Stagecoach South Scotland has announced closure plans for its Cumbernauld depot, with the operator citing the impact of falling traffic speeds and a lack of progress on bus priority measures as influences on its decision.
Despite that, a review of operations was triggered by what the business says was withdrawal by Scottish Citylink of Megabus-branded services M11 and M20 between the central belt and London in late 2025, with which Cumbernauld depot was involved via joint venture.
“Their removal required Stagecoach to assess the viability of its remaining joint venture and local service operations at the depot,” the operator says in a statement. The planned closure of Cumbernauld will sit alongside an end to Stagecoach operation of that location’s part of the long-distance Saltire Cross element of the Scottish Citylink network.
In addition, services X25 and X25A between Abronhill and Glasgow will be withdrawn as unviable, with those routes having been returning “a sustained loss,” Stagecoach says. First Bus will replace them from 5 April, but Stagecoach adds that an end to both the Scottish Citylink duties that have ceased or will cease and the X25 group leaves Cumbernauld no longer viable.
Other express services there – routes X19 and X74 and the Scottish Citylink 900 between Glasgow and Edinburgh – will continue to operate but with a move to a base closer to Glasgow. Work is underway to identify the most appropriate location, Stagecoach notes.
Consultation with affected employees and their trade unions is underway but the group has warned that redundancies may be required.
Says Stagecoach South Scotland Managing Director Fiona Doherty: “We recognise that this is difficult and unsettling news for our colleagues and the communities we serve. Decisions like this are never taken lightly.
“We are fully committed to supporting our people through this process and to working with partners to ensure that customers continue to have access to safe and reliable bus services.”
Stagecoach adds that difficulties at Cumbernauld depot have been compounded by rising costs, peak journey times having increased by more than 25%, and “the lack of progress on priority measures for buses.”
The latter is thought to refer to the controversial Bus Partnership Fund (BPF) in Scotland. It was launched in 2020 by the Scottish Government amid talk of a £500 million allocation but ‘paused’ in 2024 among a hail of criticism with only a small fraction spent. One party claimed 17 projects were ready to start at that time.
The BPF was subsequently terminated, with a new Bus Infrastructure Fund introduced to handle bus priority spending in Scotland. At that scheme’s launch it was said that work already done by the BPF would be built upon.
