29], bus lane enforcement and assisting the police^[30][31], although they have also been used in action against the company's own drivers.^[32][33]

Demonstrators

Lothian has from time to time had demonstration vehicles in service with the main fleet. Notable examples have included the following:

• In the 1990s Lothian trialed a Volvo B10L / Saffle single-decker (156, L456 JCK) to evaluate low-floor buses. It was owned by Volvo but painted in LRT Lothian madder/white livery, with additional lettering advertising the low floor nature of the bus.

• During 2005 Lothian trialed the bendy-bus concept using an articulated Hispano bodied Volvo B7LA (888, FJ53 LZZ) in London red and grey colours with Harlequin diamond vinyls applied.^[34] No orders followed this trial, and the bus went elsewhere, but for 2008/9 a Scania ex-demonstrator artic was purchased for use on the X48 Park & Ride</ref> for use on a special roster on the X48^[35]. The Scania artic has since been withdrawn from service and has transferred to Nottingham City Transport.

• An East Lancs bodied Scania OmniDekka double decker (999, SN04 CPE) was delivered new to Lothian in the Harlequin livery, on loan from Scania. Although it was returned to its owners after its year on loan (and was subsequently converted to an open top bus for use in London ^[36] before being re-roofed and sold to abus, Bristol), the trial led to the purchase of Scania OmniCity double deckers for the Airlink service.

Other demonstrators have been tried, including Citaro BX02 CMK, in the early 2000s.

In September 2008 a Wright Meridian bodied MAN NL273F arrived on loan from MAN for evaluation alongside the many Wright Eclipse Urban bodied Volvo B7RLEs in the fleet. It has had harlequins and lettered branding applied for the 49 route during its stay.

Main fleet liveries & route branding

While Lothian had traditionally maintained a uniform livery for all buses, deliveries of low floor vehicles has seen a new standard livery introduced. Low floor vehicles have also seen route branding come to be increasingly used by Lothian. Route branding highlights the route of certain services. Different roof colouring also makes it easier to spot your bus in the busy operating environment of Princes Street.

Standard liveries

Traditionally, Edinburgh Corporation, Lothian Regional Transport (LRT) and Lothian Buses had a livery of madder (a dark red) and cream (white), with matching madder leatherette seating. Some coach-seated Leyland Olympian / Alexander RH-types and Volvo Olympian / Alexander Royales had been painted in the same scheme, but with red in place of the madder. These vehicles are not branded for, but were typically found only on, routes 15/15A.

In 1999-2000, a new "harlequin" livery was introduced for all new vehicle deliveries, comprising all-over white, with madder lower skirting with a thin red separating stripe and a red front-panel. Gold and madder overlapping diamonds were added to the rear quarters and the rear of the vehicle. The red front serves to distinguish approaching Lothian vehicles from the all-over white of First in Edinburgh. The livery was simplified in 2002 with the diamonds originating from a different position and no longer overlapping each other. This new livery was intended to highlight the low floor accessible nature of these buses and also benefits from being more durable than the madder paint through the life of the bus. the harlequin livery was not been retrospectively applied to older vehicles in the fleet, with the Alexander Royale bodied Olympians the last vehicles to be delivered in the traditional madder and white scheme and when these vehicles were withdrawn in 2009 this livery left the lothian fleet also.

Minor route branding

Originally, twelve buses had been branded for route 35 but in November 2007 a similar number of buses, ten ex-Airlink and two from the 2004 delivery of Tridents, were branded for the 35. This featured a purple circle with the name "Airport-Holyrood-Government Link" and a route description on the sides above the purple circle. Certain single deckers have extra branding promoting the Nightbus network.

From time to time, some buses will have wraparound advertising applied, either to the whole bus, an entire side or the entire rear of the bus. Ridacards are advertised on the entire side of older Olympians.

Previously, services 22 and 30 were branded but with the 22 converted to double-deck operation on the 18th January 2009, this service lost the branding. The 30 also lost its branding, as the Dennis Darts used on it were replaced by cascaded Volvo B7RLE's from the 22 service.

Penicuik City Link

Buses for routes 37, 47 and X47 between Edinburgh and Penicuik are branded as "Penicuik City Link", with blue uppers and roofline, and the positions of the red and madder on the skirting transposed.

Playing cards theme

Single-deck buses for service 29 are branded with extra red in the livery and the slogan "The Best Deal", while similar buses for service 49 carry a navy/blue version of this scheme and are branded with the slogan "The Leader of the Pack".

