Detrimental changes to West End bus services

I have criticised changes that will see the removal of a vital bus service from the west end of Perth Road, resulting in fewer bus options for residents but also removing the service for visitors to a local care home. Bus changes at the end of May will result in National Express Service 5 terminating [...]

Dundee bus fares increases

Dundee bus services operated by National Express Dundee see fares increases from Sunday (8th January) and I have been in contact with the Managing Director of National Express Dundee about this. Specifically, in the new fares structure, although the cost of weekly tickets (both adult and child) has been frozen, and student fares will not [...]

School bus withdrawal concern

Last night’s “Evening Telegraph” reported my concerns and those of many West End constituents about the proposed withdrawal of the 4S School Bus Service from the start of the new term this month.    The 4S serves parts of the West End Ward (eg City Road, Pentland Avenue, Scott Street, Glenagnes Road, Blackness Road, Peddie Street, [...]

Update on bus service concerns

Earlier this week, I mentioned my concerns about the future of the Number 4 bus service in the West End part of its route. Yesterday, I met with Phil Smith, the new Managing Director of National Express Dundee over the situation and Mr Smith confirmed that, although the 4 service will continue on a revised route [...]

The 4 bus service in the West End

Both the Courier and the Evening Telegraph have today highlighted my concerns over the proposed loss of the West End part of the route of the Number 4 bus service – a service that serves many elderly people. I understand that National Express Dundee intends to withdraw the West End part of the 4′s route [...]

National Express Dundee Bus Services

Following the disruption to National Express Dundee bus services yesterday, the bus company has advised me this morning : “The service is now back to normal.  National Express is looking at ways to compensate passengers who had tickets and who were unable to get home and information regarding this will be reported in the press.”

Wednesday …

A very busy day yesterday, including : * A meeting with Dundee Museum of Transport representatives at the building in Roseangle (see right) that they hope to soon open as the temporary premises for the museum.     Although their long term aim is to locate at a larger site in Maryfield, they are keen to get [...]

Bus services update

I have received complaints about the fact that the 17 service no longer serves Tesco in South Road.   The Acting Director of National Express Dundee has advised me : “The change to the 17 service has been made to improve the punctuality of the route overall and to help the City Centre to Whitfield service. [...]

West End bus services – an update

I have been in touch with the Acting Director of National Express Dundee regarding a number of West End bus issues, including :   * I have received complaints that the 2 service’s replacement service (the 4/4A) no longer serves Perth Road (the 4S school service still serves Perth Road). I have received the following [...]

Bus services latest

I recently asked the Acting Director of National Express Dundee for clarification of the proposed changes to the 5 and 26 bus services as part of the changes being introduced on 6th March.    He has advised : “The changes in more detail are: Service 26: Most departures are now 15 minutes later than currently e.g. [...]

Meeting with National Express Dundee’s new Director

Earlier today, I met with Simon Mathieson, the new Director of National Express Dundee, over recent hikes in bus fares across the city. I was anxious to raise constituents’ concerns about the recent bus fares increases that took effect this week, particularly about the increases in the cost of travelcards such as monthly and four weekly [...]

Bus services : latest

Following constituents’ concerns about the timetable reliability of 73 Tayway services recently, I raised this matter with Stagecoach’s Operations Director for East Scotland, who has responded as follows :  “We have had problems adhering to the timetables on all services due to the weather conditions of the last few weeks.  Whilst most of the main [...]

Response from National Express Dundee

I have had a prompt response from Simon Mathieson, the new Acting Director of National Express Dundee, to my questions and concerns about proposed bus fare increases in Dundee.    He writes :   “My response to your comments is below: a) In any fares increase there are some fares that will increase more than others. [...]

National Express Dundee – bus fares increase concern

As reported in yesterday’s “Evening Telegraph” and today’s “Courier”, I have expressed concern about increases in bus fares by National Express Dundee that will see increases of as much as 38%.   Taking into account feedback I have had from West End residents, I have written to Simon Mathieson, the new Acting Director of National Express Dundee, [...]

No 5 bus service

I have, on behalf of residents, raised the possibility of improving the National Express Dundee Service Number 5 at the west end of Perth Road – with Simon Mathieson, the new Acting Director of National Express Dundee.   As one resident advised : “Is it time to have another look at the Routing of Service 5 [...]

University of Dundee Botanic Garden

The Chair of the Friends of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden has written to National Express Dundee requesting that the garden is mentioned as one of the stops as part of the route on the electronic displays on buses going along Perth Road. As a member of the Friends of the University of Dundee [...]

