Stagecoach is planning to make changes to its local bus services and is seeking feedback by Sunday 16 February.

Full details can also be found online here – https://www.stagecoachbus.com/service-updates/serviceupdatesarticle?SituationId=ID-04/02/2020-07:32:39:957

The company says customer research has shown that many find travelling by bus confusing and difficult to understand and Stagecoach Bluebird hope that their revised timetables will make it much easier for non-existing bus users to try travelling by bus.

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Here is a summary of some of the local proposals:

THE X7 SERVICE (replaces the withdrawn service X6) … Stonehaven-Aberdeen Express.

This service will be enhanced, offering express journeys from Stonehaven to Aberdeen up to every 20 minutes. On weekdays, two journeys per hour will operate from Forest Park to Aberdeen via Barclay Street and Newtonhill Park & Choose, with a third journey operating from Barclay Street to Aberdeen via Newtonhill Park & Choose.

At the weekend, journeys will operate hourly from Forest Park to Aberdeen with a second journey every hour from Barclay Street.The fastest journeys from Stonehaven Forest Park to Aberdeen will take 48 minutes, and 39 minutes from Barclay Street to Aberdeen.

All X7 services will operate on a limited stop basis within Aberdeen to speed up journeys. This service will provide the fastest journeys to Aberdeen.

THE 7 AND 7B SERVICES … Newtonhill/Chapelton – Portlethen – Marywell – Aberdeen.

The timetable for this service has been revised to offer more reliable and faster journeys.

The route of this service has been revised as follows:

Service 7 will normally operate between Portlethen Berrymuir Road and Aberdeen via Portlethen Asda, Schoolhill and Bridge of Dee.

Certain journeys in the mornings and evenings will extend to Stonehaven.

Services will operate up to every hour.

Service 7B will operate from Chapelton to Aberdeen via Newtonhill Park & Choose, Newtonhill village and Portlethen.

This service introduces a direct link from Chapelton to the city for the first time, and additional journeys will serve St Michael’s Road in Newtonhill. Services will operate up to every hour.

Services 7 and 7B will offer a combined service up to every 30 minutes from Portlethen to Aberdeen.

THE 7A SERVICE … Stonehaven – Portlethen – Altens Industrial Estate- Aberdeen.

There will be minor adjustments to this service.

The 15:50 from Aberdeen to Forest Park will terminate at Barclay Street.

The 16:40 from Spurryhillock to Altens will be withdrawn due to low usage.There will now be a 17:15 journey from Berrymuir, Portlethen to Altens.

THE 7S SERVICE … Aberdeen – Cove – Portlethen – Newtonhill
There will now be a 15:51 journey from Skateraw Road, Newtonhill to Aberdeen.

THE 747 SERVICE … Montrose – Stonehaven – Aberdeen Airport – Ellon.
Following a year of low use, service 747 will be revised to operate only between Ellon and Aberdeen Airport. The section of route between Aberdeen Airport and Stonehaven is to be withdrawn. Journeys between Stonehaven and Montrose will revert to service 107.

THE 8 SERVICE … Asda, Portlethen – Stonehaven.

There are four services heading south during weekdays at 9.16, 10.16, 13.16, and 14.05 not stopping en route until they reach Barclay Street, according to the timetable.

The return journeys from Mackie Academy via Forest Park and Barclay Street are at 8.35, 9.31, 12.30 (starting at Spurryhillock), and 13.31. They do not stop between Stonehaven and Asda.

LATE NIGHT SERVICES … south from Aberdeen.

The last bus from Aberdeen, Mondays to Saturdays, to Portlethen and Newtonhill will now leave before 11pm at 22.53. The weekend Nightbird buses will still be running, it’s just that they’re not shown on the proposed timetables.

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The new timetables should come into operation on Monday 6 April.
Feedback can be submitted via email to bluebird.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com or at one of several consultation events, including at Aberdeen bus station on Tuesday 11 February as well as on Friday 14 February both from 4pm to 7pm, and at the Cabin in Chapelton on Thursday 13 February from 1pm to 3pm.

Details of the proposed changes to the Stonehaven Guide can be downloaded using this link: – https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/North%20Scotland/Misc/Feb%20Consultation%202020/107-X7-8-26-7.pdf