New – Aberdeenshire Stagecoach Bluebird service changes 21.08
Buchan and Aberdeenshire Stagecoach Bluebird service changes over from 21st August 2023
Aberdeenshire Stagecoach Bluebird has confirmed the revised network of services which will operate across the North East from 21st August 2023.
Services across the Aberdeenshire Stagecoach Bluebird will be revised, including in areas such as Deeside, Buchan, Stonehaven and Portlethen. Services in Moray will also see changes, including services 10 and 35, which link Aberdeen, Elgin, Macduff and Inverness.
Aberdeenshire Stagecoach Bluebird – Deeside
Service 201/202/203 (Aberdeen-Banchory/Torphins-Ballater-Braemar)
This service will be revised to operate hourly between Aberdeen and Ballater, and up to every 30 minutes between Aberdeen and Banchory.
The route will be revised within Banchory, with Raemoir Road mainly served by the shorter journeys to Banchory only (service 202). This will reduce the journey time for customers travelling towards Ballater. As a direct result of feedback from customers, service 202 will extend from Banchory to Torphins, providing journeys to Aberdeen up to every hour. It is hoped that this more regular service will increase passenger number, particularly as development continues in the area.
Journeys serving Tarland and Lumphanan have been withdrawn due to low passenger numbers.
However, Aberdeenshire Council will provide a Monday to Friday replacement service, connecting with either service 201 at Banchory or service 202 at Torphins. Further information on the replacement service can be obtained by clicking on the link below: https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/shuttlebus212
Buses between Ballater and Braemar will continue to operate every 2 hours; however, on weekdays and Saturdays they will operate as a shuttle service (203), connecting to Aberdeen buses at Ballater Golf Road. Customers will be able to connect between buses at Ballater for no additional cost, and advertised connections will be guaranteed.
On Sundays, journeys will continue towards Braemar every 2 hours. Following the recent decision by Aberdeenshire Council to withdraw funding for Braemar services on Sundays, Stagecoach is pleased to confirm that these journeys will operate seasonally on a commercial basis until Sunday 29th October, returning in April 2024.
Aberdeenshire Stagecoach Bluebird – Service 205 (Banchory Town Service)
Due to low passenger numbers, this service will be withdrawn. Customers will still be able to travel throughout Banchory on service 201 and 202.
Aberdeenshire Stagecoach Bluebird – Buchan
X60/X63/61 Aberdeen-Ellon/Newburgh-Peterhead
Timetables have been revised to improve service punctuality.
On Sundays, services X60 and X63 will be replaced by service 61, operating consistently throughout the day.
X67/X68 Aberdeen-Ellon-Mintlaw-Fraserburgh
Timetables have been revised to improve service punctuality.
On weekdays, services between Aberdeen and Fraserburgh will be revised to operate hourly (as X68) between the morning and evening peak periods. Service X67 will operate between Aberdeen and Ellon during this period. Frequency of services at the busiest commuting times is not affected.
Service X69/69/69B Peterhead-Fraserburgh
In response to customer feedback, most weekday journeys will operate as faster service X69, directly via the A90 and Lonmay. This will provide a quicker journey for the majority of customers. Service X69 will not divert from the A90 at Crimond and St Fergus, serving the main road bus stops instead.
The recently introduced additional journeys to NESCOL Fraserburgh Campus will be maintained on service X69.
Connections between St Combs and Fraserburgh will be maintained on service 69, with some changes to journeys.
Sunday services will continue to operate as service 69/69B.
Service 66 Peterhead-Mintlaw-Stuartfield/Maud
Timetables have been revised to improve service punctuality.
Service 66A journeys via Torterston will no longer operate due to very low passenger numbers. This will improve journey times for the majority of customers.
Following customer feedback, additional weekday journeys have been added to provide a service from Mintlaw Academy towards Peterhead in the afternoons.
Service X65 Aberdeen-Balmedie-Ellon (replaces services 50 and 53)
This new service will provide a fast connection between Aberdeen, Balmedie, Foveran and the centre of Ellon. Connections are particularly improved for customers in Foveran and Balmedie.
Journeys on service 53A (Balmedie-Ellon Academy) will be retained on service X65.
This new route replaces services 50 and 53 (see below)
Service 81 Peterhead-Boddam
The 0830 journey from Peterhead to Boddam will now operate at 0800.
Service 49 Ellon-Oldmeldrum-Inverurie
The service will now be operated by Watermill Coaches following changes to Aberdeenshire Council contracts.
Service 50 Aberdeen-Newburgh-Ellon
The Monday to Friday service 50 (Newburgh – Ellon) will now be operated by Watermill Coaches following changes to Aberdeenshire Council contracts. The route will be partially replaced by new service X65.
Service 52 Ellon Town Service
The revised service will now be operated by Watermill Coaches following changes to Aberdeenshire Council contracts.
Service 53 Aberdeen-Balmedie-Ellon
Journeys operating between Ellon Park & Ride, Castle Park and Meiklemill will be covered by service 52 (Ellon Town Service) and will now be operated by Watermill Coaches following changes to Aberdeenshire Council contracts. The route will also be partially replaced by new service X65.
Service 54 Ellon Town Service
The revised service will now be operated by Watermill Coaches and renumbered service 52.
Service 55 Ellon-Modley Avenue
This service will be withdrawn.
Service 248 New Byth-Inverurie
The service will now be operated by Watermill Coaches following changes to Aberdeenshire Council contracts.
