Further to my article last week about alterations to National Express bus services planned for 4th May, and with thanks to Suzy Scott at dundeebuses.info and outline detail published yesterday by the Traffic Commissioners, here's some further information about the services I referred to that affect the West End :
Service 5 and a new X5 : There will be a revised Service 5 timetable and changes to the route, with the western end of the route now becoming a one-way loop so that from Ninewells Hospital (getting there by the current route – eg Tom McDonald Avenue) it goes to the Technology Park then Riverside Avenue and Perth Road and then the current route to the city centre. I await to see the detail, but it looks very promising that the part of the route along the very furthest west part of Perth Road west of Tom McDonald Avenue will again have access to Service 5 buses – albeit in one direction – towards the city centre – only. Along with local residents, back in 2012, I campaigned against the loss of the Service 5 in this area, so it will be great for local residents if the service is restored.
The new X5 Service is only “express” in the part east of the city centre (Seagate to Dalgleish Road) but it will mean faster journeys for West End residents travelling to Craigiebank, Broughty Ferry, etc. I await the detailed timetables but suspect the main benefit in terms of improved frequency of Service 5 overall (ie including X5) will lie east rather than west of the city centre.
Service 14 : Only covers a very small part of the West End Ward (Technology Park and Ninewells Hospital) and alterations are fairly minor – although the 1435 service from the hospital is cancelled.
Service 15/17 : There is to be a revised timetable “to improve reliability.” The 17 (which serves parts of the West End – Lochee Road, Tullideph Road, Ancrum Road) will have a new one-way loop at the western end. From Ninewells Hospital, it will operate via Kirsty Semple Way, Tom McDonald Avenue and the Medi-Park Link Road to the Technology Park, then Gowrie Park (Mallaig Avenue), Spey Drive and Charleston Drive to the hospital.
Service 22 : Again, there is to be a revised timetable “to improve reliability” and there will be a new 2348 Whitehall Street to Ninewells Hospital journey operating all week.
More details as they are published will appear on National Express Dundee's website and on Suzy's dundee.info site. Meantime, Suzy has a resume of the main changes affecting all Dundee services here.