Bus Priority ay Ahead - The National Archives
Transcript of Bus Priority ay Ahead - The National Archives
Bus Priority
1204
Resource Pack
Edition 2
The Way Ahead
Bus Priority
1204
Overview Resource Pack - Edition 2
The Way Ahead
Foreword ldquoI am delighted to see the publication of this the Second Edition of the Bus Priority Resource Pack
Government has consistently highlighted the important role that the bus plays in our towns and cities and we are firmly
committed to making the bus a more attractive travel option We have worked with the bus industry and local authorities
through the Bus Partnership Forum to create the conditions for encouraging greater use of buses Introducing measures
that minimise delays and improve the reliability of bus services are a crucial part of achieving this
While many successful measures have been introduced around the country we fully recognise that planning and
implementing a programme of priorities for buses is not a simple task It is often the practical details that make the
difference between the success or failure of a scheme I therefore welcome this initiative from the Bus Partnership
Forum which provides best practice guidance and shares the practical experience gained by local authorities
Passenger Transport Executives and bus operators around the country I look forward to seeing more new and
innovative measures which provide real benefits to passengers emerging as a result of itrdquo
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Background The road network needs to move people and goods efficiently if we are to ensure the social and
economic well being of our communities Buses have a vital role to play in this as they can make
excellent use of limited road space carrying many more passengers than a private car for a given
amount of road space However the potential benefit of the bus can be stifled by traffic congestion
Local authorities and bus operators need to work in partnership to make buses a more attractive
alternative to the car by releasing them from the congestion delays experienced by other road
users This in turn will improve reliability and help make the bus an attractive choice for more car
users as well as providing quicker journeys for both bus and other road users
Providing the right conditions for this to happen is not a simple task This overview seeks to outline
some of the ways in which local authorities can develop a successful bus strategy that will ensure
that bus travel becomes a realistic alternative to the private car
What is being done
The Government has consistently made it clear that the bus
has a crucial part to play in present and future transport
policy In the short term buses provide the best means of
increasing public transport services
Government in partnership with local authorities and bus
operators is positively encouraging bus travel through a
number of measures including capital funding through the
local transport plan process concessionary fares schemes
the development of Quality Bus Partnerships real time
information and timetable information systems
Charlotte Atkins MP
Inbound guideway Manchester Road Bradford
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Why help buses The challenge that we face
The challenge is of course well known and understood Since 1950 car ownership in the UK has
grown from 2 million cars to over 22 million and use of the car has grown commensurately The
capacity of our roads has not increased at anything like this rate and this has led to severe traffic
congestion affecting the ability of buses to deliver reliable services
Who is affected
Transport affects the economic and social well being of everyone Well over 11 million bus journeys
are made every day Better bus services in our towns and cities contribute towards the
regeneration and revitalisation of both the business community and our living areas An efficient
reliable bus service can be an attractive alternative to those who have access to a car
Furthermore an efficient bus service ensures social inclusion by providing access to jobs
education health social and leisure services to those without access to a car A wide variety of
people use buses but many people especially older people children people with disabilities
women and the less well off are often dependent upon having a reliable bus service
What do people want
In almost every survey about bus services reliability is one of the most important issues for bus
users Motorists cite reliable bus services as a pre-requisite for leaving their car at home Bus
priority measures assist buses through traffic with more consistent journey times helping deliver
timetable reliability Buses cannot take short cuts to get around congestion they need help to get
through it
What will more bus measures deliver
Without priority measures bus services get caught up in general
traffic congestion especially in our towns and cities during peak
periods Experience from schemes around the country shows
that bus lanes may reduce bus travel times by up to 7 to 9
minutes along a 10 kilometre congested route and also improve
their reliability Reliability means buses operate in accordance
with their timetables on every journey which is important to bus
users Measures to assist buses in one metropolitan city have
halved the variation in journey times that operators experienced
in that corridor enabling them to operate their buses more
efficiently
By introducing bus priority with other improvements services
can become more attractive to potential passengers For
example a comprehensive quality corridor initiative in a major
conurbation delivered a 75 per cent increase in bus passengers
over 5 years with 20 per cent being new customers
Low floor buses provide access for wheelchair users
Cou
rtes
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GM
PT
E
What if we donrsquot do it
With car ownership continuing to grow traffic congestion will get worse Large-scale road
construction is not a sustainable option and so greater use of public transport along with more
cycling and walking must provide our main answers Initiatives to assist buses must be seen to be
part of the traffic congestion solution by providing more people with better and faster travel at the
same time as reducing the need to travel by car
Achieving success Which strategy
It is important to recognise that there is a range of strategies available and that there is not an lsquooff
the shelfrsquo solution that will maximise the benefits to buses regardless of location The most
appropriate strategy in any one area will depend upon the prevailing local conditions In general
the reliability and journey time benefits of bus initiatives tend to follow the maxim lsquothe whole is more
than the sum of the partsrsquo A range of strategies can be adopted These can include taking a full
network approach where the entire bus network is considered or a whole route strategy where
delays along the length of a particular route are addressed Alternatively in a corridor strategy
important corridors within an area served by a number of major routes are treated Delays can also
be treated on the basis of hot spots where specific points of delay located around the area are
addressed
Who should be involved
It is vital for local authorities and bus operators to work in partnership at all stages of the initiative
from developing the strategy to promoting completed measures to customers and the general
public To ensure that full commitment is achieved for the implementation a wider group of
stakeholders should be involved in the development of the strategy Experience has shown that
opposition to measures can be minimised if early stakeholder involvement takes place
Stakeholders besides the local authority and the bus operators are likely to include the highway
authority (if different) neighbouring authorities the passenger transport executives (PTEs) the
police signal authorities bus user organisations residentsrsquo organisations cyclist groups business
and trader organisations
Who should be informed
As well as those stakeholders directly affected by the measures the wider public needs to be
informed of the proposals and why they are happening Remember that to many the measures
will be unfamiliar and misunderstood and the benefits unclear It may be beneficial to encourage
local media to run stories on bus schemes as a general issue rather than wait until specific
schemes are developed and opposition entrenched
What will be successful
The most successful measures have been those which have been designed to meet the
circumstances of a particular route or corridor It is crucial that these measures are developed as
part of an overall road management strategy to improve bus services in the local area An
important part of a strategy is the efficient management and coordination of traffic schemes
maintenance and other roads works When these measures are complimented by enforcement
and bus friendly traffic management delays to all traffic including buses can be significantly
minimised Under new powers local authorities can enforce bus lanes using CCTV cameras in
order to maintain the benefits to bus services Enforcement can also target offences such as
abandoned or untaxed vehicles
How do we convince people of the benefits
Early stakeholder involvement and well targeted information about the proposals is vital Of at least
equal importance is the determination of councillors and senior officers to see the measures
succeed It can be daunting to attempt to progress schemes when there is the presumption that
there will be opposition to them There are however numerous examples of successful
implementation Many have achieved their aims in full and still more have shown that disbenefits
predicted by objectors have not occurred The resource pack that accompanies this overview tells
you how this has been done
Securing the benefits Selecting appropriate measures
Bus schemes are often part of a comprehensive
treatment of a road corridor with enhanced facilities
for all types of travel The most successful
measures tend to feature an iterative design
process that continues throughout the planning and
implementation phase In designing the most
appropriate measure it is advisable to consider the
whole process for example to
bull establish the form of strategy to be adopted
bull identify problem areas consistent with that strategy
bull agree with stakeholders the nature of the problem
bull discuss possible solutions to specific problems
bull investigate the preferred solutions and compare benefits
bull assure benefits are achieved for bus users
bull monitor the measure before and after it is carried out and
bull make adjustments to measures if they would improve the benefits
Rising bollards in action on Emmanuel Road Cambridge
Cou
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Cam
brid
gesh
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Cou
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Cou
ncil
Enforcement and maintenance
It is essential to maintain the benefits of bus measures and to do this requires a positive approach
to enforcement and highway maintenance Basic design and maintenance procedures include
ensuring that bus priority measures are clearly seen and well maintained and that the effects on
buses are considered when highways are maintained Active enforcement should aim for total
compliance even if it leads to direct costs being incurred with no revenue stream Specific actions
to consider can include
bull decriminalisation of parking enforcement to give control to local authorities and
bull camera enforcement or roving wardensattendants
More information Resource pack
The resource pack provides decision makers with advice and guidance on how to make bus
initiatives successful It consists of a series of leaflets which provide evidence of successful
implementation and advice on how to promote and manage the process This illustrates the
benefits achieved through a whole range of experiences countrywide
Web site
A web site dedicated to bus measures (wwwbuspriorityorguk) contains all the information in the
resource pack It also has a number of links to other web sites which have useful information and
will be of use in developing bus initiatives
Presentational CD ROM
Attached to this resource pack is a CD ROM that contains a range of presentational information
This information can be used to tailor presentations on bus initiatives to a range of audiences and
can be customised to suit each user
Contacts
To get a free copy of the resource pack and overview contact
DfT Free Literature PO Box 236 WETHERBY LS23 7NB
Tel 0870 122 6236 Fax 0870 122 6237
Please quote the following reference 04DFT07
The resource pack and overview can also be obtained through the web site
wwwbuspriorityorguk All of the leaflets along with other information on bus priority can be
accessed and downloaded free of charge from the bus priority web site
To find out more about bus priority measures contact
Department for Transport Traffic Management Division
319 Great Minster House 76 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DR
Tel 0207 944 2599 Fax 0207 944 2211
Email busprioritydftgsigovuk
Bus Priority
The Way Ahead
Case studies
Guide to case studies
With-flow bus lanes
Contra-flow bus lanes
Whole route approach St Albans Road Green Route Watford
Bus gates and bus only links
Rising bollards
Guided busways
Pre signals and bus advance areas
Selective Vehicle Detection (SVD)
MOVA
Bus SCOOT
Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)
Mixed priority street
Bus friendly traffic calming
High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes
A690 Durham Road Superoute no-car lanes
Bus park and ride
Complementary measures 1 - The bus stop environment
2 - Other measures
Contents
News
Strategic options
Implementation amp delivery
Maintaining the benefits
Route management
Traffic management
Special initiatives
Edinburgh Greenways
London Bus Initiative (LBI)
West Midlands Bus Showcase
Leeds City Centre
Oxford historic city
Newport smaller town
West Bromwich Town Centre
1
2
3
4
5
6
Performance indicators amp
monitoring
Web site
Frequently asked questions
(FAQs)
Signs amp regulations
Bibliography
Glossary
Contacts
Audio visual materials
Published by the Department of Transport copy Crown
Copyright 2004 Printed in the UK December 2004 on
paper containing 75 per cent post consumer waste
and 25 per cent ECF pulp Product code 04DFT07
7
8
10
11
12
13
14
9
How to use the resource pack This is the second edition of the resource pack
which provides practical information and guidance
on successful bus priority A useful summary is
provided in the overview document at the front of
the resource pack The resource pack comprises a
series of leaflets which are updated periodically
The resource pack begins with copies of Bus
Priority News which can be found in section 1
Sections 2 to 4 of the resource pack provide
advice and guidance on the planning
implementation and maintenance of bus priority
schemes Section 5 follows with a series of special
initiative case studies These case studies provide
details of best practice high profile flagship bus
priority initiatives
A series of successful case studies by type of bus
priority measure can be found in section 6 Groups
of measures are colour-coded and a guide to the
case studies is provided at the front of section 6
The resource pack is accompanied by a web site
found at wwwbuspriorityorguk All resource pack
leaflets are available for download from the
website Helpful links to other web sites of interest
will also be provided A copy of the home page and
site map is provided in section 8
A CD ROM (version 21) accompanying the
resource pack contains all the leaflets in
permanent document format The CD ROM also
contains a PowerPoint presentation that can be
used by scheme promoters These materials can
be tailored to suit bus initiative presentations for
different audiences Any subsequent releases of
the CD ROM and leaflets will be announced in
forthcoming issues of Bus Priority News and on the
website
December 2004
Bus Priority
1204
News
1
11111Government Policy on Increasing Bus Patronage Bus is the main mode of public transport in the United Kingdom and in many areas the only alternative for local journeys The bus is a flexible mode of transport economical in its use of road space and able to carry passengers in large numbers on main urban transport corridors with the ability to reach outlying suburban and rural areas