Four double decker routes using the low-floor scheme are, or have been, based on a playing card theme, with the symbol of the suit incorporating the route number;

• Route 3/3A is "Club Class - across the City and Midlothian" with extra yellow on the uppers and roofline and a black "club" symbol.
• Route 26 is "East to West Through the Heart of the City" featuring red on the roofline, gold between the decks and a large "heart" with an arrow symbol (to mid 2009)[191]
• Route 31 is "Ace of Spades - cutting across the city and Midlothian" with orange uppers and roofline, and a black spade symbol.
• Route 44 is "Service with a Sparkle" with black uppers and roofline and a yellow diamond symbol.

"Connect" branding

Mid 2009 saw the introduction of 'Connect' branding, with the first example being red-based "26 Connect: Clerwood, City Centre, Seton Sands / Tranent." This supersedes the earlier playing card theme. The second example applies to new, buggy friendly vehicles on route 22, with the legend "22 Connect: Gyle + Edinburgh Park, City Centre, Ocean Terminal." The base colour here is pink.[192][193]

"Zoom to the Zoo" advertising

June 2009 saw Lothian enter into a two-year deal with Edinburgh Zoo to create a fleet of ten vehicles wearing animal-themed advertising designs over Route 26 'Connect' branding[194]. Five variations exist, on two vehicles each::

• "Recognise Anyone?" - featuring the chimps [195]
• "Dive On" - penguins [196]
• "Have a Purrfect day Out" - tigers [197]
• "Go Faster Stripes" - zebras[198]
• "Take Off!" - rainbow lorikeets[199][200]

Tourism

History of tour operations

Lothian had operated city tours using white liveried coaches. Later, Atlanteans were employed in this same livery, with blinds for City Tour. These wore an updated version of the white livery with blue detailing after a short period.^[37] An Edinburgh Classic Tour was set up in 1989 using open top Atlanteans, and later Olympians, which competed with Guide Friday. This was as a result of Guide Friday introducing competition on the city centre to Airport route. The buses wore a blue and white livery, each carrying a name e.g.Scottish Star, Lothian Star and Highland Star^[38][39]. Lothian also operated open top tours in Oxford (in conjunction with local operator Tappins) and Cambridge under the Classic Tour identity.

In July 2000 Lothian became one of the first operators to join the City Sightseeing franchise model, re-branding and upgrading the Classic Tour. Lothian purchased the first purpose built low-floor open top buses^[40], in a tartan scheme with City Sightseeing fleetnames^[41]. The Classic tour was completely transformed into the City Sightseeing red scheme by May 2001^[42]. In May 2002 City Sightseeing acquired its biggest rival Guide Friday. This led to the Guide Friday Edinburgh fleet being absorbed into Lothian, leaving Lothian as the only tour operator in the city.

A special bus service has previously been run from George Street into Edinburgh Castle via The Mound. This service used at least two of the Dash bodied Darts, in a dedicated overall livery.^[43]

Edinburgh Bus Tours

Lothian operates several open top double deck tour bus services, through its Edinburgh Bus Tours subsidiary under four distinct brands: City Sightseeing, Edinburgh Tours, Mac Tours and The Majestic Tour. The City Sightseeing tour is operated by Lothian as a franchise of the City Sightseeing brand.

All tour buses operate from the east side of Waverley Bridge, opposite Waverley station (Edinburgh's main railway station). Tours can be boarded and alighted throughout the day from there and other selected locations on a hop on hop off basis.

City Sightseeing, Edinburgh Tours and Mac Tours visit the Old Town, New Town, Calton Hill, Holyrood Palace and The Castle, albeit on slightly differing routes. The Majestic Tour operates a long loop from Holyrood and New Town, via the Botanic Gardens, to the coast at Ocean Terminal, the site of the former Royal Yacht Britannia.

The Mac Tours operation uses AEC Routemaster buses in a dark red and cream livery, with See Edinburgh By Vintage Bus branding. Edinburgh Tours and The Majestic Tour operate converted former main Lothian fleet Leyland Olympians. The Edinburgh Tour buses wear a light green and cream version of Guide Friday livery with some Guide Friday fleetnames, while The Majestic Tour wears a blue and yellow livery with some red stripes. City Sightseeing operates a mixture of converted former main fleet Olympians, 4 purpose built Plaxton President bodied Dennis Tridents and, more recently, converted former main fleet Dennis Tridents. These wear the allover City Sightseeing red graffiti scheme, with localised branding.

