Stagecoach Irvine bus services proposed changes

Stagecoach are consulting on proposed changes to the following North Ayrshire Bus Services 11, X11, X34, X36, 25, X44, 25, 12 and 18 between now and the 20th September 2019.

Each of the changes outlined below are designed to improve overall customer satisfaction within North Ayrshire and Garnock Valley. Although the proposals include the removal of some services due to poor passenger numbers, the majority are to improve frequency, punctuality and delivery of the services within North Ayrshire. Proposed changes are as follows: Service 11 Ardrossan Saltcoats Stevenston Kilwinning Irvine Kilmarnock 0735 and 0745 will change to 0730 and 0740 departing Ardrossan (Monday to Friday) to allow an extra five minutes at Irvine Cross for pupils travelling to Greenwood Academy (Monday to Friday to board). The service will continue to serve the stops nearest to Greenwood Academy on Corsehill Road. Arrival time in Kilmarnock will remain the same. Service X11 Ardrossan via Bypass Central Hospital Irvine

This service will no longer operate due to poor passenger numbers. Passengers can use services 11 or 585 in its place. Service 12 Ardrossan Saltcoats Stevenston To improve punctuality the service will operate every 40 minutes during the day. There will be a slight route change to the service and it will now go straight along Stanley Road on journeys to Ardrossan and only serve Lawson Drive when leaving Ardrossan. A map of this change will be available online from Monday 9th September 2019.

Service 18

The 0735 service departing Saltcoats will depart at 0729. The 0804 departing Stevenson will now depart at 0758 to allow an extra six minutes running time to improve punctuality. Service X36 Ardrossan Irvine Beith Glasgow Due to low passenger demand at Braehead Shopping Centre, and to improve journey time to Glasgow city centre the X36 will no longer operate via Braehead Shopping Centre. We have reinvested the time saved by not serving Braehead into being able to increase our frequency on the rest of the service off peak. This service will remain the same as currently operated in the peak and will operate hourly rather than the current two hourly service off peak to reduce journey times and improve punctuality. All stops between Chapelhill Mount and Princes Street will continue to be served. Thereafter the X36 will be limited to stopping at: Princes Street, The Laurieston (South Beach), Saltcoats Station, Sandylands Holiday Park, Stevenston Cross, Morrisons, Whitehirst Park and then all stops currently served.

The X36N at 2200 and 0130 from Ardrossan on Friday evenings will no longer operate due to low usage along with return journeys, the 0000 and 0300 from Glasgow. Service X34 Irvine Beith Glasgow

This service will continue to operate during peak hours, during the off-peak the X34 will be replaced with a new X76 extension service operating via Kilmarnock every hour Monday to Saturday. This will provide connections between Irvine and Glasgow on newer vehicles operating on better quality roads. New X76 extension Irvine - Glasgow - Off peak service replacing the X34 & X44 The proposed route for the X76 will be Primark Irvine, Marress Road, High Street Irvine, Townhead, A71, A759, Dundonald Road, John Finnie Street, West George Street Kilmarnock Bus Station, Buchanan Bus Station, Glasgow. The X76 will be limited to stopping at Irvine Primark and Irvine Cross and then the service will continue to the A71 before stopping at each stop on Dundonald Road, Kilmarnock but will not stop on John Finnie Street before entering Kilmarnock Bus Station and then operating on the traditional X76 between Kilmarnock Bus Station and Glasgow. The X76 will operate Monday to Sunday. Saturday’s first service will arrive in Glasgow from 0845.

Service X44

We have monitored passenger volumes over a number of years, unfortunately these numbers continue to be too low to operate a commercially viable service. Customers from Irvine will have the option to use the X34 and the X76 in the off peak. This will increase the number of journeys per day between Irvine and Glasgow, offering an improved experience on board double deck coaches on dual carriageway roads rather than the current double decker service buses and rural roads. Service 25 Irvine Kilwinning Dalry Kilbirnie Beith

This service will remain hourly off peak, however once in Beith it will change into an express X36 service without passengers having to change buses, which combined with the current X36 timetable will provide a half hourly express service between Beith and Glasgow, Monday to Saturday. We will be holding public consultations on: Tuesday 10th September 2019 Saltcoats Town Hall 11am - 2pm Irvine Volunteer Rooms 3:30pm - 6:30pm Thursday 12th September 2019 Beith Library 3:30pm - 6:30pm If you would like to comment on our proposals, please speak to a member of our team or email northayrshire.services@stagecoachbus.com or complete our online survey: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/yourview2019.

The proposed timetables for these services will be available from Monday 9th September 2019. We would like to introduce these improvements by December 2019, and as such we would welcome any comments by 20th September 2019.