The Minister of State for Transport Mr John Spellar has made clear his commitment to improving bus service reliability
Public transport has an important role to play in the provision of reliable travel in congested conditions We have encouraged provision of priority to buses wherever this can be achieved safely and taking into account the needs and priorities of other modes The Department has published advice on the introduction of bus priority measures As part of updating this advice I welcome the partnership of bus operators and the various local authority organisations in the Making Buses Run Faster Task Force They are working together to break down barriers that hold back better bus services
Government policy accords a significant role to buses in meeting its transport objectives and aims to reverse the long term decline in patronage by greater investment through Local Transport Plans Quality partnerships and contracts are also central to its policy of improving service levels and efficiency The ability of bus operators in urban areas to run services reliably and efficiently is NOVEMBER 2002
compromised by traffic congestion bus priority measures should be an essential part of local authority IN THIS ISSUE bus strategies
Government Giving greater priority to buses over other road vehicles can greatly assist in minimising delays and Policy onimproving reliability Techniques are available to give buses higher priority but the rate at which Increasing Busmeasures are being implemented is far from satisfactory in many areas The Department for Transport Patronagewishes to increase awareness of available techniques and their benefits to bus operations
Research
Project Scope To meet its objective the project involves a wide-ranging review of bus priority measures focusing on evidence of benefits realised from the implementation of selected schemes The main project activities are as follows
consultation with local authorities to identify suitable schemes
development of monitoring guidelines for surveys
before and after monitoring surveys
consideration of use of bus lanes by other road users
surveys of compliance and effectiveness of enforcement
appraisal of most effective bus priority techniques
dissemination of best practice guidance
The project is intended to provide advice and guidance to local authorities to enable them to plan evaluate design and implement more effective bus priority measures either in isolation or as part of wider route initiatives
Research Objectives JMP Consultants Ltd with TRL Limited is commissioned by the Department for Transport to undertake the research project lsquoMonitoring of Bus Priority Schemesrsquo (UG150) with the objective
to develop a comprehensive approach to effective planning evaluation design and monitoring of bus priority schemes with the overall aim of providing best practice guidance in identifying schemes that contribute to improving the operation and efficiency of bus services
Objectives
Preliminary Consultations
Regional Forums
Monitoring
Messages
Forward Direction
Forthcoming Activities
Designated Lane Investigations
Outputs
Your Experience
Contacts
Preliminary Consultations Consultation provides the link with local authority practice and experience An extensive consultation exercise was carried out in the early stages of the project to identify programmed bus priority schemes Several local authorities are assisting the project either with monitoring surveys or providing data where they have monitored earlier schemes
A first round of consultation took place in early Spring 2001 when a total 208 letters were sent out to all transport authorities in England (including the six Passenger Transport Authorities and member authorities plus all 33 London Boroughs) Wales and Scotland These initial letters introduced the project its objectives and outputs and sought a nominated contact for each organisation The consultation response was positive (61 overall response rate)
A second round of consultation went ahead in June 2001 when letters were issued to all 127 nominated contacts The main aim was to identify bus priority schemes programmed for implementation suitable for before and after monitoring surveys A number of potential schemes were identified and these responses were followed up with direct contact for more detailed discussions
Regional Forums Regional Forums give local authorities and bus operators an opportunity to contribute to the project Forums facilitate wider debate on the strategic bus priority issues most relevant across a region and provide valuable feedback on where more needs to be done The West Midlands forum highlighted the success of Showcase routes in attracting passengers The SouthWest Yorkshire forum showed the importance of local authority and operator partnerships in the delivery of effective bus services Further regional forums are programmed in the north east and north west this winter
Monitoring Monitoring surveys have been carried out for the following bus priority schemes
Arthur Road Corridor Bus SCOOT scheme Windsor Before surveys carried out in November 2001 with after surveys planned for Spring 2003
Christchurch Road Bus Lane scheme Bournemouth Before surveys carried out in March 2002 with after surveys planned for Spring 2003
Swindon Motorcycles in Bus Lanes scheme Before surveys carried out in May 2002 with after surveys also planned for Spring 2003
Other bus priority schemes programmed for implementation in this 200203 financial year are being pursued In addition the project will be coshyordinated with ongoing local authority monitoring programmes Monitoring data received includes
East Leeds Quality Bus Initiative Pre Scheme Monitoring Report
East Leeds Bus Priority Pre-scheme Monitoring Report
Wakefield Road A61 Corridor Study Pre Scheme Monitoring
South Bradford Quality Bus Initiative Manchester Road Guided Bus ndash Report of Before Surveys
Other monitoring survey data expected includes
London Bus Initiative (LBI1) Before (2000) and interim (2001) monitoring data
Transport for London Motorcycles in Bus Lanes Pilots 2002
CENTRO Showcase Routes Before and after monitoring data
Guided Bus on Manchester Road Bradford After monitoring data 2000
The project is keen to incorporate lessons learned from other bus priority monitoring programmes and further data would be most welcome
The project has developed detailed monitoring guidelines which identify consistent methods for monitoring different types of bus priority The guidelines include both core and additional monitoring variables These guidelines can be obtained from the contact details given below
Messages Quality and reliability of bus services are the keys to higher patronage as demonstrated in London and other areas with effective bus strategies In other areas the pace of change has been disappointing and patronage continues to fall The initial phases of the project have shown some ways in which bus priority measures can be more effectively planned and realised
Benefits of best technical solutions are not widely appreciated
Spending on bus priority measures is not utilising available funds
Increased monitoring is required to demonstrate the benefits of bus priority measures
Sensitive scheme design can overcome much of the opposition that often forces proposals to be abandoned
Partnerships between local authorities and operators enable the full benefits of priority measures to be realised
Quality initiatives for whole routes can achieve a step-change in the level of service
Without effective enforcement of bus priority regulations much of the benefits are easily lost
Workable criteria are required to enable the use of bus lanes by other traffic to be assessed
Guidance on the planning design and implementation of effective bus priority is limited
Forward Direction The project has involved extensive discussions and consultations from which many examples of good practice have emerged However the rate of implementation of bus priority measures has resulted in limited hard evidence as to the benefits generated by effectiveschemes In reviewing the outcomes of the project against its objectives it is evident that a wider and more inclusive approach is required to capture the aspects of best practice that can encourage a faster take-up of innovative schemes The focus of the project will now be more towards the identification and dissemination of best practice
Forthcoming Activities The Autumn 2002 programme will see new initiatives to extend the scope of the project especially through contacts with those directly involved in bus operations The main activities will be as follows
Completion of before and after monitoring survey programme
New survey programme to quantify existing bus problems and benefits of best practice schemes
Development of performance criteria and guidelines against which to assess effectiveness of schemes
Consultation with selected local authorities to identify best practice case studies
Discussions with bus operators on how to turn bus priority benefits into real improvements in service reliability
Surveys of levels of compliance for existing measures to identify potential benefits of greater enforcement
Review of criteria for permitted use of bus lanes by a wider range of road users including motor cycles and high occupancy vehicles
Production of Traffic Advisory Leaflets for best practice case studies
Assessment of contribution of bus priority measures to the success of quality initiatives
Designated Lane Investigations Bus lanes typically make allowance for use by pedal cycles and licensed taxis but such distinctions are now starting to break down as local authorities question their road space allocation priorities Motor cycles are permitted to use bus lanes by a limited number of local authorities Newcastle City Council has gone as far as introducing several no-car lanes
The signs used for the non-standard use of bus lanes would require type approval from the Department for Transport
The DfT is monitoring the use of bus lanes by motorcycles with a view to clarifying the advice it gives to local authorities
Swindon Borough Council intends to allow motorcyclists to use bus lanes in 2002 and Transport for London (TfL) has recently given similar permission this year on an experimental basis The two authorities are working closely with the DfT to monitor safety and operations before and after implementation The project has included the development of monitoring guidelines for motorcycles in bus lanes schemes
The Department for Transport would welcome approaches from other local authorities who are considering allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes in order to assess the impacts of doing so more widely
Discussions are ongoing with the Freight Transport Association (FTA) to investigate the wider use of bus lanes by goods vehicles It is anticipated that revised guidelines will be developed to assess such schemes preferably as part of Freight Quality Partnerships
Outputs The data and information collated for the study will enable fully comprehensive best practice guidance on all aspects of bus priority to be developed and disseminated Project outputs will take various forms including
A fact sheet which sets out main issues relating to bus priority
Performance data on effectiveness of bus priority measures
Traffic Advisory Leaflets on different types and aspects of bus priority including monitoring
Case studies and illustrations of best practice and innovative solutions with full technical details and performance indicators
Preliminary guidance on criteria for priority lane usage
Technical details of effective measures
A Website for the purpose of information dissemination online
Your Experience Partnership is essential to the success of the project and we are keen to collate best practice bus priority case studies from across the country We would like to hear from local authorities involved in the design and implementation of bus priority schemes We are interested to hear about your experiences relating to the introduction of particularly effective measures the ways in which such measures overcame problems typical of bus operations and the general lessons learnt Contact details are provided below for your information
Contacts
JMP Consultants Ltd Jane Atkinson - Project Co-ordinator Tel 020-7391 7030 Fax 020-7387-0078 E-mail janeatkinsonjmpcouk post 172 Tottenham Court Road London W1T 7NA
TRL Limited Dr Iain York - Project Lead Investigator Tel 01344-770615 Fax 01344-770643 E-mail iyorktrlcouk Post Old Wokingham Road Crawthorne Berkshire RG45 6AU
For information about the organisations involved in this project please try the following Department for Transport wwwdftgovuk JMP Consultants Ltd wwwjmpcouk or TRL Limited wwwtrlcouk
22222Government Committed To Task Forces The Governments policy is that the effective movement of people and goods is essential if the UK is to maintain the social and economic wellbeing of its communities Whilst the private car is important in meeting many of the transport needs of the public the growth of car ownership has made it unsustainable in providing an effective solution for a large section of the population This view is being reinforced by much of the specialist advice given by bodies such as the Commission for Integrated Transport and Association of Local Government
The Government has recently set up a number of Task Forces to look into aspects of public transport under the broad umbrella of the Bus Forum Representatives from most of the stakeholders have been included in these groups and there has been wide consultation Government is also promoting a number of initiatives to assist local authorities in developing bus services across the country Clearly both travel demands and measures will vary from area to area and from authority to authority
To enhance the bus services for existing users and to attract new users Government is encouraging the creation of effective partnerships in which all the major stakeholders work more closely together In July 2002 the Bus Partnership Forum brought together senior representatives from the bus industry and local government and other stakeholder groups A programme of work is now being carried out under auspices of the Forum to address problems that may hinder bus usage and identify practical solutions including understanding customer needs making buses run faster and more reliably new partnership approaches route and timetable stability performance monitoring information marketing and competitively priced integrated ticketing social inclusion and innovative transport and schools transport
Overview Booklet A concise user-friendly summary document on the benefits of bus priority is being developed and is currently close to completion
The aim of the Overview booklet is to help make the case for bus priority and provide planners and decision-makers with key information concerning bus priority
The Overview booklet forms the front-end of a leaflet-based Resource Pack for bus priority This Overview booklet will be launched in advance of the emerging Resource Pack which is currently under development Further information on this Resource Pack is provided on the back page of this newsletter
The main themes of the Overview booklet are
bull how effective traffic management underpins bus priority as a whole and is beneficial to all road users
bull partnership working with for example local bus operators is key to the delivery of bus priority
bull how bus priority helps services to be more attractive
bull successful strategies that have been adopted and the good practice lessons to be learned
bull selecting appropriate and effective bus priority measures and
bull the importance of consultation with a wide range of stakeholders including local residents and businesses and the methods that can be used to increase the acceptance of bus priority schemes
The Overview booklet will be available both electronically and in hard copy format
MARCH 2003
IN THIS ISSUE
Government Committed to Task ForceS
Overview Booklet
Local Authority Consultation Findings
Bus Operator Consultation
Forthcoming Activities