Attractions accessible by bus

As well as the central area attractions, several other popular tourist attractions in the suburbs of Edinburgh and beyond are accessible by Lothian bus:

• Edinburgh Zoo: 12, 26, 31, X48
• The Royal Yacht: 1, 11, 22, 34, 35, 36
• Botanic Gardens: 8, 23, 27
• Rosslyn Chapel: 15
• Lauriston Castle: 24
• Butterfly and Insect World: 3/3A, 29
• Midlothian Snowsports Centre: 4, 15/15A
• Newhailes House: 30

Mac Tours bus services

The Mac Tours business unit, in addition to open top tours, also operates two bus routes in Edinburgh. Until 2008, these were operated using a fleet of Dennis Dart Alexander Dash midibuses, a type once found in the main Lothian fleet, but they have now been replaced with Optare Solo SR buses.

Route 69 is a normal bus service, and wears the same harlequin livery as the Lothian low-floor fleet, although the 'Mac Tours' fleetname is used.

Route 61 is an express service operated for the Standard Life insurance company, who have offices in the city. These wear an allover yellow livery, with Standard Life branding.

The Mac Tours bus livery was also applied to three 1990 Mercedes Benz 709D minibuses (27-29) acquired from Western^[44] and which were also re-trimmed with original-pattern London Routemaster moquette. These buses have now been sold.

Airport services

Lothian operates standard, express and shuttle services to Edinburgh Airport located to the west of the city.

Standard buses

Lothian double deck service 35 and night bus service N22 terminate at the airport.

Although Route 35 does not call at Princes Street, it intersects with many other services of the standard bus network at these places:

• Gyle Centre (2, 12, 18, 21, 22, 24)
• Calder Road (3/3A, 25, 20, 25, 30, 32, 33, 34)
• Slateford Road (4, 44/44A)
• Lauriston Place (2, 41, 42)
• South Bridge (8, 29, 37, 47)
• Easter Road south (5, 15/15A, 19, 26)
• Leith crossroads (7, 10, 13, 14, 16, 49)
• Ocean Terminal (1, 11, 22, 34, 35, 36)

Airlink 100

The company operates a dedicated limited stop service, route 100, to the Airport from Waverley Bridge along Corstorphine Road. This service uses a dedicated fleet, special fares and its own web-site. An orange winged 'A' logo adorns the web site and the interior/exterior of the vehicles. Airlink 100 tickets can be bought from the driver, from an airport kiosk, or online (must be printed).

The Airlink 100 service calls at these stops only:

• Waverley Bridge
• West End (Shandwick Place)
• Haymarket
• Wester Coates
• Murrayfield
• Edinburgh Zoo
• Drum Brae
• Maybury
• Hilton Hotel
• Airport

The Airlink fleet comprises Polish built Scania OmniCity double deckers fitted with coach seating, luggage space, and some train carriage like seat and table arrangements. The buses wear a special livery of white and light/dark blue, with orange detailing, introduces with the conversion to low floor buses. The service was previously operated by Olympians in an earlier Airline blue livery^[45].

Company practice (likely as a result of contract terms and conditions) has been to replace Airlink vehicles every four years. This allows replaced vehicles to be cascaded to the main fleet after suitable modifications to standard specification. This maintains a young Airlink fleet on the premium route. It is likely that this cascading practice will continue even though the service uses a vehicle type that is not a current feature in the main fleet.

.

Park & Ride

Edinburgh has a network of existing and proposed Park and Ride sites^[46]. Lothian Buses X48 Limited Stop now only operates at Peak Times. At off-peak times, service 48 will operate stopping at all stops. Lothian buses call at some of these sites:

Current

• Ingliston A8 (West) - 35, X48(Peak), 48(Outside Peak)
• Hermiston A71 (West) - 25, 34 (X25/45 Peak Times Only)
• Newcraighall A1 (East) - 30 (Stops on the main road only)
• Sheriffhall A7 (South) - X48(Peak), 48(Outside Peak), 49 ^[47]
• Straiton A701 (South) - 47, X47, 67 ^[48]
• Wallyford A199 (East) - 44, 44A

Standard fares and Ridacards apply on these services.

