First Bus to improve reliability of Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire bus services with use of AI timetables
First Bus is making minor service updates to 25 routes across Greater Glasgow and Lanarkshire from Sunday 15th June as its new AI-driven timetables continue to improve reliability for customers across the city.
Previous changes using AI-driven software have led to an average 8.5% improvement in punctuality across over 60 routes in that time and First Bus believes these latest updates will continue to create a better and more reliable service for customers throughout Lanarkshire and Greater Glasgow.
Amongst the adjustments being made, services 18 and 21 will see changes to the current routes. Alternate service 18 buses will travel from East Kilbride bus station to Gardenhall under the new service 18A and, as a result, service 21 will now only operate between East Kilbride bus station and Cochrane Street in Glasgow city centre.
Service 201 has also been extended from Hairmyres Hospital to Lidl on Eaglesham Road and the new Hairmyres Railway Station.
Also included in the updates is additional journeys across a range of services including 226, 263, 266, X4 and X11.
By combining the latest AI technology and First Bus network planning expertise, we have created timetables that reflect real life experience and improves reliability for customers, taking into consideration road conditions and congestion.
The updates will impact services 2, 3, 6, 6A, 8, 11, 16, 18, 18A, 21, 77, 81, 90, 201, 226, 240, 241, 242, 255, 263, 266, 267, X4, X11, U1
Chris Coleman, Head of Network for First Bus in Scotland, said: “This is a significant package of improvements for our customers across Lanarkshire and Glasgow. We want to provide a service that is reliable, consistent and, most importantly, on time.
“Congestion throughout Greater Glasgow has increased greatly in recent years and this has had a hugely negative impact on bus services in the city. We recognise the importance of building timetables that fit with the current live road conditions, so our customers know when their bus will arrive.
“These adjustments we are making to the timetables will achieve that while allowing us to serve as many people as possible.”
First Bus will endeavour to update physical touchpoints at bus stops as quickly as possible with the new timetable information but given the scale of the change, the operator would encourage all customers to utilise the First Bus app for the most up to date timetable and live bus tracking information.
For full details on the updated timetables, please visit our website.
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Notes to editors
About First Bus
At First Bus, we’re on a mission to grow bus usage – so we’ll get behind initiatives that move people out of cars and onto the bus.
We’re one of the UK’s largest bus operators, transporting more than 1.5 million passengers a day. Our local bus services serve more than 25% of the population of Great Britain and over half of the UK’s top 15 most populated urban areas.
We are a leading operator in the majority of our local areas, including major urban centres such as Glasgow, Bristol and Leeds.
We have proudly launched our First Bus London operation and now operate 83 routes in west and central London from 10 garages serving 180 million passengers annually.
The combined operation now manages a fleet of over 5,750 buses across the UK.
Transforming our business for the better, we’re putting our people and customers at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we’re the UK’s largest national bus operator to achieve real Living Wage employer status, cementing our position as an employer of choice in the sector.
First Bus is committed to operating a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035. We will have over 1000 zero-emission buses in operation across our UK fleet by the end of 2025.
We’re passionate about giving back to the communities we serve, which is why we’re helping local businesses to progress their decarbonisation journeys – giving them access to our charging hubs while our buses are on the road.
We also operate, Specialist Passenger Solutions, First Travel Solutions, York Pullman Bus Company, Lakeside, Ensignbus, Anderson Travel - and the Aircoach network and Matthews in Ireland.
First Bus is a division of FirstGroup.
Find more information on our website here: https://news.firstbus.co.uk/