Regional Forums
Recent Forums
Resource Pack
Web site
Contacts
22222 Local Authority Consultation Findings Local authorities were consulted in Autumn 2002 on their experience of implementing bus priority The results showed that authorities are actively developing and implementing a range of different types of measures and many more are planned for the next few years
To learn from this experience schemes have been identified which have been monitored before and after implementation This will allow appraisal of the extent that these bus priority schemes which have given notable benefits to buses and passengers It is these schemes that will be used as case studies in leaflets for wider publication contained in the Resource Pack
Some local authorities have not been quite as successful at implementing bus priority The results of the consultation highlighted some of the obstacles that local authorities face in progressing schemes
A more detailed breakdown of the results will be available in due course on a Bus Priority web site
Bus Operator Consultation There was significant interest from bus operators who are keen to see more measures introduced to assist buses Some 95 of schemes that have been implemented were identified as being highly effective Of these measures guided bus schemes are considered the most effective followed by contra-flow bus lanes and conventional bus lanes
Bus operators are keen to actively advise local authorities on where bus priority should be implemented As a result the large majority of bus operators already work closely with local authorities on the development of bus initiatives This involvement with local authorities often helps make bus services run faster more reliably and more efficient
From the consultation bus operators have identified a number of measures that have been introduced for further research It is likely that some of these measures will be used in best practise case studies to assist in the progress of effective bus initiatives across the country
Regional Forums Regional forums have provided local authorities and bus operators an opportunity to contribute their views on best practice and the way ahead These forums allow wider debate on the strategic bus priority issues across each geographic area and give valuable feedback on where more needs to be done There have now been a number of forums held and by the end of last year forums had been organised in the North North East and North West of England Common themes often arose out of these forums and some of the main points were
The North East forum held in Newcastle bull the importance of effective partnerships with
operators neighboring authorities and the police to deliver whole route improvements
bull enforcement is crucial to the success of measures
The North-West forum held in Manchester bull the success of an integrated area approach to
schemes including bus priority safety cycling and pedestrian measures
bull the need for greater publicity and marketing of the benefits of bus priority
The Northern forum held in Sheffield bull sufficient resources are required to actively
progress the planning and development of bus priority schemes
bull signal priority as part of a bus priority strategy is important
Recent Forums Recent forums have been held in south east south west and eastern regions
These forums have been well attended and produced interesting ideas and viewpoints The main points from these forums will be presented in the next newsletter
Web Site A web site dedicated to bus priority will be built which will contain all the information in the resource pack It will also provide a number of useful links to other web sites and will be of use in developing bus priority
Resource Pack A Resource Pack of leaflets will be produced to provide decision-makers with advice and guidance on how to make bus priority successful It will include a series of topics to provide evidence of successful implementation and advise on how to promote and manage the process Case studies will also illustrate the benefits achieved through a whole range of experiences countrywide
The Resource Pack will include a CD that contains a range of presentational material The information could be used to tailor presentations on bus priority to a range of audiences and could be customised to suit each user
Contacts JMP Consultants Ltd Jane Atkinson - Project Co-ordinator Tel 020-7391 7030 Fax 020-7387-0078 E-mail janeatkinsonjmpcouk post 172 Tottenham Court Road London W1T 7NA
For information about the organisations involved in this project please try the following Department for Transport wwwdftgovuk JMP Consultants Ltd wwwjmpcouk or TRL Limited wwwtrlcouk
33333 Bus Priority Web Site goes live
The web site wwwbuspriorityorg coincides with the resource pack
Purpose The aim of the site is to provide the user with an interactive version of the resource pack up-toshydate news (along with a back catalogue of previous news articles) and a facility to post and read information via a bulletin board
Features and contents The web site is largely based on the resource pack therefore all the currently available leaflets are on the web site In addition to these a number of features have been added to make the site fully comprehensive interactive and user-friendly
Home
Contact us This feature generates an email directly to the bus priority team at the DfT Enquiries comments and thoughts will be dealt with accordingly
Links Other sites of interest are listed under this heading Clicking on the desired link takes the user directly to the organisationrsquos homepage
Leaflets PDF files of all the resource pack contents will be downloadable from the web site It will also be possible to print out a complete resource pack from the site
The homepage an essential feature of every web site is the central point from which the pages of the site can be navigated The lsquohomersquo hyperlink is found at the bottom of each page allowing the user to return to the lsquohomersquo or contents page directly
News This feature allows the user to view the most current edition of the bus priority news letter it also enables the user to access past editions
Site map The site map displays an interactive contents list All leaflets currently available are accessible from this lsquoat a-glancersquo contents list
Whatrsquos to come The bulletin board will allow users to post messages on a public notice board Any comments relating to bus priority will be welcomed and responses encouraged This feature promotes interaction between local authorities bus operators and other interested stakeholders
Bus Priority hits the public realm The Bus Priority Resource Pack was launched at The resource pack was introduced as a tool to the Bus and Coach Conference at the NEC in overcome difficulties identified from past Birmingham in September 2003 Tony McNulty research and to assist in identifying the best Transport Minister announced the Bus Priority techniques from the experience of successful Initiative schemes
ldquoBus users want services to be punctual reliable JMP Consulting representatives attended the and not slowed down by other traffic The Bus conference and were on hand at the Priority Resource Pack I am launching today will Confederation of Passenger Transport stand to help local authorities implement traffic answer queries about the pack from delegates management schemes which give buses priorityrdquo
STOP PRESS
More leaflets added to Bus Priority web site A number of further special initiatives and case studies have now been up loaded onto the web site To view the leaflets simply click on lsquoSpecial initiativesrsquo or lsquoCase studiesrsquo this can be done directly from the home contents page or via the site map and then select the leaflet of interest
Whatrsquos in the resource pack
The bus priority resource pack provides decision makers with comprehensive and up-to-date advice and guidance on how to make bus priority initiatives successful
The resource packrsquos user-friendly format sets out various topics in a logical sequence beginning with the identification of an appropriate measure through to monitoring the performance of a scheme
Strategic approaches are considered in the opening section of the resource pack A number of approaches to designing and implementing bus priority are identified and explored The implementation and delivery of such measures places emphasis on the importance of consultation with
Whatrsquos happening next The second edition of the resource pack will be released in December 2004 Edition two will contain further case studies of examples of good practice in bus priority schemes special initiatives and current information on signs and regulations
Contacts
JMP Consulting Ltd Jane Atkinson - Project Co-ordinator Tel 020-7391 7030 Fax 020-7387-0078 E-mail janeatkinsonjmpcouk Post 172 Tottenham Court Road
London W1T 7NA
For information about the organisations involved in this project please try the following Department for Transport wwwdftgovuk JMP Consulting wwwjmpcouk or TRL Limited wwwtrlcouk
stakeholders as well as dialogue between local authorities and bus operators A number of difficulties commonly associated with implementing bus priority are identified along with possible ways of tackling these problems
The resource pack also provides guidance on maintaining the benefits of bus priority through successful route and traffic management
A number of case studies and special initiatives are presented in the resource pack These provide practical information drawn from experience of bus priority implementation Case studies are categorised by measure type
Bus Priority on the roadhellip
April 2003 A bus priority team consisting of DfT and JMP Consulting staff attended the Traffex Exhibition in April 2003 The ldquomost successful Traffex everrdquo was held at the NEC in Birmingham The bus priority display on the popular DfT stand created considerable interest with plenty of delegates picking up a copy of the resource pack overview
July 2003 Alan Beswick and Jane Atkinson of JMP Consulting presented a conference paper
and reflect examples nationwide In each case location local conditions and costs and benefits of the scheme are detailed Sources of guidance and other examples are also provided at the end of each study Special initiatives take on a similar format although as their name indicates they are either examples of a unique or rare scheme or an area where a combination of bus priority measures have been implemented in a unique way
The role of performance indicators and monitoring in assessing the success of a scheme is featured in the pack Advice on an appropriate form of monitoring for each form of bus priority is provided in this section
Frequently asked questions touches on some key areas that often arise from residents businesses and industry
Towards the back of the resource pack a comprehensive reference section encompasses a bibliography glossary of terms and contacts list These provide up-to-date and user-friendly sources of information covering all aspects of bus priority
A CD ROM containing a PDF version of the resource pack comes with the pack The CD allows the user to navigate the resource pack via an lsquointeractiversquo contents page This highly user-friendly and innovative media enables a full version of the pack to be printed on request
To obtain a copy of the resource pack visit wwwbuspriorityorg or contact DfT Free Literature on 0870 122 6236 quoting reference 03DFT005
at the 1st Annual Transport Practitioners conference at Nottingham University outlining the findings of their extensive bus priority research
February 2004 A paper on the resource pack was presented by Alan Beswick at Aston University
December 2004 The 1st Annual UK Bus Priority Conference ldquoBetter Travel by Bus ndash Best Practice in Bus Priorityrdquo will be held in Manchester on 9th December 2004 Edition two of the resource pack will be launched at the conference For further details on the conference contact HelenMPTRC-trainingcouk
Bus Priority
1204
Strategic options
2
Bus Priority
2
0903
Establishing the vision Legislation requires local authorities to prepare a bus strategy that sets out the
vision for bus services in their area and details the general policies to meet this
vision Local authorities are also given the powers to enter into quality
partnerships with operators and establish quality contracts if these are felt to be
appropriate to delivering the vision The overarching bus strategy describes the
scope of the bus services and the role of the local authorities in providing them
The bus priority strategy needs to show how services can be improved
Prevailing conditions The first step is to review bus services based on a number of basic parameters
which will involve the identification of the range of problems and
opportunities including
specific locations of delays
heavily-used corridors and
high frequencyhigh patronage routes
Strategic options
The 453 Stagecoach bendi bus at Whitehall
Cou
rtes
y of
Mat
thew
Wha
rmby
Mar
ch 2
003
Choosing the most appropriate measure The various measures for achieving bus priority are outlined in the case study leaflets contained
within this resource pack The most appropriate solution in any one area will depend upon the
prevailing conditions in the area and
objectives of the strategy
However in all cases the appropriate solution must be part of an effective traffic management
regime
Strategic options Once a local authority has collated the basic information it can then consider which of the various
strategic approaches it will take Examples of these approaches are given below
Hot spots
The hot spot strategy involves reviewing the bus network and identifying where the major delays
are These delays can be caused by a number of factors such as
congestion
inappropriate parking
servicing activity
outdated signals or
poor interchange and boarding facilities
It is advisable to mark the delay hot spots on a plan as this can help in prioritising the measures
needed to treat them Prioritising can be based on factors such as the number of routes affected
total delays incurred patronage levels andor interchange arrangements
The main advantage of the hot spot approach is that the places where there are real difficulties are
tackled in a rational and programmed way Very often a single bus priority measure will benefit a
number of routes For example bus priority at traffic signals can help several routes This is an
effective way of targeting funds to greatest effect across the whole bus network
The disadvantage of dealing with only one location at a time on any particular route is that any
benefits gained there could easily be lost along other sections of the route and overall journey
times might not decrease It could also spread funds too thinly across the whole bus network
Bus corridors
An alternative to the hot spots approach is to promote integrated solutions for particular lengths of
the bus network in a coordinated way This typically means looking at heavily used bus corridors
often connecting major town centres This strategy aims to coordinate individual schemes into a
managed route often improving interchanges passenger information waiting facilities and even
ticketing at the same time
The corridor approach has worked well in several parts of the country It has been used to integrate
bus lanes with enforcement and urban traffic control (UTC) improvements This has been achieved
by for example using selective vehicle detection (SVD) and traffic management software such as
SCOOT PROMPT MOVA and SPRINT among many others
In some areas local authorities are considering dedicated maintenance regimes along these
corridors so that the benefits of bus priority last as long as possible For example the Greater
Manchester quality bus corridor programme aims to complete work on 19 corridors by 2006 and
has involved over 20 key stakeholders Many operators recognise the benefits of the corridor
approach Some have invested in corridor studies such as that provided by GO (North East) on
the A690 Durham Road to Sunderland corridor
The corridor strategy is sometimes upgraded to cover a lsquotransport arearsquo or a lsquotransport quadrantrsquo
This encompasses the wider corridor catchment area and includes measures such as improved