Contract services

Edinburgh University Shuttle Bus

Lothian currently operates a zero-fare shuttle bus service for Edinburgh University during semester time, linking the southern King's Buildings campus with the Central Campus^[49]. This service picks up and sets down within King's Buildings and on George Square, with an additional set down in Buccleuch Street.

The service is only available to students and staff. In 2006/7 this service was provided using main fleet buses of the Volvo Olympian Royale bodied type, in standard livery, with the green display blind 'Special Service'.

King's Buildings is also an alternate Monday to Saturday terminus of route 41, alternated with Craighouse every second journey.

Forth Tours

As of 2007 Mac Tours has operated a bus for Forth Tours providing departues from Waverley Bridge for their various tours and cruises of the Firth of Forth^[50]. The bus used is Alexander Royale bodied Volvo Olympian 433 (P433 KSX) and not, as shown on the Forth Tours website, a Northern Counties bodied Olympian. It carries a special yellow and blue overall livery with the destination blind panelled over^[51].

Bus 433 has a previous nautical connection, having previously been used on the now discontinued limited stop express service X50 to the Royal Yacht at Ocean Terminal, wearing a similar dedicated all over livery.

.

Driver training

Lothian maintains a driver training school with an associatied training fleet, made up of vehicles withdrawn or taken from the main fleet. The fleet wears an allover yellow livery with driver training signage and 'Drive a bus with us' logos. Destination boxes are usually blanked out on these vehicles.

Driver training vehicles have historically been drawn from withdrawn vehicles from the main fleet. While Olympian double deckers have been the recent mainstay of the fleet, recently there has been a move to the Super Pointer Dart single deckers. This is due to a recent legislation change requiring vehicles used for a PCV test to be fitted with ABS.

A small number of route markers exist to assist drivers at confusing points of the network, or when diversions are in place. Type training may occur when a new type of vehicle enters the fleet.

Lothian policy dictates drivers are liable for any fines incurred for driving offences successfully prosecuted, and the company employs a driving standards officer who can monitor bus speeds with a speed gun.^[33]

Routes

Routes correct at 26 July 2009.

