Tag: East Coast Buses

Service Change – Saturday 26 DecemberServices will continue for essential journeys only

From Boxing Day (26 December) all of mainland Scotland will enter into protection Level 4 for a minimum of 3 weeks. This means you will be legally required to remain within your local authority, except for certain circumstances i.e. caring responsibilities, commuting to/from work which cannot be done from home, etc.

As has been the case throughout the course of the pandemic, Lothian will continue to provide services for those who must make essential journeys. While there will be some change to service frequency on Boxing Day, services from Sunday 27 December to Thursday 31 December will be delivered as originally published here.

In view of an anticipated decrease in customer journeys across January, a Saturday service will operate Mondays to Saturdays (with a Sunday timetable in effect on 10 January). Beyond 16 January, service levels will be dependent on updated guidance from the Scottish Government in terms of COVID-19 restrictions and protection levels.  As soon as we have further information, we will update our customers via our website and social media channels. We would advise all customers to plan their essential journeys in advance via our Lothian app or via the journey planner on our website.

A summary of how our network will be affected can be found below.

 

Service information

Lothian Buses click here to download the timetables.

There will be a slight change to the frequency of some of our services on Boxing Day. The revised Boxing Day timetables will now also operate on 1 January 2021 (New Year’s Day) and 2 January 2021, ensuring that a comprehensive network continues to be provided on these days.

From Sunday 27 December through to Thursday 31 December, service levels operate as follows:

  • On Sunday 27 December we will operate a Sunday service.
  • Between 28 and 31 December we will operate a Saturday service. Please note that buses will stop earlier on 31 December.

The Sunday service planned for 3 January will also continue to operate.

From Monday 4 January to Saturday 16 January 2021, a Saturday timetable will operate on Mondays to Saturdays, with a Sunday timetable operating on 10 January.  Beyond 16 January, service levels will be dependent on updated guidance from the Scottish Government in terms of COVID-19 restrictions and protection levels.

EastCoastbuses click here to download the timetables.

The planned timetables for Boxing Day will now also operate on 1 January 2021 (New Year’s Day) and 2 January.  Timetables on all other days from 24 December through to Sunday 3 January will operate as planned.

From Sunday 27 December through to Thursday 31 December, service levels operate as follows:

  • On Sunday 27 December we will operate a Sunday service.
  • Between 28 and 31 December we will operate a Saturday service. Please note that buses will stop earlier than normal on 31 December.

The Sunday service planned for 3 January will also continue to operate.

From Monday 4 January to Saturday 16 January 2021, a Saturday timetable will operate on Mondays to Saturdays, with a Sunday timetable operating on 10 January.  Beyond 16 January, service levels will be dependent on updated guidance from the Scottish Government in terms of COVID-19 restrictions and protection levels.

Lothiancountryclick here to download timetables.

The planned timetables for Boxing Day will be revised, with West Lothian aervices and the Service 43 now operating revised timetables. These timetables will also operate on 1 January 2021 (New Year’s Day) and 2 January. The special Service 231 will not operate on 2 January.

From Sunday 27 December through to Thursday 31 December, service levels operate as follows:

  • On Sunday 27 December we will operate a Sunday service.
  • Between 28 and 31 December we will operate a Saturday service. Please note that buses will stop earlier than normal on 31 December.

The Sunday service planned for 3 January will also continue to operate.

From Monday 4 January to Saturday 16 January 2021, a Saturday timetable will operate on Mondays to Saturdays, with a Sunday timetable operating on 10 January.

The Service 280 will operate a special service from Monday 4 January to better support key workers. This special timetable can be found here.

Beyond 16 January, service levels will be dependent on updated guidance from the Scottish Government in terms of COVID-19 restrictions and protection levels.

Edinburgh Bus Tours

Edinburgh Bus Tours will be temporarily suspended after Wednesday 23 December until further notice. If you have any questions or ticketing enquiries, please contact [email protected]. Please keep an eye on Edinburgh Bus Tours’ social media channels for up-to-date information.

 

Useful information

TravelHubs

Our Waverley TravelHub will close from 5.30pm on 23 December and Shandwick Place Travelhub will close from 2pm on Christmas Eve (24 December). For customers who have top-up Ridacards, you can add funds by visiting any store which has PayPoint facilities (enter your postcode here to find your nearest retailer).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Our Customer FAQs have been updated following the Scottish Government’s announcement on Saturday 19 December. Please read through them here to see if any queries you have can be answered there initially. If after checking you still have questions, please get in touch with our Customer Services team by emailing [email protected].

Lost Property

Our Lost Property department will continue to operate as normal (with festive opening times in place between 24 December and 4 January 2021). If you think you’ve left an item behind on one of our services, please complete our online Lost Property form here and a member of the team will be in touch directly to help. Attendance at the department to collect an item is only by pre-arranged appointment – please do not go to the department if you’ve not been given a collection date/time by a member of the team.

 

Essential Journeys and Safe Travel Steps

We urge all customers to support our efforts by only travelling if absolutely necessary, and when doing so, following all our on-bus guidance as closely as possible (including the wearing of face coverings unless exempt; leaving windows open for fresh air; distancing from others, etc).

A summary of our Recommended Steps for Safe Travel during Level 4 can be found below:

  • Travel outside of your local authority is prohibited (except for essential purposes).
  • Our services are available for essential journeys only – please be mindful about when you travel and avoid busier times where possible if you must travel.
  • You must wear a face covering unless you have a legitimate exemption. Your covering should cover both your mouth and nose for the duration of your journey.
  • Please consider using contactless or M-tickets to pay for your journey instead of cash. If you can only pay with cash, however, it will still be accepted – please pay directly into the hopper.
  • Windows must remain open on our services to allow fresh air to circulate. Please plan ahead before making an essential journey and dress warmly in the knowledge that windows must be open on-board. Customers must not close windows.
  • Use hand sanitiser or wash your hands thoroughly before and after travelling.
  • Sit apart from other passengers. If you are travelling with other members of your household, please sit together to leave seats free for other customers.
  • Please be mindful of those with hidden disabilities or other conditions which might make it difficult for them to following physical distancing measures as well as others.
  • When leaving the bus, please remain behind the yellow and black line on the floor near the driver’s cab, and give space to fellow passengers waiting to alight.
  • Please treat our drivers and your fellow customers with kindness and respect – these are challenging and worrying times for us all. We’re all in this together.

 

Thank you

We want to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers and colleagues for their cooperation and support over the course of the last year. Thank you – have a safe, healthy and happy Christmas and New Year.