walking routes to bus stops and wider traffic calming measures on surrounding roads
The main advantage of this strategy is that it addresses problems where the need is greatest to
the benefit of several bus routes using the same corridor The main disadvantage however is that
this strategy does not necessarily encourage new bus users in more diverse areas Also delays
can still happen off the main corridor reducing the effectiveness of the scheme
Whole route
This approach applies the corridor strategy to a whole bus route from start to finish The whole
route approach inevitably overlaps with other bus routes so spreading the benefits Again local
authorities can use a transport area approach as part of a whole route strategy
The main advantage of the whole route approach is that the benefits it brings can be controlled
and therefore maintained Journey times reliability and route management are more easily dealt
with The Superoute proposals in Tyne and Wear link several urban areas and improve
approximately 20 routes In the capital the London Bus Initiative (now known as BusPlus) has
been developed on over 70 routes in two main tranches
Whole route strategies are best suited to larger urban areas where routes are more likely to
overlap The main disadvantage of the whole route approach is that it concentrates funding on a
single route benefiting other routes only where it overlaps with them
Cou
rtes
y of
GO
Nor
th E
ast
Go Wear Bus operating along Durham Road Sunderland
Park and ride
The park and ride strategy is especially focussed on getting
people to change to catching the bus instead of using their cars
However the strategy relies heavily on there being enough space
on the edge of town centres to provide adequate parking facilities
Effective park and ride schemes need a high level of bus priority
on the transfer route Potential passengers must be able to see a
clear benefit over the private car The key attraction for motorists
is likely to be a faster journey time so bus priority measures such
as reallocating road space will be needed to increase the benefit
of park and ride buses over the private car
Consultation A strategic approach to consultation is essential if bus priority is to succeed It is quite easy to
introduce bus priority where congestion is not severe and parking is not limited Local
authorities need to consider carefully whether it is worth introducing bus priority measures in
that sort of location Bus priority is most useful where congestion and parking are problems
However these are the areas that tend to generate the most vocal opposition Local
authorities need to predict where opposition is likely to occur and be ready to explain what
they are proposing to do and why
That is why there must be a clear consultation strategy The consultation must allow all parties
to identify and understand the key issues and prepare to work around any problems This is
more likely to happen if all stakeholders are involved in the discussions to solve whatever
problems arise Key stakeholders must feel that they have lsquoownershiprsquo of bus priority
measures
Park and ride in Oxford
Cou
rtes
y of
Oxf
ords
hire
Cou
nty
Cou
ncil
Bus Priority
1204
Implementation amp
delivery
3
Bus Priority
3
0903
Background Most local authorities have produced comprehensive bus strategies as part of
their local transport plans (LTPs) These strategies are usually endorsed by
everyone with an interest in sustainable travel and set out ambitious objectives
for developing bus travel as a viable alternative to the car
However very often the devil is in the detail When local authorities try to turn
their strategic vision into a practical programme problems can appear The
difficulties may vary but they are generally reduced to
meeting the political challenge
getting bus operators actively involved and
implementing and evaluating the scheme
The political challenge Few people disagree with the vision of a transport system that is more accessible
while cutting congestion and pollution The political challenge is to develop actual
transport schemes that clearly deliver those benefits The skill needed then is the
ability to persuade people that they would benefit from schemes which limit car
use even if they consider themselves to depend on their cars
Council officers can provide many of the answers But it is the local councillor
who has to face constituents and give assurances on what could be controversial
plans What arguments can they use and how can they be
persuaded themselves that bus policies are worth selling
to their constituents
This resource pack is intended to help councillors and
council officers tackle these issues In particular it
aims to draw on good practice in bus priority across
the country and pass on information about the
benefits of successful schemes
Implementation amp delivery
Public consultation
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
P C
onsu
ltan
ts L
td
The resource pack contains facts about public transport to help users make the case for bus
priority Some of these facts are also included in Frequently asked questions or FAQs (section 9)
Given that typically around one third of the electorate does not have access to a car it is worth
emphasising the importance of bus users to the local economy Buses allow people without access
to a car to get to work to the shops or to leisure activities It may be worth raising awareness of
the needs of the less well-off Information about travel choices and proof of the benefits of bus
priority may also help as can effective marketing and positive reporting of successful schemes
Effective and inclusive consultation is critical both to gather and disseminate information
Consultation helps to produce better bus schemes and makes the decision-making process more
lsquotransparentrsquo but it cannot be a substitute for that process Local authorities should involve
councillors and stakeholders as early as possible Ideally consultation should include bus
operators and users and people with concerns about bus-related measures at a particular site
It is important to begin with a re-statement of the strategic objectives when each proposal is put
forward Also early discussion of areas that are causing concern has been proven to help create a
sense of lsquoownershiprsquo across the community and makes scheme implementation easier
Operator involvement It is important to recognise bus operatorsrsquo vital contribution to the aims of encouraging people to
use buses and increasing social inclusion Bus operators bring a unique perspective They deal
directly with bus passengers and can provide useful information including bus usage and other
non-commercially sensitive data Operators need to be involved from the start in the design of
effective measures to help buses
There are many instances around the country of local authorities and bus operators working
together towards a shared vision for public transport And yet there are also examples of local
authorities introducing bus priority measures only for the operator to withdraw the service that the
priority measures benefited shortly afterwards
Some local authorities have altered traffic management arrangements without telling local bus
operators who then found that their routes became much more congested or in some cases even
severed It is not uncommon for developers to propose large housing projects with a road layout
that is incapable of accommodating buses even when car parking spaces are deliberately limited
Similarly it has been known for local authorities not to consult bus operators on proposals to
protect residential roads from lsquorat runningrsquo traffic proposals which can displace traffic onto bus
routes
None of these circumstances benefit buses but unfortunately they are not unusual They are often
the result of poor communications between local authorities and bus operators Most authorities
have a public transport liaison committee or similar entity But for it to be meaningful all parties
need to be open and honest about their intentions
Effective partnership working requires real operator involvement This can include regular meetings
at different organisational levels commissioning joint bus priority studies and implementing joint
marketing strategies But essentially it is about ensuring that buses become an important factor in
planning and managing local authority infrastructure Bus provision should be a priority when local
authorities plan briefs for development or consider traffic management schemes
In turn operators must see themselves as part of the local community and get involved in
partnership working They can explain and raise awareness of the role of buses through
local strategic partnerships
economic partnerships
business forums
chambers of commerce and
resident and community associations
Implementation and evaluation process As a local authority develops a bus priority scheme it needs to set up a process for getting the
maximum benefit for buses All stakeholders should be involved in identifying problem areas and
delay hot spots A number of authorities have introduced joint inspection meetings (JIMs) At these
representatives of the bus operator the local authority the police and any other involved group
travel along a bus corridor looking for trouble spots that might affect buses These locations can
then be developed in line with the consultation process
Once a scheme is in place it must be evaluated This is so it can be modified if necessary and so
that the local authority can learn lessons for future schemes Operators are often reluctant to
release commercially sensitive data on passenger volumes so local authorities need to reassure
them that they will maintain their confidentiality But more fundamentally the operator and the
authority need to acknowledge the value of monitoring and evaluation in helping to design better
schemes in the future There is more advice in Performance indicators amp monitoring (section 7)
Bus Priority
1204
Maintaining the
benefits
4
Bus Priority
4
0903
Background The most important aspect of bus priority is that buses are able to use effectively
the measures introduced on bus routes This may seem self evident but bus
operators constantly face the problem of bus priority measures that they cannot
physically use They are prevented from getting the full benefit from them by
illegal parking
traffic queues
unnotified roadworks and
defective road surfaces
Bus priority measures are designed and introduced to help achieve easier and
more consistent journey times through congested areas in our towns and cities
This is important to bus passengers bus operators other road users and the
local community alike
Better reliability is currently a legal requirement for bus operators enforced by
Traffic Commissioners in respect of all local bus services This legal requirement
is that 95 per cent of journeys on a registered service should operate not more
than one minute early or five minutes late compared with timings given in
registration documents Better reliability is also a priority for bus users and an
important factor in attracting new passengers Motorists are more likely to
transfer to reliable bus services and the greater the transfer the less the
congestion (and pollution) in urban areas It is therefore important to maintain bus
priority facilities and keep them free from physical obstructions Buses are
especially prone to obstructions eg congestion or roadworks because they are
legally required to stay on route
Maintenance and clearance of the route have a high priority on the rail network
and motorways but sometimes seem to have a lower priority on local roads
There are three main activities on the public highway that can significantly affect
the operation of bus routes
enforcement
roadworks and
traffic management
Traffic management issues are addressed separately
in the following leaflet entitled Traffic management
Maintaining the benefits Route management
Enforcement Enforcement is critical to the effectiveness of bus priority measures For example bus lanes help
protect buses from the worst traffic congestion helping to make them more reliable and attractive
However illegal parking or driving in bus lanes can seriously undermine their benefits That is why
they need protecting through enforcement
The problem is that the powers to enforce traffic orders (which make measures such as bus lanes
possible) vary throughout the country so approaches to enforcement are equally varied
Most enforcement is associated with moving vehicles Moving vehicle offences are usually defined
as criminal activities and only the police can enforce them This is also true of parking offences in
areas where decriminalised parking has not been introduced Police resources are always under
pressure and bus lane enforcement has therefore been infrequent and sporadic
Co
urt
esy
of
Ro
ger
Fre
nch
Removal of illegally parked van from bus stop Brighton
Londonrsquos experience London was the first area allowed to introduce decriminalised parking and bus lane enforcement
As a result of new powers under the Local Authority Act 1996 (amended in 2000) London
boroughs were allowed to enforce parking and bus lanes using parking attendants and cameras
The Act made the offence of driving in a bus lane a civil rather than a criminal offence This meant
that highway authorities (in this case the London boroughs) could issue a penalty charge notice
(PCN) to offenders The penalty charge was set at pound80 and recently increased to pound100
In 1999 the Association of London Government (ALG) set up a trial of the new powers with the
London Boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham Ealing Newham Croydon and the Corporation of
London The boroughs used close circuit television (CCTV) cameras operated remotely from
secure control centres to monitor selected bus lanes
The Act requires that any offences caught on CCTV should be recorded on a secure format and
watched by an operator It is important to take account of the context of any offence For example
a driver would not be penalised for entering a bus lane in order to get out of the way of an
emergency vehicle
The aim was to make the trial self-funding through the issue of PCNs The process for issuing a
PCN is as follows
bull the CCTV operator reviews all recorded offences after the bus lane ceases operating for the day
bull the CCTV operator and a supervisor check each case to make sure an offence has occurred
bull the CCTV operator obtains registered keeper and vehicle details of each offender from DVLA
bull the CCTV operator checks the vehicle description against the CCTV image
bull a PCN should reach the registered keeper within 14 days of the offence and
bull the Transport Committee for Londonrsquos Parking Appeal Service deals with any appeals
The results of the trial were dramatic Following an initial publicity campaign when enforcement
started the number of PCNs declined significantly by up to 80 per cent in some areas Buses were
able to travel faster in bus lanes in the trial areas But there was a limited effect on their overall
reliability because the trial areas were small and buses were affected by other factors such as
traffic congestion and roadworks
As Transport for London (TfL) sees enforcement as such an integral part of bus priority in London
it has agreed enforcement strategies with each London borough Under these agreements the
boroughs provide additional parking attendants or cameras along London Bus Initiative (LBI) or
BusPlus routes These bus routes have been subject to lsquowhole routersquo improvements and further
details are provided in the LBI leaflet in this resource pack TfL underwrites all extra costs that
cannot be met under PCN income This gives the boroughs an incentive to achieve full
compliance
South Yorkshirersquos experience Bus operators First and Yorkshire Terrier set up an enforcement trial in Sheffield with South
Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) They paid for extra police motorcycle patrols
during peak periods and motorists were warned through a media campaign that driving in a bus
lane would result in a fixed penalty notice (FPN) The trial ran from April to June 2001
The trial opened with very high levels of FPNs issued a significantly greater number than for the
