First back to Clackmannan

As well as First resuming service to Kinross (see below),  Midland Bluebird are resuming a direct Stirling- Clackmannan service (Mon-Sat)from this Saturday. The company pulled their 60 service a couple of years back. The Service 51 "short" journeys will extend to Clackmannan half hourly from 6am-6pm. The service will serve both Tesco & Morrisons in Alloa.  Here's the timetable
The company's Unilink Service also returns on Saturday, whilst in the Falkirk area, Services 1 , 5 & 6 are increased to 15 minute frequencies, whilst Services 7 & 8 revert to pre-lockdown schedules.

First resume Kinross service

Following Stagecoach decision to end their 23 service between Stirling and St Andrews, First Midland Bluebird have stepped in with an improved two hourly service X53 between Stirling & Kinross from September 12th.  Timetable
The service 23 was a joint Stagecoach / First service until First withdraw from the route a number of years ago, leaving Stagecoach to run the route from St Andrews.
First last served Kinross back in 2007, when there was a Sunday service from Stirling to Kinross market.
Had the 23 been withdrawn without any replacement, Dollar would've been left with a 2 hourly service to Alloa (and onto Forth Valley Hospital) whilst Muckhart and Crook Of Devon would be reliant on the council sponsored DRT 1 service, which provides local "on demand" journeys to Dollar and Kinross.

Stagecoach changes planned

Stagecoach are consulting on some planned service changes in the Forth Valley area from late September, although most have already been launched as part of their current Covid timetables.
Services affected include Service 8 being withdrawn between Kincardine-Falkirk, although Service 28 has been increased to two hourly to compensate. Service 8A Dunfermline-Alloa continues, but is diverted back to Alloa Road in Clackmannan. Service 23 Stirling- St Andrews is to be withdrawn , and X24 Express services will no longer serve Glasgow Airport.  You can give your views on all the changes here.

Alloa rail improvements finally launch on Monday

Improvements to Scotrail's Alloa- Glasgow train service will finally launch next week, three months behind schedule, because of services being restricted because of the Covid-19 shutdown. Alloa trains continued to operate an hourly service during the shutdown, but will be increased to half hourly for most of the day  (there are a few hours where the service remains hourly) Monday-Saturday.  The improvement is due to Dunblane trains being diverted to Alloa, with Dunblane being served by Aberdeen trains.

Local buses return

With the Scottish Government easing lockdown & travel restrictions, bus services will be increased from Monday June 29th. It is being stressed that journeys are still for essential journeys, as passenger capacity is vastly reduced due to social distancing guidelines. Face coverings are still a requirement for any public transport journey. l

Services, whilst increased from the current "essential" timetables are still not fully restored to pre-Covid levels. 

Whilst many services will return to near normal levels, other services, like First's X35 will only operate Falkirk-Condorrat, and X36 is rerouted via Cumbernauld Town Centre. 

First are also rearranging stopping arrangements in Falkirk Town Centre.  Full details of First's changes are here.

Stagecoach Express services between Fife & Glasgow, return to a 15 minute frequency, Service 8A from Dunfermline to Alloa returns , but Falkirk services(8/28) , and the Stirling-St Andrews service (23) remain suspended. 

Timetables available here.  

Citylink will resume a 2 hourly service between Stirling-Grangemouth-Edinburgh (909) and a less frequent GLasgow-Stirling-Perth service (M8)

Further bus cuts from Monday 6th April

Following reductions and withdrawal of service by other operators, Midland Bluebird will be making further cuts their services from Monday (April 6th) . A full list of their forthcoming timetables have been published online. Check out the Forthcoming tab.
Amongst the changes are :
UL withdrawn
X36 only operates Stirling- Cumbernauld (connecting to X37 to Glasgow)
X38 operates hourly and now serves Stirling & Falkirk Community Hospitals, as well as Forth Valley Hospital.