Service 292 Ellon-Methlick
Most journeys on this service will be withdrawn on this service due to low passenger numbers, with a limited number of early and late journeys continuing to operate.
Service 452 Fraserburgh-Methlick-Inverurie
The service will now be operated by Watermill Coaches and will run on a Wednesday following changes to Aberdeenshire Council contracts.
Aberdeenshire Stagecoach Bluebird – West Aberdeenshire
Service 9 Aberdeen-Blackburn-Inverurie
Revised timetable with no changes to service frequency. One late journey will operate via Kintore following customer feedback.
Service 10/10A/10B/10C Aberdeen – Elgin – Inverness
Revised simplified daytime timetable running hourly throughout the daytime between Inverness, Elgin and Aberdeen. Revised evening timetable with the last journey from Aberdeen at 2300 Monday to Saturday operating as Service 10B through to Elgin.
Minor changes to service 10C.
Service 35/X35 Aberdeen – Banff – Elgin – Inverness
Revised timetable with the Service extending through to Inverness Monday to Saturday. Revised stopping arrangements within Aberdeen City Boundary. New Service X35 that will operate a limited stop Service between Aberdeen and Banff. Within Aberdeen Service X35 will operate a revised route within the City between ARI and the City Centre and will serve Union Terrace.
Service 35/X35 will combine to offer a Service up to every 30 minutes during the daytime between Banff and Aberdeen.
The last Service leaving Aberdeen Monday to Sunday will now be at 2245.
On Sundays there will be a slight reduction in frequency between Banff and Aberdeen
Service 37 Inverurie-Kintore
Revised timetable with no changes to service frequency, improving connections with services 9 and 10.
Service X20 Aberdeen-Kemnay-Alford
Additional journeys will be added on schooldays; 0825 Kemnay to Aberdeen and 1415 Aberdeen to Kemnay. This will provide an improved frequency at busy times.
Service 41 Insch-Inverurie
Changes to timetable.
Service 403 Kingseat-Inverurie
The service will now be operated by Watermill Coaches following changes to Aberdeenshire Council contracts.
Service 421 Inverurie – Kemnay
The Saturday service will now be operated by RS Taxis and Minicoaches Hirefollowing changes to Aberdeenshire Council contracts.
Service 422 Insch-Alford
Changes to timetable.
Service 219 Strathdon-Alford Academy
This service will now be operated by RS Taxis and Minicoaches Hire following changes to Aberdeenshire Council contracts.
Aberdeenshire Stagecoach Bluebird – Aberdeen City
Service 4 Aberdeen-Kingswells P&R-Countesswells
Minor changes on weekdays to allow school pupils to travel from Countesswells to Hazlehead Academy, in response to customer requests.
Stonehaven/Newtonhill/Portlethen
Service X7 Stonehaven – Aberdeen
An hourly service from Barclay Street to the city will continue to operate, supplemented by new service X8 (see below).
Service X8 Stonehaven – Portlethen ASDA – Cove – Aberdeen
This new service replaces some of the short journeys between Stonehaven and Aberdeen on service X7. Following extensive feedback from the local community, this fast service will operate hourly from Stonehaven via Newtonhill Park & Choose, Portlethen ASDA, Schoolhill, Cove and Wellington Road to Aberdeen Union Square. Key employment sites at Gateway Business Park and Altens Industrial Estate will also be served. The timetable for this service has been designed to cater for shift workers at various employment centres, including the McIntosh Donald meat processing site.
Service 7/7B/7S Stonehaven – Newtonhill/Chapelton – Portlethen – Aberdeen
Services 7 and 7B will see a revised timetable which will improve punctuality and offer a consistent experience to customers, following extensive analysis of traffic patterns on the route. The services will continue to offer convenient connections to Portlethen, Newtonhill and Chapelton.
Customers will benefit from additional evening journeys to Newtonhill Park and Choose, providing better connections to Aberdeen city centre.
Service 7A journeys which currently serve Altens Industrial Estate will be replaced by equivalent journeys on services X8 and 7B.
Following customer feedback during the consultation, additional journeys have been added to serve Berrymuir Road in Portlethen.
Service 8A/8C Stonehaven Town Service
Additional morning journeys have been introduced on weekdays and Saturday mornings to allow customers to connect to Aberdeen services at Barclay Street, Stonehaven.
Service 26 Stonehaven – Laurencekirk
This service will now be operated by Smith & Son Coaches following changes to Aberdeenshire Council contracts.
Aberdeenshire Stagecoach Bluebird – Moray Firth
Service 31
Service 31 withdrawn and replaced by Service 32
Service 32
Service revised to offer extentions along the Coast to Findhorn and Forres in place of Service 31. This revision will offer links to Elgin via Burghead
Service 33A/C
33A/C Minor variation to the Monday to Saturday timetable, with some thinning of the frequency around the shoulders of the peaks. Revised Sunday timetable to offer daytime hourly between Elgin and Lossiemouth and every 2 hours within Elgin.
Service 34
Revised timetable to improve the frequency of the the timetable during the daytime.
Service 36
Revised daytime timetable to sit better during the School period.
Service 38
Service will now operate as a Buckie Town Service only, with additional Service 35 trips in the peak to replace the Service 38 journeys at these times.
Service M98
New peak only Service to offer a connection from Buckie to Keith with Service M96
>>>New Timetable<<<