same period in the previous year There was clearly a high level of non compliance with motorists
perceiving little chance of being caught
However a very significant reduction took place over the trial period with 82 per cent fewer tickets
issued in June than in April Importantly one operator reported that lost mileage fell by 60 per cent
overall with the other reporting a drop of 45 per cent Lost mileage is defined as scheduled miles
minus operating miles The latter is affected by traffic lost miles (eg congestion delays) and
operating lost miles (eg driver shortage and vehicle breakdown) Both operators also found that
they kept to scheduled journey times better and more consistently
The conclusions drawn from the trial were
bull effective enforcement is essential to bus priority
bull the initial level of FPNs more than paid for the cost of additional policing so in theory the trial
would have been self-funding However as more motorists comply with bus lanes the rule of
diminishing returns applies
bull enforcement was essential during peak hours but more enforcement was needed at other times
of the day to maintain standards and
bull enforcement was perceived as fair to all road users
South Yorkshirersquos experience has been compiled with the assistance of SYPTE and BOSSY (Bus
Operators Serving South Yorkshire)
The Local Authority Act 2003 is currently being debated in Parliament and will extend the powers
used in London across the whole country
The Department for Transport (DfT) is keen to standardise enforcement following the lessons
learnt in London and has been taking advice from both TfL and the ALG However DfT intends to
grant individual approval to local authorities that have developed their own parking enforcement
regimes and to those that can show they have the correct systems already in place
There is significant interest from metropolitan authorities and highways authorities for large towns
and cities in introducing bus lane enforcement in a similar way to London
Highways works A common problem appears to be a lack of coordination between highways managers who are
responsible for maintaining the highway and transport managers who oversee the running of bus
services Highways managers sometimes schedule maintenance work without informing bus
operators resulting in buses being diverted or even suspended The same can happen when for
example gas water or electricity companies carry out work on the roads often as an emergency
Co
urt
esy
of
Ro
ger
Fre
nch
Seven Dials roadworks Brighton
Highways managers should consult bus operators on the phasing of maintenance works to
minimise their effect on services At worst some highways managers have created diversion
routes that buses cannot use It has been suggested that highways managers should set up
temporary bus priority measures where reasonable when roadworks take place so that buses are
not delayed
Local authorities must also replace bus priority signing and marking as soon as possible after
roadworks take place It is good practice to monitor and maintain the condition of signing and lining
for bus priority measures If signs are missing or damaged or lines are indistinct the opportunity
for enforcement is severely reduced Most authorities produce a Maintenance Plan which sets out
relative priorities based on route hierarchy and severity of problem The importance of bus lane
maintenance should be formally recognised in these Maintenance Plans
Some authorities have highway liaison groups which involve all stakeholders in the process of
highway maintenance These authorities often have fewer operational problems for both public
transport and highway maintenance However these liaison groups vary significantly between
authorities and may be irregular and infrequent Again good practice demands regular liaison
meetings involving the appropriate level of staff and with a clear agenda
Bus Priority
4
0903
Background The previous leaflet Route management considers the effective management
and operation of bus routes on a daily basis This leaflet takes a more long-term
forward planning perspective and considers the relationship between traffic
management and bus priority
It is important to think broadly about the relationships between traffic
management and bus priority Traffic management should be carried out in a way
which complements a local authorityrsquos wider planning and transport policy
objectives including the delivery of the councilrsquos integrated transport strategy and
bus strategy
Such strategies set out high-level policy objectives and targets for modal priorities
(with priority given to public transport walking and cycling) the allocation of road
space (through the creation of new road space or the reallocation of existing road
space) and demand management initiatives For example bus priority measures
can be both the lsquocarrotrsquo and lsquostickrsquo making a contribution to the better
management of congestion and helping towards the provision of faster and more
reliable bus services
Fundamentally in taking decisions about the effective management of traffic in
their area local authorities should consider the needs of all road users including
buses and their passengers In doing so local authorities and bus operators
should liaise closely with traffic management issues being high up on the agenda
Effective traffic management underpins bus priority without this foundation the
full benefits of any bus priority measure cannot be realised Furthermore good
traffic management can assist buses without impeding the general flow of traffic
in the area
Traffic management amp buses For these reasons traffic management bus operations and bus priority measures
need to be considered together not in isolation
Local authorities should ensure that as far as is practical
the introduction of traffic management measures does
not impede the effectiveness and reliability of local bus
services
For example when local authorities introduce traffic
management measures in residential areas to
improve road safety and the local environment they
need to consider the implications for bus operations in
Maintaining the benefits Traffic management
that area and on nearby bus routes Traffic management solutions developed without consideration
of bus routes have the potential to harm local bus operations Using road humps for example as a
traffic calming measure is an inappropriate solution if the road in question has a bus service
operating on it More lsquobus friendlyrsquo traffic calming measures such as chicanes should be
considered instead Furthermore as well as affecting bus operations in the area being lsquocalmedrsquo
measures to prevent lsquorat runningrsquo on residential streets for example can displace traffic back onto
nearby bus routes
The impact of such measures on bus routes should be considered and wherever possible bus
priority measures should be introduced to minimise the disruption to bus services In all
circumstances close liaison with local bus service operators as well as residents etc is essential
In areas where bus services run infrequently and the case for bus priority may be relatively weak
the introduction of well designed traffic management measures can improve the general flow of
traffic which can benefit buses too This approach may best suit semi-rural areas and small to
medium-sized towns where there is often simply not enough available road space to introduce
certain types of bus priority
Improving bus journey times and service reliability for buses through the introduction of good traffic
management should be a main aim of a local authority Relatively simple measures that assist
buses more generally such as dispensing with bus laybys other than at places where the service
terminates and the use of yellow box markings to help buses at key junctions should be
considered as part of this
It is of course important to be aware of the risk that improvements in general traffic flow and
reduced car journey times could increase the attractiveness of car use and then any benefit to
buses could be lost
On-street waiting amp loading Where local authorities are considering more radical innovative approaches to the regulation and
management of on-street waiting and loading restrictions on key bus routes consultations need to
be held Key stakeholders that need to be consulted include local traders delivery and distribution
companies the local chamber of commerce as well as bus operators
Deliveries in peak hours can raise issues that affect bus routes Innovative waiting and loading
schemes to deal with these issues need positive and effective enforcement This benefits all road
users including buses
Similarly it is very important for local authorities to liaise closely with bus operators during the
design consultation and implementation of area-wide controlled parking zone (CPZ) schemes The
access requirements of buses operating within areas for which on-street parking controls are being
developed need to be carefully considered In this context it is important to recognise the potential
obstruction that can be caused by lsquoBlue Badgersquo parking taking advantage of the lesser restrictions
afforded by loading restrictions irrespective of single or double yellow line parking restrictions
Bus Priority
1204
Special initiatives
5
Bus Priority
5
0903
Description of need Background
lsquoGreenwaysrsquo are bus priority lanes introduced as part of Edinburghrsquos transport
strategy Moving Forward A Traffic Regulation Order bans general traffic from
Greenways restricting access to buses taxis and cycles Greenways differ from
conventional bus priority in a number of ways
lanes are surfaced in green tarmac
red lines prohibit stopping replacing traditional yellow lines
a dedicated team of wardens strictly enforces Greenways
side streets off Greenways have traffic calming measures
there is better provision for cyclists and pedestrians
Greenways operate throughout the working day and
there are better bus shelters with comprehensive bus information
Problems
Greenways are an attempt to remedy a problem with traditional bus lanes
Although many were very successful buses still suffered congestion at a number
of junctions that lacked yellow lines to prevent on-street parking activity
Objectives
The Greenways scheme aimed to
improve bus reliability
reduce bus journey times
reduce car traffic growth by the year 2000
reduce car traffic by 30 per cent by the year 2010 and
meet European
guidelines on nitrogen
dioxide (NO2)
concentrations in the
air by 2000
Special initiative case study Edinburgh Greenways
Example of a Greenway Co
urt
esy
of
Sco
ttis
h E
xecu
tive C
en
tra
l R
ese
arc
h U
nit
Scheme details Description This study looks at two Greenways corridors The A8 is 67km long and
55 per cent of its length is inbound bus lane whilst 54 per cent is
outbound bus lane The A900 is 22km long and 23 per cent of its length
is inbound bus lane whilst 41 per cent is outbound bus lane These two
Greenways are compared with the A7A701 corridor which has
conventional bus only lanes on both sides for most its 3km length
Implementation date The two Greenways in the study were introduced in 1999
Costs The scheme cost approximately pound500000km This compares with
pound110000km for the traditional bus lane corridor
Consultation The local authority consulted with bus operators residents and
businesses in the core scheme area Public consultation following
experimental introduction of Greenways in 1999 showed strong support
Bus operators Lothian Region Transport and First Edinburgh operate buses along the
two Greenways
Bus frequency The bus services run every 12 minutes
Illustration of scheme
Co
urt
esy
of
JM
P C
on
sult
an
ts L
td
Location of the A900 and A8 Greenways Edinburgh
Before and after monitoring Dates of surveys
The surveys were carried out in 1999
Types of surveys
Element Description
PERFORMANCE
Journey time Number plate surveys and analysis of Wayfarer data
Reliability Timetable adherence information supplied by bus operator
Patronage analysis of Wayfarer data 600 passenger interviews conducted at bus stops
Infringement and enforcement Information supplied by The City of Edinburgh Council Lothian and Borders
Police and Scottish Executive survey
Junction capacity and block back Video survey
SECONDARY EFFECTS
Traffic flows Pre and post Greenways flows
Cycle flows Pre and post Greenways flows
Accident analysis Information supplied by The City of Edinburgh Council
Property values Discussions with property handlers to obtain general opinion
Results Traffic flows
Inbound 0700-1000 Outbound 1600-1800
Corridor Location Before After
count count Pre Post Change Pre Post Change
date date Vehicleshour Vehicleshour
A8 Greenway Shandwick Place 040697 200598 2256 2067 -8 1962 1821 -7
A8 Greenway Shandwick Place 130297 290499 NA NA ~ 2451 2214 -10
A8 Greenway West Coates 040697 020699 2854 2934 +3 1982 1798 -8
A900 Greenway McDonald Road 040697 130598 1256 1229 -2 1473 1413 -4
Journey times
The surveys showed that in most cases both Greenways and conventional lanes protected buses
from the congestion that affected other traffic Greenways that were lined with shops provided
better protection from congestion than the equivalent stretch of conventional bus lane The
introduction of Greenways on the A8 corridor seems to have improved bus reliability The
conventional corridor did not show any obvious changes over the same period
Patronage
Surveys showed that there was an increase in bus use with approximately 11 per cent of the
sample claiming to use the bus more However 7 per cent of interviewees claimed to use the bus
less Hence overall there was a 4 per cent increase in bus use
Other effects of the scheme
The count data for both Greenways corridors shows that traffic volumes have decreased slightly It
is not possible to attribute any change in cycle use to Greenways from the data available
Enforcement issues
Greenways are constantly patrolled but conventional lanes merely receive lsquovisitsrsquo and these
generally after 0800 An illegal parker is typically 15 times more likely to encounter a warden on a
Greenway than on a conventional bus lane
Possible scheme amendments
Greenways design could be improved by avoiding
bus lanes which are carried straight through junctions without any setback
starting bus lanes immediately downstream of junctions as this can result in traffic being
unwilling to use the inside lane which also reduces capacity and
unnecessarily reducing the queuing space available and thus increasing the frequency with
which queues block back to upstream junctions causing more frequent congestion there This
is particularly important at the start of the Greenway where upstream buses have no priority and
therefore get caught in the congestion
Conclusions The Edinburgh Greenways scheme is successful and has been extended
References Scottish Executive CRU A Comparative Evaluation of Greenways and Conventional Bus Lanes
Report number 83 Obtainable from httpwwwscotlandgovukcruresfindaspxseries=9
Acknowledgements This leaflet was produced with the help of the Scottish Executive CRU City of Edinburgh Council
Lothian Region Transport and First Edinburgh For further information contact the City of Edinburgh
Council City Development Department on 0131 469 3630
Other examples With regard to other similar bus priority measures recently introduced there are none directly
comparable that have all of the features of Greenways particularly in terms of the level of
enforcement and the use of red lines However the London Bus Initiative (now known as Bus Plus)
also features high levels of enforcement albeit under a different legislative regime
Further information Guidance and further information can be found in the following
DETR Local Transport Note 197 Keeping Buses Moving The Stationery Office January 1997
Seaman D amp Heggie N Comparative evaluation of Greenways and bus priority lanes Traffic
Management Safety and Intelligent Transport Systems Proceedings of Seminar D at the AET
European Transport Conference 1999 Vol P432 0115ndash32
Bus Priority
5
1204
Contra-flow bus lane introduced as part of the Route 68 improvements
Cou
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nspo
rt f
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ondo
n
Special initiative case study London Bus Initiative London
Description of need Background