Further Coronavirus cuts to bus services

From Wednesday this week, Mackies services, already cut to peak hours only, will be withdrawn completely, whilst at the same time Stagecoach are making further cuts to their services.
Service 8 will only operate Dunfermline-Culross, Stirling - St Andrews service 23 will be withdrawn, and Service 15 Stirling-Crieff-Perth will only operate twice daily.
Even the flagship express services will be cut with only the X27 operating every two hours between Dunfermline & Glasgow.

Coronavirus hits local transport UPDATED

Bus, Coach and rail services will be curtailed temporarily from tomorrow, as operators react to lower passenger numbers, and the governments advise not to travel.
First Midland Bluebird have have announced reduced services effective Monday 30th. Basically, most routes will run to Sunday service levels, with some services, which dont normally run on Sundays, running at reduced levels. Contracted services like Clackmannanshire- Forth Valley Hospital Services H1/2, Alloa Town service C1 & Stirling local services C30 & C48 will continue to operate normally.
Mackies have,this week, reduced their services to peak hour commuter services only Monday- Friday, whilst Bryants and Fergusons have withdrawn all services.
Stagecoach are reducing services to Sunday levels, with Service 8A between Dunfermline-Alloa only operating hourly between 11am- 6pm, and no services between Kincardine & Falkirk.  Express services between Kincardine/Larbert & Glasgow will operate half hourly, with no services extending to Glasgow Airport.
Citylink's 909 Service between Stirling-Edinburgh and M8 Perth- Glasgow via Stirling are both  reduced to 2 commuter journeys each way, but Glasgow- Aberdeen services will serve Stirling bus station.
Scotrail will reduce services further from Monday, with an hourly service between Alloa-Glasgow, Dunblane-Edinburgh, Glasgow-Falkirk High-Edinburgh  and Glasgow- Cumbernauld -Falkirk Grahamston-Edinburgh but only up to around 8pm.  There are reductions on services to Inverness & Aberdeen. Dunblane loses its direct services to Glasgow , with connections required at Stirling.
LNER have withrawn their 0526 Stirling-London (will start Edinburgh) and the 1500 London-Stirling services. Caledonian Sleeper services from Fort William & Aberdeen are being withdrawn , but the Inverness service, which calls at Stirling & Falkirk will continue.

Edinburgh rail closure in run up to New Year

Engineering work between Haymarket and Waverley between Christmas& New Year will affect all rail services into Edinburgh from 2200 on December 27th to 0430 on December 30th, and again on New Years Day (cross border routes). Services will be replaced by buses from Linlithgow, Falkirk, Dalgety Bay, Bathgate & West Calder. Some Virgin trains will use the Edinburgh suburban route as a diversion.

Lothian bus battle - the new X38

Lothian Buses next move into First's West Lothian heartland, will start next month, when they launch their own X38 between Linlithgow and Edinburgh- in direct competition to the long standing First route with the same service number. This will be in addition to the EX2 Coach service launched in the summer.

West Stirlingshire buses revised

First Midland Bluebird buses in the West Stirlingshire area are changing from October 21st. The basic change is that services from Stirling to Balfron via Kippen (X10) and Aberfoyle (X10A) will now extend into Glasgow. Both services will operate 2 hourly between Stirling & Balfron, combining to make an hourly service from Balfron to Glasgow. Check out the new timetable here.
At the same time there are reductions on the X36 Stirling-Cumbernauld-Glasgow service, which will revert to half hourly, and the 29 Falkirk - Bathgate service, which will now terminate at Avonbridge (with the exception of council funded early morning, evening & Sunday Services.
There will be changes to a number of other services from the same date. Check out the details on the First website.

Stagecoach extend services in Forth Valley

Stagecoach are revising services across the East Scotland area from Monday July 29th.
Amongst the changes is Service 8 journeys extending from Valleyfield to Falkirk, providing an hourly daytime service from Dunfermline, quicker, and more regular than the previous Service 28.
Journeys on service 8A between Dunfermline- Alloa will continue hourly during daytime, offering a half hourly service between Dunfermline, Valleyfield & Kincardine.  Service 8A will also divert around Clackmannan, and also serve Morrisons in Alloa, replacing First's Service 60 which was withdrawn last year.
There are changes to express services, with X24/X26 & X27 all now serving Forth Valley hospital, offering 4 coaches an hour to Glasgow.
In the Stirling area, Service 15A from Perth, via Crieff, now serves the University.