Daytime services

No.	Route
1	Clermiston - Stenhouse - Fountainbridge - Princes Street - Easter Road - Ocean Terminal. On Sundays, service runs between Clermiston and Easter Road.
2	Gyle Centre - Edinburgh Park - Hermiston Gait Retail Park - Broomhouse - Gorgie - Haymarket - Candlemaker Row - Prestonfield - Niddrie - The Jewel (Asda). Runs between Broomhouse Roundabout and ASDA in the evenings and on Sundays.
3/3A	Clovenstone - Sighthill - Princes Street - North Bridge - Cameron Toll - Gilmerton - Eskbank - Dalkeith - Mayfield - Newtongrange - Gorebridge - Birkenside.
4	Hillend - Oxgangs - Slateford Station - Haymarket - Princes Street - Meadowbank - Northfield - Bingham - Asda
5	Oxgangs - Morningside - Salisbury - North Bridge - Meadowbank - Mountcastle - Brunstane - The Jewel (Asda)
7	Newhaven - Leith - North Bridge - Cameron Toll - Liberton Brae - Captain's Road - Hyvots Bank - Ferniehill
8	Muirhouse - Pilton - Canonmills - Waverley - North Bridge - Cameron Toll - The Inch - Moredun - Royal Infirmary
10	Western Harbour - Leith - Princes Street - Tollcross - Firrhill - Torphin/Bonaly
11	Ocean Terminal - Newhaven - Princes Street - Morningside - Fairmilehead - Hyvots Bank
12	Gyle - Murrayfield - Haymarket - St Andrew Square - Pirniefield
14	Muirhouse or West Granton - Pilton - Goldenacre - Leith - Bridges - Prestonfield - Greendykes
15/15A	Penicuik - Roslin (15) / Easter Bush (15A) - Morningside - Princes Street - Portobello - Eastfield
16	Silverknowes - Granton - Leith - Princes Street - Tollcross - Morningside - Oxgangs - Hunter's Tryst / Colinton
18	Gyle Centre - Edinburgh Park - Sighthill Ind. Estate - Westside Plaza - Colinton - Oxgangs - Fairmilehead - Gilmerton - Royal Infirmary
19	Granton - Crewe Toll - Charlotte Square - Waverley - Lochend - Craigentinny - King's Road
20	Hermiston Gait Retail Park - Kingsknowe - Clovenstone - Westside Plaza - Calders - Sighthill - ASDA Chesser
21	Gyle Centre/Clovenstone - Broomhouse - Clermiston - Davidson's Mains - Leith - Lochend - Niddrie - Royal Infirmary
22	Gyle Centre - Edinburgh Park - Broomhouse - Stenhouse - Westfield - West Approach Road - Princes Street - Leith - Ocean Terminal
23	Trinity - Canonmills - The Mound - Tollcross - Morningside - Craighouse Campus - Greenbank/Craiglockhart Campus-Glenlockhart
24	West Granton - Muirhouse - Drylaw - Crewe Toll - Western General - Comley Bank - Stockbridge - City Centre - Tollcross - The Meadows - Marchmont - Grange - Blackford - Mayfield - Cameron Toll - Royal Infirmary
25	Heriot Watt Uni/Riccarton - Sighthill - Gorgie - Haymarket - Princes Street - Leith Street - Lochend - Restalrig
26	Tranent or Seton Sands - Prestonpans - Musselburgh - Eastfield - Portobello - Abbeyhill - Princes Street - Corstorphine - Zoo - Clermiston - Clerwood.
27	Silverknowes - Muirhouse - Crewe Toll - Canonmills - The Mound - Tollcross - Craiglockhart - Oxgangs - Hunter's Tryst
29	Silverknowes - Crewe Toll - Stockbridge - Waverley - Cameron Toll - Gilmerton - Hardengreen Tesco - Newtongrange then either Mayfield Roundabout - Mayfield Kier Hardie Drive or Gorebridge - Birkenside (evening and Sunday buses run between Silverknowes and Gilmerton).
30	Clovenstone - Westside Plaza - Westfield - Princes Street - Prestonfield - Niddrie - Newcraighall - Queen Margaret Uni - Musselburgh
31	East Craigs - Corstorphine Road - Princes Street - Cameron Toll - Kirk Brae - Fairmilehead - Lasswade - Bonnyrigg (Hopefield) OR Polton Mill. Some Monday to Saturday peak journeys extend from Hopefield to Rosewell.
32	Clovenstone - Westside Plaza - Broomhouse - Drylaw - West Granton - Granton Square (peak times only)
33	Baberton - Wester Hailes - Longstone - Haymarket - Princes Street - North Bridge - Cameron Toll - Royal Infirmary - Ferniehill
34	Riccarton - Sighthill - Longstone - Slateford - Fountainbridge - Princes Street - Lochend - Leith - Ocean Terminal
35	Edinburgh Airport - Ingliston Park & Ride - Sighthill - Chesser - Fountainbridge - Canongate - Leith - Ocean Terminal
36	Ocean Terminal - Leith - Powderhall - Canonmills - Stockbridge - West End - Holyrood
37	Silverknowes - Crewe Toll - West End - Waverley - Cameron Toll - Liberton - Loanhead - Penicuik - Deanburn or Ladywood
38	Granton Square - Waterfront - Scottish Gas - Crewe Toll - Western General Hospital - Craigleith - Murrayfield - Balgreen - Blackford - Cameron Toll - Royal Infirmary
41	Cramond - Barnton - Blackhall - The Mound - Marchmont - Grange - Craighouse Campus / Kings Buildings
42	Kings Road - Portobello - Duddingston - Craigmillar - Cameron Toll - Mayfield - Causewayside - Gifford Park - Bristo gyratory system - George IV Bridge - Hanover Street - Stockbridge - Comely Bank - Craigleith - Blackhall - Drylaw - Davidson's Mains. Saturday journeys run between Kings Road and Craigleith; off-peak, evening and Sunday journeys run between Kings Road and Hanover Street.
44/44A	Balerno - Slateford Station - Haymarket - Princes Street - Meadowbank - Brunstane - Musselburgh - Wallyford Park & Ride - Wallyford - Tranent - Pencaitland
45	Riccarton - Currie - Colinton - Craiglockhart Campus - Tollcross - Hanover Street - (St. Andrew Square) - (Willowbrae) - (Brunstane) - (Fisherrow) - (Queen Margaret University). Place names in brackets indicate that these are only served at peak times.
47	Granton Square - Granton Harbour - Crewe Toll - Princes Street - Cameron Toll - Liberton - Straiton Park & Ride - Easter Bush (peaks only) - Penicuik Ladywood
48	Ratho - Ratho Station - Ingliston - Drum Brae - Haymarket - Princes Street - Bridges - Surgeons' Hall - Royal Infirmary - Danderhall - Sheriffhall Park & Ride. Operates as service X48 during Monday to Friday peak periods.
49	The Jewel (Asda) - Portobello - Lochend - North Bridge - Cameron Toll - Royal Infirmary - Danderhall - Sheriffhall Park & Ride - Dalkeith - Hardengreen Tesco - Bonnyrigg - Rosewell
67	Hanover Street - The Mound - George IV Bridge - Potterrow - Causewayside - Mayfield Road - Liberton - Kaimes Crossroads - Burdiehouse - Straiton Park & Ride - Bilston - Easter Bush - Pentlands Science Park
69	Lady Nairne - Northfield - Portobello - Duddingston Park - Fort Kinnaird