The London Bus Initiative Phase 1
(LBI1) was a 3 year fixed term initiative
established in April 2000 and
supported with a pound60 million grant from
Government as a new partnership
approach to improving bus services in
the Capital The partnership drew
together the London Bus Priority
Network (LBPN) Partnership of all 33
individual London local authorities
Transport for Londonrsquos (TfL) Bus
Priority Team and London Buses bus
operators and enforcement agencies
This collaborative feature was a strong element of the initiative which received a
Merit commendation from the Institution of Civil Engineers in 2003
The vision for the initiative was ldquoto deliver a step change enhancement of the
actual and perceived quality of Londonrsquos bus servicerdquo with the aim of making
travel by bus more attractive and getting more people to use buses
Challenges
27 high frequency bus routes across London were selected for treatment with the
specific aim of benefiting the maximum numbers of passengers Collectively they
were identified as Bus Plus routes The routes served areas where integrated
transport services could be provided and where buses offered a competitive
alternative to the car Some routes included heavily congested roads or passed
through areas where improved bus transport could assist in regeneration The
LBI Partnership took 12 months to set up plan and programme the project and a
further two years to design consult and implement
Objectives
The LBI had four objectives
to promote a change in travel habits and get more
people onto Londonrsquos buses
to deliver improvements on a lsquowhole routersquo basis
to make buses more attractive for potential users
and
to make buses the first choice of mode on LBI
routes
Constituent parts to the Whole Route approach
A key feature of the LBI was the whole journey approach to route improvements comprising ten
main elements of a whole route implementation plan The diagram below shows the constituent
parts to the Whole Route approach to route improvement
Scheme details Description 27 Bus Routes were selected for LBI Phase 1 and divided into three
categories
3 Quality Whole Routes +
5 Quality Whole Routes and
19 Whole Routes
A wide range of measures were introduced across the whole of London with
the QWR+ routes receiving the highest levels of bus priority Over 100 extra
bus lanes 50 new pedestrian crossings 300 signalised junctions equipped
with bus priority and 140 junction improvements were introduced on the 27
routes The measures had a typical expected first year rate of return (FYRR) of
20 per cent
Over 400 kilometres of roads were studied and received bus priority
measures These measures benefited all the Bus Plus routes together with
other bus services using these corridors Improved enforcement was
delivered through the installation of bus lane enforcement cameras both on
board the bus and at the roadside (CCTV) as well as the enhancement of
borough enforcement programmes Improved passenger information was
provided at bus stops together with real time passenger information and new
bus interior cleaning programmes For drivers a BTEC qualification was
initiated and up to March 2003 1500 drivers had completed this qualification
Implementation The Whole Route Implementation Plans (WRIPs) began in April 2000 with
scheme implementation beginning in late 2000 and continuing until the end of
March 2003
Costs Enforcement pound11m
Traffic engineering pound28m
Bus operations pound35m
Programme support pound9m
Major projects pound85m +
The total cost of the scheme was approximately pound60m
Consultation Consultation was both broad and detailed including individual schemes
Extensive use was made of the technical press local radio and newspapers to
disseminate information A computerised simulation illustrating the LBI toolkit
was produced on CD to aid consultation As with many traffic related projects
a number of schemes attracted opposition and some schemes had to be
amended or dropped from the programme
Bus operators Transport for London ndash London Buses is the public transport provider for
London and all bus services are tendered Major bus operators include the
First Group Arriva and London United
Before and after monitoring The three QWR+ routes were studied in detail with comprehensive before and after monitoring
undertaken The graphs below showing the Route 115 compare bus and car journey times before
and after the introduction of the LBI measures together with a do-nothing scenario which assumes
a 2 per cent decrease in traffic speeds over the three years The reliability of the bus route has
improved over the three years
The excess waiting times for passengers using the 115 has decreased by over 30 per cent
following the introduction of the LBI and service enhancements The bus and car journey time
variability has also considerably improved
The bus priority and complimentary traffic engineering measures have delivered improved reliability
and reduced journey times by an average of 3 per cent throughout the day
Journey times
Journey times were reduced on the QWR+ Route 115 but on the two remaining QWR+ routes the
149 and 185 the 149 journey times increased and on the 185 there was little change These
changes must be viewed against a general deterioration in operating conditions on these routes
and journey speeds would have been much slower had the LBI improvements not been installed
Also a number of pedestrian facilities were introduced and bus stop dwell times increased as
additional bus passengers were attracted to the route
Do nothing compared to after surveys
R115 bus journey and car journey times - AM peak Whole Route Both directions
Do nothing compared to after surveys
R115 bus journey and car journey times - PM peak Whole Route Both directions
Patronage
Annual patronage on the 27 Bus Plus LBI routes rose from 165 million annually to 201 million over
the life of the project an increase of 219 per cent This compares with a network wide increase
including LBI routes of 188 per cent
Potential project enhancements
Much was achieved through the LBI and the role and importance of bus services and bus priority
measures was raised significantly However some factors were not fully anticipated as follows
the wide partnership approach was innovative and was a highly successful basis for building on
co-operation Establishing the partnership was made more difficult as it coincided with TfLrsquos
formation in 2000
the whole route approach to improvements demanded intensive resources dedicated to traffic
signal design Skilled and experienced traffic signal engineers were in high demand and the
frequency of maintaining and updating traffic signal junctions requires increased resources
This issue is now is being addressed by TfL through specialist training programmes and
schemes were identified through the Whole Route Implementation Plan (WRIP) process on the
basis of need However not all schemes were subject to detailed design evaluation Explicit
justification may have helped prioritisation of schemes and better responses to local opposition
although this may have delayed the implementation of some schemes
Conclusions The LBI Phase 1 was highly successful and objectives were largely met Passenger growth on the
LBI routes is now at its greatest for over 50 years and TfL is currently investing approximately pound50
million per annum in bus priority measures across London
References DETR A New Deal for Transport Better for Everyone The Stationery Office 1998
DETR From Workhorse to Thoroughbred A Better Role for Bus Travel 1999
Greater London Authority The Mayorrsquos Transport Strategy GLA July 2001
Acknowledgements This leaflet is based on documentation provided by Transport for London
Other examples There is no direct equivalent of the LBI owing to the unique statutory arrangements prevailing in the
Capital The West Midlands Bus Showcase and Edinburgh Greenways leaflets in this resource
pack provide examples of other comprehensive initiatives outside of London
Further information Contact the TfL Bus Priority team on 020 7027 9408 or email
enquiriesstreetmanagementorguk
Alternatively you can write to
Bus Priority Programme
Customer Service Centre
4th Floor
172 Buckingham Palace Road
London
SW1W 9TN
Further information can also be obtained from the web site httpwwwtransportforlondongovuk
Bus Priority
5
0903
Description of need Background
The Centro (West Midlands PTE) Twenty Year Public Transport Strategy set out
objectives for the delivery of high quality public transport services and facilities
across the West Midlands The West Midlands Bus Strategy and Public Transport
Strategy combined to provide a framework for development of an integrated
transport system that will continue to be dominated by the bus The West
Midlands Area Multi-Modal Study (WMAMMS 2001) placed strong emphasis on
investment in bus priority to raise the share of peak travel by bus from 20 per cent
in 1999 to more than 30 per cent by 2031
Problems
Severe peak period traffic congestion is experienced in many parts of the West
Midlands Traffic flows are higher than in any area outside London and there is
high growth in traffic and car ownership It is estimated that congestion costs
businesses in the West Midlands pound25 billion each year
Objectives
The West Midlands Bus Showcase concept was developed to deliver a radical
improvement to bus services to make them attractive to new users particularly to
motorists and to retain existing passengers The objectives of Bus Showcase
are
to be more attractive to bus users and potential new users
to improve peak period bus speeds relative to the private car
to improve bus reliability
to reduce bus journey times and
to increase bus patronage
Special initiative case study West Midlands Bus Showcase
Primeline 48 Coventry to Bedworth
Co
urt
esy
of
Cen
tro
Concept
The aim is to develop a Bus Showcase network on strategic routes where demand for bus travel is
heavy and there is potential for growth in patronage The high frequency of service on Showcase
routes ensures that passengers can lsquoturn up and gorsquo without the need to seek timetable information
before travelling The Bus Showcase network complements local rail and Midland Metro through
improved interchange opportunities
Investment in priority and route infrastructure on strategic corridors is complemented by
improvements to shelters information accessibility and safety in other areas served by Showcase
routes
A recent development is the lsquocore and spursrsquo approach Core corridors have the lsquoturn up and gorsquo
level of service and the full range of Showcase investment Spurs are sections of route with a lower
frequency of service feeding into main corridors where investment is limited to access
accessibility waiting environment and information
The schemes Key principles
The Showcase concept is based on three key principles
Achieving a lsquoseamlessrsquo journey by addressing the whole journey from home to final destination
including walk stages of the journey and providing passenger information
Effective partnership between highway authorities Centro bus operators and police
Comprehensive consultation
Standard features
Every completed Showcase corridor will include
accessible and safe pedestrian routes tofrom bus stops
low floor buses serving bus stops with accessible kerbing
an attractive waiting environment at bus stops with high quality shelters provided where possible
frequent bus services allowing passengers to lsquoturn up and gorsquo
bus priority selective bus detection and other highway measures to improve bus speed and
reliability where practical to do so
capability to provide real time information for bus passengers and automatic vehicle location for
service management by operators
commitment to service quality including frequent cleaning of buses and customer care training
for drivers and
comprehensive enforcement of highway measures
Standards
A series of performance standards has been
identified for Showcase routes Some examples
are given below
Network access 100 per cent of built-up areas
within 400 metres of a bus stop
Accessibility 100 per cent stops with easy
access kerbs 100 per cent of buses with low
floor
Peak frequency Maximum interval of six minutes between buses from 0700 to 2000
Reliability Compliance with standards set by the Traffic Commissioner
Journey times All journey times to be the same as off-peak
Journey speed A long term target of 95 per cent of car journey speeds in peak periods
Delivery Partnership
A protocol was agreed in advance of implementation of Line 33 the first Showcase route in the
West Midlands More recent Showcase routes have been implemented on the basis of informal
agreements Consultation is taking place on a statutory Quality Bus Partnership for the Route 67
Corridor (Lichfield RoadTyburn Road) in Birmingham The parties to the Agreement are the
Passenger Transport Authority Centro Birmingham City Council four bus operators and the West
Midlands Police Authority The principal bus operator Travel West Midands (TWM) supports the
concept of statutory partnership agreements provided that there is considerable input from all
parties and close monitoring of post-implementation performance standards
Consultation
Effective consultation is one of the key principles underlying the Bus Showcase concept
The three stages of consultation are
initial consultation on the preliminary design including options where they are available
local consultation on shelter locations and
further consultation on detailed designs including Traffic Orders and any land acquisition
Consultation methods include use of libraries local halls a low floor exhibition bus road signs
displaying a telephone lsquohot linersquo number leaflet drops to all affected frontages leaflets and posters
on buses
Superline 301 Walsall to Mossley
Co
urt
esy
of
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tro
Marketing
Comprehensive marketing takes place in advance of the launch day for every new Showcase route
A typical Showcase marketing campaign includes door-to-door delivery of timetable leaflets
advertising in the local press and radio information on Centro and bus operator web sites and a
press release A marketing budget of approximately pound25000 is recommended
Implementation
Line 33 Birmingham to Pheasey was the first Showcase scheme to be introduced in 1997
Birmingham City Council and Centro spent pound29 million on infrastructure and TWM invested pound12
million in new buses
Three more routes have been completed at a combined capital cost to local authorities and Centro
of pound74 million excluding operator contributions in the form of new buses They are
Primeline 20404850 Coventry to Bedworth
Superline 171301 Walsall to Moseley
Route 559560 Wolverhampton to Bloxwich
A further five routes have been substantially completed at an estimated cost to local authorities and
Centro of pound163 million to date
TWM has offered a contribution of up to pound30 million to supplement public sector funding for bus
infrastructure in the West Midlands By Summer 2003 more than pound4 million had been spent or
committed For a project to qualify for a funding contribution there must be a business case
showing a benefit to TWM This means that the project will need to include radical bus priority
measures at key congestion lsquohot spotsrsquo
Enforcement
A trial of bus lane enforcement is planned as soon
as the expected legislation is in place Two of the
seven districts in the West Midlands already have
decriminalised parking powers in place enabling
them to make use of the new enforcement
powers
Maintenance of standards
Maintenance of quality standards is essential for the continued success of each Showcase route
This involves maintenance of road signs and carriageway markings speedy repair of damage to
shelters frequent cleaning of shelters and the interior and exterior of buses keeping timetable
displays up-to-date 100 per cent availability of branded buses and cascading of older buses to
lower profile services Allocation of sufficient revenue funding to maintain quality is an essential part
of the process
Bus Showcase Route 404 Walsall to Blackheath
Co
urt
esy
of
Cen
tro
Monitoring Method
Comprehensive monitoring takes the form of bus and car journey time surveys roadside bus
