For a number of years, public feedback received during consultation has shaped the local bus network, offering better connections for the local communities to the places that matter most to them.

The proposals come following an extensive review of the network and travel patterns.

Bus services are vital for connecting communities to jobs, education and leisure opportunities.

It’s all change again for Stagecoach Bluebird passengers as a number of timetables have been altered.

The proposed changes aim to reflect the level of customer demand in different areas and ensure that the network can operate sustainably.

The proposals are the result of careful analysis of customer journey patterns and service performance, with adjustments made to improve punctuality and reliability.

Many of the proposed revisions have been developed with customer and staff feedback, whilst others follow on from a recent tendering exercise by Aberdeenshire Council, who provide financial support for a number of bus services across the region.

Stagecoach plans to introduce the new timetables in August 2023, once feedback from customers has been gathered and final adjustments have been made.

Locally there are a number of changes to service with the X60/X63/61 Aberdeen-Ellon/Newburgh-Peterhead having been changed to improve service punctuality.

On Sundays, services X60 and X63 will be replaced by service 61 operating consistently throughout the day.

On the X67/X68 Aberdeen-Ellon-Mintlaw-Fraserburgh route, 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 Tortorston 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 81 Peterhead-Boddam – The 0830 journey from Peterhead to Boddam will now operate at 0800.

All change again for north-east bus passengers