Express/Limited stop services

No.	Route
X25	Waterloo Place - Princes Street - The Exchange - Sighthill - Hermiston - Riccarton
X26	Port Seton - Musselburgh - Willowbrae - City Centre - Edinburgh Park - RBS Gogarburn
X29	Silverknowes - Crewe Toll - Stockbridge - Waverley - Gilmerton - Newtongrange - Gorebridge - Birkenside.
X31	Bonnyrigg - Lasswade - The Murrays - City Centre - West End - Haymarket
X47	Granton - Crewe Toll - Princes Street - Straiton - Penicuik - Deanburn
X48	Ratho - Ratho Station - Ingliston - Drum Brae - Haymarket - Princes Street - Bridges - Surgeons' Hall - Royal Infirmary - Danderhall - Sheriffhall Park & Ride. Operates as service X48 during Monday to Friday during peak hours and as service 48 outwith these times.
61	Canning Street-Henderson Row at Perth St - Hanover St at Thistle St - Canning Street. Standard Life shuttle bus; stops only at these offices.
100	Waverley Bridge - West End - Haymarket - Roseburn - Murrayfield - Edinburgh Zoo - Drum Brae - Maybury - Hilton Hotel - Airport

Night buses

In the city centre, all services call at Princes Street (Waverley Steps) or OMNI (Leith Street), most call at both.

No.	Route
N3	Haymarket - City Centre - North Bridge - Cameron Toll - Gilmerton - Eskbank - Dalkeith - Mayfield Roundabout - Newtongrange - Gorebridge - Birkenside
N8	Grassmarket - City Centre - Bellevue - Pilton - Silverknowes (Sat & Sun mornings)
N16	City Centre - Morningside - Oxgangs - Colinton - Torphin (Sat & Sun mornings)
N22	Ocean Terminal - Leith - City Centre - Stenhouse - Broomhouse - South Gyle - Airport
N25	Restalrig - Lochend - City Centre - Gorgie - Sighthill - Riccarton
N26	Clerwood - Murrayfield - City Centre - Portobello - Eastfield - Musselburgh - Prestonpans - Cockenzie - Port Seton
N30	Clovenstone - Wester Hailes - City Centre - Bridges - Niddrie - Newcraighall - Queen Margaret University - Musselburgh (Sat & Sun mornings)
N31	Haymarket - City Centre - Liberton - Lasswade - Bonnyrigg - Hopefield
N37	Silverknowes loop - Crewe Toll - City Centre - Liberton - Loanhead - Penicuik
N44	Balerno - Currie - Juniper Green - Slateford - City Centre - Brunstane - Eastfield - Musselburgh - Wallyford - Tranent (Sat & Sun mornings)

Bustracker

Lothian Buses are pro-active members of the Bustracker system and are responsible for the funding of it as well as being partly responsible for the operation of it ^[52]. It operates by tracking the movements of buses, computers then relay this information to the designated bus tracker signs throughout the city giving real-time and more up-to-date information on when buses are due to the passengers ^[53].

In December 2009, it was announced that following the success of Bustracker, an application had been developed for the iPhone that is similar to the way Bustracker works. It allows people to download an application to their iPhone that enables them to see where their nearest bus stop is and when the bus is due. Although not developed by Lothian Buses or The City of Edinburgh Council, the application has now won the backing of both companies ^[54]

Preserved Vehicles

Many vehicles previously used by Lothian Buses and its predecessors have been preserved (or are awaiting preservation) by various groups and societies. Several of the vehicles regularly appear at events, rallies and running days around the country. Some of the many vehicles include:

Ref.	Date	Reg	Fleetno	Type	Chassis	Body
[55]	1948	ESG 652	739	Single Decker	Guy Arab MkIII 5LW	Metro-Cammell
[56]	1948	GFS 329	unknown	Parcel Van	Albion AZ9	Van
[57]	1948	FWS 853	6	Recovery Vehicle	ERF 6LW	n/a
[58]	1949	FSC 182	135	Double Decker	Daimler CVG6	Metro-Cammell
[59]	1953	JWS 594	314	Double Decker	Guy Arab 5LW	Duple/Nudd
[60]	1954	LFS 480	480	Double Decker	Leyland Titan PD2/20	Metro-Cammell Weymann Orion
[61]	1956	NSF 757	757	Double Decker	Leyland Titan PD2/20	Metro-Cammell Weymann Orion
[62]	1957	OFS 777	777	Double Decker	Leyland Titan PD2/20	Metro-Cammell Weymann Orion
[63]	1956	OFS 798	798	Double Decker	Leyland Titan PD2/20	Metro-Cammell Weymann Orion
[64]	1960	VSC 86	86	Single Decker	Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1/3	Metro-Cammell Weymann
[65]	1961	YSG 101	101	Single Decker	Leyland Leopard PSU3/2R	Alexander (body developed into Y type)
[66]	1962	YWS 611	611	Double Decker	Leyland Titan PD2A/30	Alexander
[67]	1964	ASC 665B	665	Double Decker	Leyland Titan PD3/6	Alexander E
[68]	1964	ASC 690B	690	Double Decker	Leyland Titan PD3/6	Alexander E
[69]	1965	ESF 801C	801	Double Decker	Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1	Alexander A
[70]	1966	EWS 812D	812	Double Decker	Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1	Alexander A
[71]	1966	EWS 833D	833	Double Decker	Leyland Titan PD3A/2	Alexander E
[72]	1967	JSC 869E	869	Double Decker	Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1	Alexander A
[73]	1967	JSC 900E	900	Open Top Double Decker	Leyland Atlantean PDR2/1	Alexander J
[74]	1970	SSF 237H	237	Coach	Bedford VAL70	Duple Viceroy
[75]	1972	BFS 1L	1	Double Decker	Leyland Atlantean AN68/1R	Alexander AL
[76]	1973	BWS 105L	105	Midibus	Seddon Pennine Mk IV/236	Seddon
[77]	1973	USX 604L	unknown	Recovery Vehicle	Bedford TK Tower Wagon	n/a
[78]	1974	GSX 121N	121	Single Decker	Bedford YRT	Alexander AY
[79]	1975	MSF 122P	122	Single Decker	Leyland Leopard PSU3C/4R	Alexander AY
[80]	1976	MSF 465P	465 (TB1 from 1992)	Double Decker	Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R	Alexander AL
[81]	1976	MSF 468P	468 (TB4 from 1992)	Double Decker	Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R	Alexander AL
[82]	1977	WSU 454S	BD3	Towing Vehicle	Leyland Leopard PSU3C/3R	Alexander AYS
[83]	1978	EFS 228S	228	Coach	Leyland Leopard PSU3E/4R	Alexander AT
[84]	1978	EFS 229S	229	coach	Leyland Leopard PSU3E/4R	Alexander AT
[85]	1978	EFS 230S	230	Coach	Leyland Leopard PSU3E/4R	Alexander AT
[86]	1979	JSX 595T	595	Double Decker	Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R	Alexander AL
[87]	1982	GSC 667X	667	Double Decker	Leyland Olympian ONTL11/1R	Alexander RH
[88]	1981	HSC 173X	173	Midibus	Leyland Cub CU435	Duple Dominant Bus
[89]	1982	KSX 102X	102	Single Decker	Leyland National 2 NL116L11	Integral
[90]	1983	A108 CFS	108	Single Decker	Leyland National 2 NL116TL11/2R	Integral
[91]	1985	C777 SFS	777	Double Decker	Leyland Olympian ONTL11/2R	Eastern Coach Works (ECW)
[92]	1996	P285 PSX	285	Double Decker	Volvo Olympian	Alexander R-Type Royale

See also

• Transport in Scotland

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lothian Buses

• Lothian Buses official website
• Airlink 100 official website
• Edinburgh Shuttle official website
• Lothian Buses Category in the The Scotsman newspaper website
• Scotland Buses - Lothian's Buses enthusiast's picture website
• Line-up image of all the major branded Lothian double-deckers as of Feb 2008
• [201] Lothian Buses enters advertising deal with Edinburgh Zoo

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