Meeting with National Express Dundee

As a follow-up to the discussions I had recently with National Express Dundee, along with ward colleague Cllr Donald Hay and members of the Community Spirit Action Group, I met this morning with Lawrence Davie, Director of the bus company, at which Lawrence outlined the finalised changes to services he intends to announce hopefully later [...]

Meeting with National Express Dundee

This evening, along with two office bearers from the Community Spirit Action Group and my ward colleague Cllr Donald Hay, I met with Lawrence Davie, Managing Director of National Express Dundee. The Community Spirit representatives handed over the petition about the 11/12 service – with some 650 signatures from local residents. It was a very [...]

11/12 bus service – meeting with National Express Dundee agreed

I welcome today’s commitment from National Express Dundee that it is willing to review recent controversial bus service changes in the city. In recent weeks, along with residents, fellow councillors and the Community Spirit Action Group, I have highlighted the deficiencies in the revised 11/12 service in the Ancrum, Pentland and Tullideph areas. Following my [...]

Latest on West End buses …

As I have previously updated, residents in the Pentland, Ancrum and Tullideph areas are strongly against the National Express Dundee bus service changes in the area as these are highly detrimental to the local community. The residents’ group for the area – Community Spirit Action Group – has raised a petition that is being distributed [...]

Bus service concerns

As reported in today’s Courier, I have raised constituents’ concerns about the changes to bus services covering parts of the West End Ward from tomorrow. These affect the 9/10/11/12 “Outer Circle” service and I have received numerous representations from residents in the Ancrum, Tullideph and Pentland areas, who feel that the removal of that service [...]

Busy Wednesday

As well as packed ‘day job’ activities today, I : * Attended a briefing from National Express Dundee on their changes to bus services in the city from 27th June. There is (after my – and West End Community Council’s input) an improvement to the 9X service (rebranded as the Service 5A) – with a [...]

Bus ticketing in Dundee : A helpful update from National Express Dundee

I have had quite a number of West End constituents ask about what improvements are planned to bus ticketing – for example, making purchasing bus passes easier and more flexible, in the way the Oyster Card facility in London operates. I contacted Lawrence Davie, Managing Director of National Express Dundee, about this and he has [...]

Friday update …

Friday Update! * This morning I attended a photocall with the Community Spirit group at Logie Cemetery in Lochee Road to recognise the new cemetery plaque that Community Spirit has sponsored, with the support of the City Council. The cemetery has a fascinating history stretching back to 1243. See more at http://tinyurl.com/logiecemetery. * A meeting [...]

Getting on and off buses in the current weather conditions

A few days ago, I raised concerns about the difficulty older folk in particular have had getting on and off buses in the snowy weather (see http://tinyurl.com/winterbusstops) and raised the matter of gritting at the stops with the City Council. I also raised the matter with National Express Dundee about the need to lower the [...]

School buses issue …

  I recently received concerns about Harris Academy pupils who live in the area around the western end of Perth Road (west of the school) finding difficulty being able to get on a bus to/from school as they are so busy. I have received the following feedback from the Director of Travel Dundee (National Express [...]

Dundee bus services

Following recent media reports that Stagecoach PLC is in talks with CVC Capital Partners, who, it is reported, may bid to take over the National Express Group, owners of National Express Dundee (formerly Travel Dundee), I received the following e-mail from the Managing Director of National Express Dundee this morning – I reproduce this with [...]

Meeting with Travel Dundee

As I alluded to in last night’s blog update, I had a meeting yesterday with the Managing Director of National Express Dundee (Travel Dundee). It was extremely useful, with the bus company appreciating the points I made concerning bus services in the West End and expressing a willingness to maintain a dialogue over ways in [...]

Busy Day …

Today’s activities included : A meeting with National Express Dundee’s Managing Director (more about that tomorrow, as the hour is late) Attended a briefing for councillors about looked after children in Dundee This was a very worthwhile event at which the film ‘Opal Fruits – A Year in Care’ was shown – go to http://tinyurl.com/opalfruit to [...]

Meeting with Travel Dundee

I was pleased to be reassured at a meeting with Travel Dundee yesterday that the Number 2 bus service is not threatened with a further reduced – or removed – service and that there will be no substantive route alteration during this year. I had arranged to meet Lawrence Davie, Managing Director of Travel Dundee, [...]