reliability surveys automatic traffic counts and analysis of bus patronage information collected via
electronic ticket machines Bus patronage data must be aggregated to avoid identifying passenger
numbers on different services provided by different operators Surveys of Showcase service users
are undertaken to establish impact on travel patterns and views on the service provided
Impact
The impact of Bus Showcase on bus patronage and mode share varies between routes Overall
completed Showcase routes have achieved an increase in bus patronage of between 10 and 30
per cent and a mode shift of about 5 per cent from private car The introduction of articulated buses
on Route 67 contributed to patronage growth of 29 per cent
The following table provides performance information for Line 33 Superline and Primeline
Line 33 Superline Primeline
Percentage change in bus journey times
AM peak inbound -2 +9 +1
PM peak outbound -6 +4 -2
Percentage change in total patronage +288 +225 +103
Former car users as percentage of patronage 7 13 6
Source Centro (2000)
Increased bus patronage and increased numbers of mobility impaired passengers has resulted in
increased bus boarding times which have the effect of reducing savings in bus journey times
The future Future initiatives will include pilot red route projects to keep traffic operating efficiently through better
management of parking and loading consideration of new branding proposals for the whole West
Midlands multi-modal public transport network and consideration of some form of bus rapid transit
network to provide an intermediate mode between Metro and Showcase
Conclusions Bus Showcase has been successful in a number of ways the image of the bus has been raised
reliability has been improved and there have been significant increases in bus patronage On
average mode transfer of 5 per cent has been achieved The greatest impact was achieved when
all elements of the Showcase scheme were implemented together
References Full information on the Showcase concept is given in the Bus Showcase Handbook published by
Centro in 2003 This can be downloaded at wwwcentroorgukhandbookindexhtml
Periodic updates are planned
Acknowledgements This case study has been complied with the assistance of Centro TWM and the West Midlands
local authorities
Other Examples BusPlus London Bus Initiative
Contact the TfL Bus Priority team on 0207 960 6763
Edinburgh Greenways
Contact the Transport Projects Development Manager of the City Development Department at
the City of Edinburgh Council on 0131 469 3630
Further Information Further information can be obtained from
Centro
Centro House
20 Summer Lane
Birmingham
B19 3SD
0121 200 2787
wwwcentroorguk
Bus Priority
5
1204
Special initiative case study Leeds City Centre
Description of need Background
Bus priority measures in Leeds City Centre form part of Leeds City Councilrsquos broader
transport strategy for the city centre which comprises four main elements
Leeds Inner Ring Road
lsquocity centre looprsquo provides a high
capacity one-way loop around the
city centre designed to efficiently
allow motorised traffic to travel
around the city centre with access
to the city centre at strategic points
lsquopublic transport boxrsquo sits within the
city centre loop around which public
transport and cyclists can easily
navigate providing good access to
the main retail core and
pedestrianised retail core
Problems
During the early 1990s Leeds city centre began to face increasing competition
from out of town business and shopping centres At the same time traffic
congestion and associated problems were making increasing demands on the
limited road space available These issues led to a fundamental re-think about
traffic management designed to address the traffic problems and at the same
time revitalise the city centre environment for its users
Previously most of the streets forming the box were one way and wide up to four
lanes making it difficult for pedestrians to cross The one way traffic system
caused confusion for bus passengers as inbound and outbound stops serving the
same service were often some distance apart on different streets
On Woodhouse Lane buses were subject to considerable disruption from other
traffic particularly on the inbound direction Bus stops were
regularly obstructed by cars waiting outside a popular
supermarket Also buses requiring to make a right turn
at the junction following the bus stop were required to
cut across a heavy traffic stream in a very short
distance to access the offside lane
Bus gate on to The Headrow
Cou
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g
Objectives
The objectives of the city centre transport strategy are to
reduce traffic flows through the heart of the city and thereby provide a more attractive and safer
environment for pedestrians and cyclists
ensure that buses taxis and cycles receive better priority in the core of the city centre
improve air quality in the city centre by reducing the volume of through traffic
create an attractive environment to encourage further retail and commercial development by
extending the pedestrianised zone in the city centre and
improve access to the city centre for disabled people and others with mobility difficulties
Scheme details Description
The public transport box is a priority route for buses taxis and cycles which runs around the
pedestrian shopping centre via The Headrow Vicar Lane Boar Lane and Park Row Cars and
delivery vehicles can use the individual sections of the box to get to car parks or businesses but
cannot travel around or go from one section to another At key points bus gates allow only buses
taxis and cycles through The city council has introduced Traffic Regulation Orders making it illegal
for unauthorised vehicles (private cars) to drive through the bus gates Special blue traffic signs and
contrasting red road surfacing differentiate bus gates
Key features of the scheme include
a nearside bus gateway on West Gate
which enables buses to go straight ahead
whilst offside general traffic turn left onto
the city centre loop
a bus gateway on New Market Street
a bus gateway on Vicar Lane at the
junction with Eastgate
a bus gateway at the Duncan StreetNew
Market Street junction providing buses
with an unimpeded right turn and
improved circulation and control of traffic
through Urban Traffic Management and
Control (UTMC)
Since road space on the public transport box is so intensively used buses can be seriously
disrupted by the violation of traffic and parking restrictions therefore continual enforcement of the
measures is essential to ensure smooth running of traffic
In addition to the public transport box a series of seven key public transport gateways were
identified as critical to providing a link between the main radial roads and the public transport box
Woodhouse Lane
Cou
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g
Four of these schemes have been implemented to date The A660 Woodhouse Lane route to the
north of the city was the first to be completed and is a typical example of the combination of
measures used although it employs the innovative use of a centre of carriageway bus boarding
point which is unique in Leeds
Centre of carriageway bus boarding point Woodhouse Lane
Cou
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g
The proposed Supertram would run along three sides of the public transport box The future
implementation of Supertram was taken into account in the design of the public transport box to
minimise future disruptions
Implementation date The city centre loop and public transport box were completed in 1997
Changes were made to the operation of Park Row which forms the western
vertical side of the public transport box in May 2000
Costs The total cost of the Public Transport Box was pound15 million
The cost of the Woodhouse Lane Gateway including traffic management
measures along the 1km route was pound12million
Consultation Public consultation on the measures was undertaken as part of the
consultation exercise leading to the publication of the City Transport
Strategy in 1991 by a steering group involving West Yorkshire Passenger
Transport Authority West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive Leeds
City Council Leeds Development Corporation and the Chamber of
Commerce Changes to traffic priorities and the closure of streets to traffic
were achieved using conventional Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) issued
by the city council
As part of the process of implementing the TROs the city councilrsquos City
Management Team consulted businesses in the city centre
Bus operators The majority of services using the public transport box are operated by First
Leeds however other services include those operated by Arriva Black
Prince Coaches Keithley and District Yorkshire Coastliner Yorkshire
Traction and Harrogate amp District Travel
Bus frequency There are approximately the following numbers of buses per hour in each
direction on each of the sides of the public transport box
80 buses per hour on the northern side along The Headrow
65 buses per hour on the eastern side along Vicar Lane
90 buses per hour on the southern side along Boar Lane and
40 buses per hour on the western side along Park Road
The A660 Woodhouse Lane gateway is used by 40 to 50 buses per hour in
each direction
Illustration of scheme
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
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ltin
g
Bus priority measures in Leeds City Centre
Before and after monitoring Extensive peak period traffic counts were undertaken in 1990 at key city centre junctions prior to
construction of the first phase of the public transport box These were repeated in 2001 to provide
an indication of progress and to determine a new city centre base against which future traffic
changes will be assessed (These latter counts included separate counts of taxis and private hire
vehicles for which access restrictions to the Loop have been relaxed) In addition there is a
permanent air quality monitoring station located on New Market Street which was in place prior to
the changes to traffic circulation in the city centre
It is the intention of Leeds City Council to continue to monitor the impact of the strategy on the city
centre This will include surveys to determine the public response to the continuing efforts to
improve the city centre environment for pedestrians cyclists and public transport users
Vicar Lane bus gate
Cou
rtes
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g
Results Air quality
Since the public transport box was introduced monitoring has recorded a general trend of
improvements in air quality (NO2 PM
10) part of which can be attributed to the success of the traffic
management measures reducing the amount of extraneous traffic within the inner ring road and
enforcement in keeping traffic moving efficiently
Journey times
Monitoring of the Woodhouse Lane gateway has shown that inbound buses saved between 10 and
30 per cent on previous journey times In the outbound direction the revised signal arrangements
have compensated for the removal of the previous bus lane without any detriment to journey times
Traffic flows
The immediate measurable impact of the city centre loop and public transport box was the removal
of traffic from the major city centre streets as shown in the table below
Location Cars amp Taxis (Buses) AM Peak 0800-0900
1990 2001
Park Row 1500 (70) 51 (73)
Briggate 810 (123) 0 (0)
Vicar Lane 1650 (156) 160 (130)
Examination of the city centre counts in conjunction with counts across a regular river bridge
screenline indicate that the traffic removed from the centre has been lsquoabsorbedrsquo on the network with
no significant problems arising elsewhere
Accidents
Before the construction of the city centre loop and public transport box there were typically 173
personal road injury accidents per year in the city centre This has dropped to an average of 150
per year following the introduction of the city centre loop and public transport box The most
significant reduction in casualty numbers has been to pedestrians where the annual total has fallen
from 97 to 70 per year a reduction of 28 per cent
Conclusions Reallocating road space has been crucial to many of the commercial developments which have
contributed to the growth and the revitalisation of the city centre (Leeds central shopping area was
ranked 3rd in the UK in 2003) The improvements have therefore contributed to wider social and
economic objectives through the increased attractiveness of Leeds as a retail and business centre
The reduction of traffic in and around the city centre has produced a more pleasant environment for
pedestrians and cyclists
The city centre measures have included a mix of established traffic management measures and
innovation to make better use of road space Therefore the most important lesson to be learnt from
these projects is that measures have to be designed around local conditions
The full benefits of the city centre loop and public transport box will not be finally realised until Leeds
Inner Ring Road Stage 7 the final element of the original 1990 city centre traffic management
strategy is completed This will remove further extraneous traffic from the city centre The road
space reallocation benefits will become fully apparent once the Leeds Supertram is introduced into
the city centre
Acknowledgements This case study was produced with the assistance of Leeds City Council and Metro (West
Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive) and First Leeds Further Information on the Leeds city
centre bus priority measures can be obtained from
Leeds City Council
Highways and Transport Department
The Leonardo Building
2 Rossington Street
Leeds LS2 8HB
0113 2477500
wwwleedsgovuk
Other examples The concept of the city centre loop and public transport box is unique The priority bus gates were
individually designed to suit the particular situations drawing on standard bus priority measures
However there are good examples of priority bus gates in Wolverhampton City Centre
Further information Further information can be found in ldquoReallocating road space to buses and high occupancy
vehicles in Leeds Hall A Wrdquo published in Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Municipal Engineer 145 March 2001 Issue 1
Bus Priority
5
1204
Special initiative case study Oxford historic city
Description of need Background
In the 1970s Oxford rejected road building as the answer to the problem of
increased demand for travel due to the unacceptable environmental and property
impacts and a desire to preserve the nature of the city Instead the Balanced
Transport Policy was developed made up of a number of elements including park
and ride schemes parking controls pedestrianisation and bus priority on the main
radial routes into the city and city centre
Bus gate Oxford
Twenty years later in 1993 the Oxford Transport Strategy (OTS) was developed
as a continuation of the Balanced Transport Policy initiated in the early 1970s
This was also a response to pedestrianbus conflicts in the city centre shopping
streets Again enhanced park and ride remained central to the strategy In
association with this it was proposed to establish a bus priority
route enhance parking controls in the city centre and
discourage through traffic by introducing bus gates and
restricting the use of more streets through
pedestrianisation buses only and bus and access
only in the city centre during the daytime
Oxford is a regional centre for employment shopping
and entertainment serving a population of half a
million people as well as home to a large educational
Cou
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g
economy The city is also a major tourist destination attracting approximately two million visits each
year The historic road structure in the city centre combined with the increased demand for travel
puts enormous pressure on the road and public transport networks The adopted transport strategy
allows the consequent considerable travel demands to be successfully accommodated on a largely
medieval road network whilst protecting the historic environment and supporting Oxfordrsquos
economy
Objectives
The Oxford Transport Strategy aimed to produce a step change in travel to and through the city
