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More buses, new routes and fewer empty seats: Inside the expansion of m.connect buses in Moray

Improvements are coming for passengers in Elgin, Lossiemouth and Speyside.

m.connect bus.
Four new buses will be added to the existing m.connect fleet. Image: Moray Council

New bus routes served by even more vehicles will be rolled out this spring as part of an expansion of the growing m.connect network across Moray.

The council-operated service was launched two years ago with a target of growing passenger numbers while improving access to public transport through on-demand Uber-style trips as well as timetabled routes.

Bookings increased by about 10,000, a rise of 22% from the previous Dial M service, in the first year with 55,000 people hopping aboard between May 2023 and March 2024.

It is estimated that total could rise by another 25,000 by the end of the current financial year.

Successes have included the new 309 Cullen – Buckie – Keith timetabled service that connects with trains to Aberdeen, which is now being used by about 900 passengers a month.

M.connect is now plotting even more improvements across Elgin, Forres, Buckie, Keith and Speyside as part of second phase of the project, which has been dubbed a “bus revolution” for Moray.

The Press and Journal has analysed what new public transport options could be on your doorstep from May.

New m.connect timetabled buses coming to Elgin, Lossiemouth and Burghead

The second phase of the m.connect expansion will involve four new buses to bolster the already six-strong fleet of vehicles. A further five are due to be added by 2032.

And the drivers will be put to work running even more timetabled routes across the region.

334 Elgin – Lhanbryde – Kingston

The current route from Elgin to Lhanbryde and Kingston will be expanded within Elgin connecting Larch Court, Hamilton Gardens and Morriston Road with Dr Gray’s Hospital, Tesco and the town centre.

Moray Council believes there is currently “un-met demand” in the town and wants to open up additional capacity already provided by on-demand buses.

Buses will run hourly from 7.25am to 6.05pm Monday to Friday.

Tesco in Elgin.
The new buses in Elgin will provide links from the north of the town to Tesco, Dr Gray’s and the bus station. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson

333 Burghead – Hopeman – Lossiemouth

New service to run between coastal communities every 70 minutes from 7.50am to 6pm Monday to Friday.

It is hoped the connection will provide links to health facilities in Lossiemouth as well as pre and after-school care and employment.

Proposed timetables for both the new routes are available HERE

Saturday night on-demand buses from Elgin to Speyside

The next phase of the m.connect rollout will feature an experiment with Saturday night on-demand buses between Elgin and Speyside.

From May, the on-demand Uber-style links will be run in Speyside between 10am and 10pm on Saturdays.

And from 5pm the zone restrictions will be dropped allowing passengers to book Uber-style door-to-door journeys between Elgin and communities including Rothes, Dufftown and Aberlour.

Dufftown clocktower.
Late night m.connect buses will soon be available from Dufftown and the rest of Speyside to Elgin. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

The last bus from Elgin to Dufftown with Stagecoach on Saturdays currently leaves the bus station at 6.20pm.

It means more Speyside residents will be able to enjoy evenings in Elgin with a public transport option to get home.

It is understood that if the experiment is successful then a timetabled service could be considered.

Expansion of on-demand m.connect buses

M.connect offers door-to-door Uber-style journeys that can be booked from your front door to anywhere within the same zone, which are;

  • Elgin, including Lossiemouth, Burghead and Lhanbryde
  • Forres, including Findhorn, Kinloss and Alves
  • Buckie and Keith, including Fochabers and Cullen
  • Speyside, including Duffown, Aberlour, Rothes and Tomintoul.

Buckie and Keith have been one of the most popular areas for on-demand journeys with services already available until 8.15pm weekly.

Buckie town centre.
More on-demand buses are coming to Buckie. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson

From May that will be expanded further with a new Saturday service from 9am to 5pm.

Speyside will also get a new Saturday service with the introduction of the 10am to 10pm links.

In Elgin the on-demand services will remain 9.15am to 2.30pm on weekdays, extended to 5pm during school holidays.

And in Forres they will remain 8.30am to 5pm on weekdays and 9am to 5pm on Saturdays.

Speyside timetabled routes to be scaled back

M.connect currently operates direct connections from Aberlour to Elgin through rural communities.

However, officials say uptake on the route through Knockando and Archiestown has been lower than expected with the service duplicating some of the existing Dufftown to Elgin Stagecoach service.

From May, the routes will be amended to instead provide timetabled links with the Stagecoach buses in Craigellachie instead of directly into Elgin.

Meanwhile, the Keith to Tomintoul route will also be tweaked to instead connect with Stagecoach buses to Elgin in Dufftown before continuing on the rest of its journey.

It will also be expanded to Monday to Friday instead of just three days a week.

What m.connect isn’t introducing this year

One service that m.connect did examine the feasibility of adding but has decided against, for now, is a link from Findhorn and Kinloss to Forres.

Stagecoach announced in summer last year that the route was no longer commercially viable, leaving residents in the villages without any public transport options.

Stagecoach bus in Findhorn
Stagecoach previously operated buses to Findhorn and Kinloss. Image: Harry Cooksley

Officials examined adding the villages to the new Burghead to Lossiemouth route before ruling it out due to additional costs.

Despite the decision, residents in both Findhorn and Kinloss can book trips into Forres using the on-demand buses.

How m.connect is addressing criticism of empty seats on buses

One of the criticisms labelled at m.connect has been its struggles in taking multiple passengers on different journeys on on-demand services.

It has been common to see buses taking just one passenger from A to B before they then scoot off to pick up the next one.

Officials say the booking app has been progressively gathering data analysing how long trips take, where the popular locations are and how many journeys are booked at certain times.

It is expected that adjustments will be made within the booking system to increase ride sharing and free up capacity on buses to allow more trips.

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