in
Falkirk in April 2026 On 6 September 2022, it was announced that McGill's had acquired the operations of
First Scotland East from the
FirstGroup. The company was rebranded to McGill's Scotland East, also trading as ''McGill's Midland Bluebird
and McGill's Eastern Scottish''. The sale, completed on 19 September 2022, saw McGill's take on 550 employees, four depots and a fleet of 257 buses from the FirstGroup, including the Bright Bus Tours
open top bus tour operation in Edinburgh. Following the takeover, 120 of the buses acquired from First were deemed unsuitable for McGill's service and taken off the road, with some returning to service after repairs and some being replaced by vehicles transferred from other McGill's operations. McGill's announced in September 2023 that it was to close down their McGill's Eastern Scottish operation and would start ceasing most operations on services in Edinburgh and
West Lothian between October and December. The company cited issues with driver recruitment and low passenger patronage, as well as traffic congestion and competition with the railways and
Lothian Buses had led to the Eastern Scottish operation becoming unsustainable to operate. == Operations ==