Kingswells Community Council

 Over the past three years a series of changes in First Aberdeen’s bus network in have been implemented, initially with a major reshuffle of cross city routes and in recent years reductions in frequency.  First attribute this to an increase in traffic and journey times.   First Aberdeen have indicated that their punctuality has suffered in recent years, backed up with complaints from users accompanied with a general acceptance that their bus service will not operate to timetable. 

To address these concerns, First Aberdeen are planning to implement a series of changes to the network to

a)     revise the journey times in order to improve reliability with the published times.

b)     remove a number of timing points, to allow for more operational flexibility.

c)      re-allocate vehicles from routes that will either no longer operate, or will operate at a reduced timetable, to routes that they feel require augmentation.

d)     Review the operation of the P&R service, the Bridge of Don portion of the 5 Route to ARI, the Airport Service 27 and the Mid Stocket service 25.

First have not given any indication of a fares review; however one should be expected around the implementation of these changes.

The changes are summarised below, further detail can be given if necessary.

Service 40 Kingswells P&R

The Park & Ride service will continue to operate throughout the day on a 15 minute basis.

Due to the change to service 14 – its removal from Kingswells Village – service 40 will take over as the village service for Kingswells.

This is a concern as the additional running time and length of the route may affect the Kingswells Park and Ride service, this will be closely monitored.

During the morning peak, buses coming from Bridge of Don or the City Centre will loop around Kingswells Village prior to entering the Park & Ride site – and will then depart the site and travel into the city centre as per the existing route. 

While this will not cause any inconvenience the existing Park & Ride users, it will add additional running time for passengers from Kingswells Village wanting to travel into the City Centre.

The link between Kingswells village and Hazlehead Academy will also be removed. Whilst the zoned school is Bucksburn, there are a number of children who elect to attend Hazlehead.  Discussions on alternatives are underway.

In the afternoon peak, this arrangement is reversed, with services from the city centre travelling directly to the Park & Ride site, before looping around the village and returning to the city centre – this results in the journey time from Kingswells P&R to the City Centre being increased by up to 19 minutes.

The Park and Ride service has, in the past five years, substantially decreased in terms of journey time and frequency to the planned 15 minute service for February 2010.

Monday to Friday Kingswells P&R to Bridge of Don P&R

Additional Journeys from Kingswells P&R at 0700, 0900 and 1755.  Will continue to operate at 15 minute frequency but with revised timetable.

No significant changes to running time off-peak or in the morning peak, which again is a concern for officers given concerns over punctuality.

Pm peak journey times have been adjusted, 5 minutes added between Kingswells and ARI, 6 minutes to Holburn Junction and 1 minute removed between Holburn Junction and Bridge of Don P&R.

Evening peak journeys from Kingswells P&R to City Centre will now take 43 minutes instead of 25 due to travelling around Kingswells.

Monday to Friday Bridge of Don P&R to Kingswells P&R

Morning peak and Daytime service now operate from City Centre to Kingswells Village and then into Kingswells P&R before returning to the City Centre.

Evening peak journeys will travel from City Centre into Kingswells P&R then will circle the village prior to travelling back to City Centre.

Four additional bus journeys from City Centre towards Kingswells P&R each day at 0558, 0617, 0637, 0707 and one additional from Bridge of Don P&R at 0708.

Journey times from City Centre to Kingswells P&R are being revised:

AM peak – now takes 39 minutes instead of 23 due to bus travelling around Kingswells village.

Daytime – now takes 34 minutes instead of 18 which is an increase of 16 minutes due to bus travelling around Village prior to arrival at the P&R site.

Evening peak – still takes 26 minutes, as the bus travels to the P&R site prior to circling around the village.

Saturday Kingswells P&R to Bridge of Don P&R

Timetable changes have been made however frequencies will remain primarily at 15 minute intervals throughout the day.

Added journeys at 0657 & 0730 from Kingswells to Bridge of Don.

Running times off peak between Kingswells and City Centre are not changed. Running time from City Centre to Bridge of Don extended by 2 minutes.

From 1352 to 1846 journeys to City Centre from Kingswells P&R now take 38 minutes an increase of 19 minutes as service now loops around village prior to returning to City Centre.

Saturday Bridge of Don P&R to Kingswells P&R

Am peak and Daytime service now operate from City Centre to Kingswells Village and then into Kingswells P&R

Pm peak will travel from City Centre into Kingswells P&R then will circle the village prior to travelling back to City Centre.

Timetable changes have been made however frequencies will remain primarily at 15 minute intervals throughout the day. 7 minutes additional running time has been added between Bridge of Don and Holburn Junction.

Added AM journeys from City Centre to Kingswells P&R at 0631, 0648, 0717, 0747

Added AM journey from Bridge of Don P&R to Kingswells P&R at 0735

Journey times from City Centre to Kingswells P&R greatly affected:-

AM peak – now takes 33 mins instead of 19 which is an increase of 14 minutes due to bus travelling around Village prior to arrival at P&R

Daytime – now takes 34 mins instead of 19 which is an increase of 15 minutes due to bus travelling around Village prior to arrival at P&R

Evening peak – still takes 19 mins – no change – bus travels to P&R prior to circling village.

Bank Holidays

No Revised bank holiday timetable provided at this time.

Service 14  Woodend to Seaton / Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (currently including Kingswells)

This service has changed regularly to interlink with the P&R service at Kingswells.  First Aberdeen has found patronage lower than anticipated within the Kingswells village.

First have made the decision to change the route – no longer running all the way to Kingswells, instead stopping at Woodend Hospital.  There are changes being made to service 40 to ensure that Kingswells has a daytime service, and service 23 which will take the place of service 14 in Kingswells in the evenings and on Sundays.

In the interests of improving the reliability of this service off-peak, an additional two minutes of running time have been allocated between ARI and the City Centre.

Monday to Friday

The first journey to ARI is now 15 minutes later, and there are a number of alterations to the timetable throughout the day.  However the existing 15 minute service between Woodend and Seaton has been maintained – with every second bus continuing to ARI on a 30 minute basis.

The service in the early evening between 1800 and 1900 has been improved from a 20 to a 30 minute service.

Saturday

There have been minor timetable changes only, the existing service level and operating period are maintained.

Sunday

There have been minor timetable changes only, the existing service level and operating period are maintained.

Bank Holidays

The existing service level is maintained, albeit on the shorter route.  The only notable change is that the last bus from Woodend to ARI is now 40 minutes later, with an identical change to the return journey.

Service 23 – Heathryfold – Sheddocksley – Kingswells (village & Park and Ride)

The evening and Sunday route is being extended to Kingswells and the P&R site.  This will replace the evening and Sunday service that will no longer operate from the former 14 route.  This service is known to have substantial reliability problems.

Monday to Friday

The 1805, 1837, 1857, then 1937 to 2245 departures from Heathryfold extend into Kingswells (and the P&R site) at the Sheddocksley end of the route, with their matching departures from the Sheddocksley end of the route now originating from Kingswells between 1905 and 2305.

First had added in up to 18 minutes additional journey time to a number of journeys.

Journeys from 1900 serve Kingswells and the Park and Ride site.

Saturday

Journey times have been increased by up to 12 minutes.

All journeys from 1850 onwards to the last bus at 2235 now depart from Kingswells.

Sunday

Additional running time has been incorporated into the timetable to allow the extension into Kingswells all day.

Bank Holiday

The first journeys in both directions are now nearly a full hour later.

The bank holiday service on this route currently operates on a 20 minute basis between 1100 and 1800.  This will be dropping under the new proposals to a 30 minute frequency throughout the day in both directions.