Stirling tourist bus returns.

Stirling's tourist bus service , the 1314, returns to service from July 8th-September 14th, linking the town's bus & rail stations with Stirling Castle & The Wallace Monument every 40 minutes.
Despite it's Route number, the service isn't serving the Battle of Bannockburn  this year.

Airth loses Sunday services

The council subsided F16 Service between Stirling & Falkirk has been withdrawn on Sundays. Stirling Council have replaced it with a Dial A Journey service operated by Order Of Malta, for Fallin & Throsk residents wishing to travel to Stirling between 0900-1700. F16 Journeys continue between Falkirk & Westquarter, but it leaves Airth & Letham without any Sunday Servivce.
Monday-Saturday journeys are unaffected.

Lothian's Green Arrow arrives in West Lothian

Lothian Buses coach operation, Green Arrow, have started two new express routes , from Linlithgow & Bathgate to Edinburgh.  The half hourly services run in direct competition to First Bus and Scotrail train services.
At the same time, First have launched Bright Bus tours, aimed at the capital's tourist market, currently dominated by Lothian.
The competition between First & Lothian has been building since Lothian began services in West Lothian last year.

Public transport changes from May 19th

Changes to rail and bus services between the Forth Valley and Glasgow & Edinburgh take place later this month.
From May 19th Scotrail introduce their new timetable, which includes faster journeys on the new electric trains. Departures from Dunblane & Alloa towards Glasgow are changed.
The following day changes to Midland Bluebird services through the Cumbernauld area, will see a new X35 service from Falkirk to Glasgow, hourly,  via Kilsyth & Croy, whilst existing Service X37, also between Falkirk & Glasgow will reduce to hourly. Meanwhile, X36 from Stirling-Glasgow will be re routed via North Carbrain, and not service Cumbernauld Town Centre. There's also a late departure at 2330 from Glasgow back to Stirling.
There will also be changes to the 38 Service between Stirling-Edinburgh, and on Service C12/A & 59 in the rural Stirlingshire area. New timetables are on the First website.
From the same date Citylink are enhancing their services from Stirling. The 909 Edinburgh service will continue back to Glasgow, and are retimed to offer an hourly service between Stirling-Cumernauld-Glasgow, alongside the M8 Glasgow - Dundee coach.  Both services are greatly improved on Sundays, each operating two hourly, which gives an hourly service between Stirling  & Glasgow.

Falkirk Bus station final closure

The final withdrawel of bus services will take place on Saturday, February 16th,
Although First Midland Bluebird withdrew thier services from the station last August, Stagecoach Service 28 from Dunfermline continued to use the stance, with 4 services a day.
However, from Monday, Service 28 will join other services, terminating at Vicar Street.

Cowie gets links returned in service changes

Cowie bus passengers, who lost links with Stirling Community Hospital, Cornton, Bridge Of Allan and Stirling Universitry, in last year's shake up of bus services in the Stirling area, will see their 54 service resumed, as of Monday, 18th February. The service, operating hourly during the day (with a break in the afternoon school run) , will operate direct via Bannockburn Road, St.Ninians.
Cowie will also get an additional evening journey from Stiling on Service 51.
From the same date, a new Service 55 will operate a peak service from Tullibody, Alloa and the Hillfoots to the University, with a lunchtime service to/from Tillicoultry,
Timetables on the First website.

West Lothian changes

First are making changes to their network on January 28th, including the reinstatement of a 15 minute frequency of the Service 38 from Stirling through to Edinburgh. Since August, alternative journeys from Stirling were terminated in Linlithgow.

Citylink 909 timetable adjustments

Citylink have made some timing changes to their 909 service between Stirling & Edinburgh. Early morning coaces are running a few minutes earler than before. The biggest change is to the X909 Service which now starts at Dunblane @ 0645, some 15 minutes earlier than before, running via Stirling, Bannockburn, Plean and Forth Valley Hospital before arriving in Edinburgh @0835.