centre in order to release space for buses diverted from the pedestrianised Cornmarket Street By
reducing the level of private car traffic in the city it was hoped that conditions would improve for
more sustainable modes including walking and cycling It was also hoped that the continued
development of bus priority and traffic management schemes would stop traffic transferring to
alternative routes in other parts of the city without increasing congestion or adding to environmental
degradation
Scheme details Description
Before the city centre changes allowing the pedestrainisation of the main shopping street and the
daytime exclusion of through traffic were introduced a package of accommodation measures were
put in place These were aimed at encouraging further modal shift to more sustainable modes and
accommodating traffic routes changes The works included a series of bus gates creating bus and
pedestrian zones on Queen Street and Broad Street the full pedestrianisation of Cornmarket Street
and areas that can be used only by buses and access vehicles on High Street Park End Street and
Norfolk Street Access restrictions apply 0730 ndash 1830 (1000 ndash 1800 on George Street) C
ourt
esy
of J
MP
Con
sult
ing
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g
Bus and pedestrian zone Oxford Oxford bus priority measures
There have been improvements to the railway station forecourt and its approach including a
segregated bus stopping area and signal controlled access to the station
The improvements to radial routes included junction improvements to assist buses in entering the
main flow of traffic One example is on Woodstock Road where park and ride buses leaving the
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g
Oxford City Centre bus priority measures
Pear Tree park and ride site use a with-flow bus lane and a signal controlled bus gate to give buses
priority over other traffic when entering the main carriageway Improvements were also made at the
signalised junction to the Redbridge park and ride site on Abingdon Road and on Botley Road to
assist buses from the Seacourt park and ride
The Oxford Transport Strategy also involves the use of SCOOT traffic signal controls to give buses
priority at signalised junctions This measure has not fulfilled its full potential as the network is close
to capacity for much for the time and therefore it has not been possible to give a substantial benefit
to buses Oxfordshire County Council pioneered working in partnership with the Highways Agency
to introduce bus lanes on trunk roads between Thornhill and Pear Tree park and ride sites and the
ring road
Cost
The cost of the strategy measures implemented in the 1990s is estimated at pound23 million This
included a package of measures such as bus lane extensions pedestrianisation traffic
management and capacity enhancements However park and ride facilities are not included in this
total
Bus operators
Oxford is in the unusual position of having two strongly competitive bus companies with local
operations of similar size The Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach in Oxfordshire match each
other service for service on most routes in the city This has contributed to a spiral of success in
terms of the quality of service and vehicles provided in the city It is also reflected in the high
frequency of services running in evenings and on Sundays creating an environment where public
transport is an attractive option for most journey purposes For example services combine to give
a headway of four minutes between buses on Cowley Road on Sunday mornings This gives the
population confidence in public transport as an alternative to private car
The Oxford Bus Company plans to introduce smartcards during autumn 2004 It is hoped this will
improve reliability and halve the average boarding time on their services which currently stands at
eight seconds per passenger
Another initiative used in Oxford is route branding with schemes such as the Brookes Bus funded
by Oxford Brookes University linking campuses and the city centre This group of services was
introduced primarily for students but they are well used by members of the public as well
Before and after monitoring Monitoring of traffic levels within the city has been underway since the first wave of bus priority in
the 1970s This monitoring was further developed to assess the impacts of the Oxford Transport
Strategy looking not just at traffic flows but at other transport indicators such as air quality journey
times and modal shift
bull Automatic traffic counters are used to monitor traffic flows and are positioned around the city
centre and just inside the ring road to give continuous data
bull Surveys of bus journey times were carried out between October and November 1999 and the
results compared with similar surveys in the previous year
bull Both of the main bus operators collect information on passenger numbers
bull Modal shift is analysed through annual classified surveys - the 1991 survey is used to give a
picture of Oxford before the Oxford Transport Strategy programme started
bull The air quality review was developed through European Union funding of a project called
Environmental Monitoring of Integrated Transport Strategies which aims to monitor air quality
changes associated with changes in traffic levels This examined amongst other things level of
carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide
Results Traffic flows
Cordon counts into the central area show that there has been no increase in traffic flows entering
the city centre since the early 1970s A reduction in traffic flow by an average of 18 per cent was
measured between 1999 and 2002 The eastern radial corridors experienced the greatest impact
with a reduction of 30 per cent over Magdalen Bridge (on the eastern approach to the city) whilst
the southern radials were least affected with a reduction of only 9 per cent
The level of traffic on High Street after the bus gate was introduced reduced by 60 per cent between
1999 and 2002 (12 hour average weekday)
Some routes have experienced an increase in traffic as vehicles are displaced from the central city
streets For example Marston Ferry Road (north of Oxford centre) experienced a 12 per cent
increase and Donnington Bridge (south east of Oxford centre) experienced an increase in the range
10 ndash 16 per cent in the year following implementation
Journey times
On a two km stretch of bus lane introduced in 1997 from Kidlington to Summertown journey times
were halved from eight minutes to four minutes Abingdon Road also experienced a reduction with
journey times being halved on the section from the ring road to the bus gate
Bus patronage
Bus patronage has increased annually by 8-9 per cent since 1999 The modal share has also show
a move from the use of private car towards bus
Comparison of modal split between 1991 and 2002
Mode 1991 2002
Car use 54 39
Bus use 27 44
Other 19 17
Source Oxfordshire County Council
Air quality
There has been a 75 per cent reduction in the levels of carbon monoxide at St Aldates and a 20 per
cent reduction in particulate matter on Cornmarket Street The majority of air monitoring sites in the
city show a reduction in the level of nitrogen dioxide
Conclusions Bus priority measures in Oxford have been effective as part of a package of measures including
pedestrianisation of central areas and park and ride to create a modal shift from private car to
public transport Unlike many areas of the country bus patronage has increased steadily with an 80
per cent increase between 1985 and 1998 in fact Oxfordshire has the second highest rate of bus
use of the shire counties and is one of the least car dependent cities in the country The lengthy
experience of bus priority in the city has created an environment of acceptance of priority measures
as part of the infrastructure of the city
The city has a strong pro cycling image which has been reinforced by the reduction in traffic on
central streets as cyclists feel safer and more confident
The future Since implementation of the first bus priority schemes in the 1970s the city has experienced
considerable change in travel patterns partly reflecting the growth of towns and villages elsewhere
in Oxfordshire Given continual change a number of corridors including Woodstock Road and
Banbury Road are being reviewed to assess the scope for strengthening bus priority In particular
there is a need to determine whether inbound or outbound bus priority will yield the greater benefit in
locations where the carriageway is only wide enough to allow a bus lane to be introduced in one
direction
There is increasing abuse of bus lanes and bus gates by moving vehicles Advantage will be taken
of legislation to enable camera enforcement of bus lanes and bus gates
Over the next ten years Oxfordshire County Council is planning to development a Premium Routes
Network to give buses priority and enhanced frequency on links between urban centres There is
also a proposal for a Guided Transit Express scheme to serve the Redbridge and Pear Tree park
and ride sites with possible extensions to Heyford Hill Headington and along the A40 corridor to
Witney
References Director of Environmental Services Oxford Transport Strategy Working Party ndash 27 October 2000
Review of impact of the central area changes October 2000
Oxfordshire County Council Best Practice Guides January 2003
Oxford City Council Transport in Oxford Topic paper December 2003
R Williams Oxfordrsquos park and ride system Municipal Engineer 133 (p127-135) September 1999
Acknowledgements This document was produced with the assistance of Oxfordshire County Council Oxford Bus
Company and Stagecoach in Oxfordshire Further information on bus priority measures in Oxford
can be obtained from Oxfordshire County Council Speedwell House Speedwell Street Oxford
ON1 1NE The Environment and Economy Department can be contacted on 01865 815700 or visit
wwwoxfordshiregovuk
Other examples bull York - Contact the main switchboard on 01904 613161
bull Winchester - Contact the main switchboard on 01962 840222
Further information Oxfordshire County Council Best Practice Guide No 3 Urban Bus priority is available from
Oxfordshire County Council at the above address
Bus Priority
5
1204
Special initiative case study Newport smaller town
Description of need Background
Newport in South Wales is the main hub of the regional bus network with the
majority of inter-urban services commencingterminating at its bus station
Traffic levels in Newport have increased by 22 per cent between 1990 and 2000
these are exacerbated by the riverside location of Newport which restricts east-
west traffic to three main crossing points
Market research undertaken by the TIGER (Transport Integration in the Gwent
Economic Region) Consortium in 2000 recorded that 97 per cent of respondents
rated bus service reliability as either lsquoimportantrsquo or lsquovery importantrsquo
A draft feasibility study completed in March 2000 identified a number of locations
where bus priority measures could increase bus service reliability Phase 1 ndash
Between Chepstow Road Harrow Road and Old Green Roundabout was the
main scheme and subject to the most comprehensive monitoring
Problems
Rising congestion levels had increased bus journey times and reduced the
predictability of bus arrival times This led to a decline in patronage levels with an
associated increase in car use which was economically and environmentally
unsustainable
Objectives
The primary aims of the Newport bus priority scheme were lsquoto reduce journey
times and improve the reliability of bus services on the main corridors radiating
from Newport city centre by creating a highway infrastructure designed to give
priority to busesrsquo
The secondary aims of the scheme are to increase bus patronage and reduce
dependence on the private car
Scheme details Phase 1
Description
Between Chepstow RoadHarrow Road and Old Green Roundabout
A number of measures were carried out to improve bus priority as part of
Phase 1
Implementation date
installation of westbound bus cycle motorbike and taxi lanes totalling
550 metres in length operational between 0700 and 1900
relocation of existing eastbound bus stop at Crown Buildings to
dedicated bus bay
Town Bridge carriageway converted from substandard 4-lane
carriageway to three standard lanes with an eastbound bus lane and
new traffic signals operated under MOVA (Microprocessor Optimised
Vehicle Actuation) control designed to minimise the impact on the
Cenotaph
Works began in September 2001 and were completed in December
2001
Costs
Consultation
The Welsh Assembly supported the scheme through the Transport Grant
funding The total cost for Phase 1 and Phase 2 was pound550000
Consultation consisted of the following elements
Public Consultation Exhibition (details per sample leaflet) advertised
by press release posters in shops libraries and buses Additional
leaflet drop to all businessesresidents whose property fronts the
scheme and
Bus operators and
frequencies
publication of statutory public notices detailing proposed Traffic
Regulation Orders
During core hours (0800 to 1800) an average of 33 buses per hour
utilise the Clarence PlaceTown Bridge section as detailed below
Newport Transport operate 11 routes in this corridor linking the east of
the town with the town centre
Stagecoach in South Wales operate three inter urban routes on this
corridor linking Newport with Magor Caldicot Caerwent Chepstow and
Gloucester
Drakes Travel operate evening services for one route on the Newport to
Chepstow Corridor
Welcome Travel operate a single return journey between Caerwent and
Newport
Illustration of scheme
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
P C
onsu
ltin
g
Harr
ow R
d
Crown Buildings
Before and after monitoring Reliability
A series of surveys were undertaken to assess the impact of the bus corridor improvements on the
reliability of services
Dates and types of survey
Before and after surveys were undertaken at Newport Bus Station on two days (Tuesday and
Friday) enabling a statistically robust sample size to be achieved reflecting variability between
reliability levels on different days of the week
Samples were recorded between 0700 and 1900 to ensure that the majority of services were
recorded and that the effect of variations that occurred throughout the day were minimised
Following collection of the data the recorded arrival time for each service was compared to the
scheduled arrival time and variations recorded
Analysis and results
The Traffic Commissionersrsquo standards are that 95 per cent of services should arrive no earlier than
one minute or later than five minutes compared with the registered timetable The data was
analysed to determine the percentage of services that were more than five minutes late
In addition data was also analysed to provide an indication of the average length of time services
arrived after the scheduled arrival time
The impact of measures is likely to be greater on local services than inter-urban routes as the
priority measures account for a greater proportion of the local service journey length To reflect this
pattern analysis was split between urban and inter-urban routes
Tables 1 and 2 show before and after monitoring information for services using Chepstow Road
Table 1 Reliability of urban area services using Chepstow Road Corridor
Arriving early or Arriving gt 5 Average Sample within 0 to 5 minutes minutes after lateness
Survey Size of scheduled time scheduled time (mmss)
Before - 21st and 24th
November 2000 161 90 10 0404
After - 1st and 5th
March 2002 112 95 5 0319
Table 2 Reliability of inter urban area services using Chepstow Road Corridor
Arriving early or Arriving gt 5 Average Sample within 0 to 5 minutes minutes after lateness
Survey Size of scheduled time scheduled time (mmss)
Before - 21st and 24th
November 2000 121 71 29 0730
after - 1st and 5th
March 2002 142 81 19 0451
Conclusions
In overall terms the reliability of Chepstow Road services entering Newport bus station has
increased The percentage of services that met the Traffic Commissionerrsquos criterion has increased
from 76 per cent to 87 per cent In addition the average lateness for all services has reduced by 31
seconds
Newport urban services have demonstrated an improvement in reliability with 95 per cent of the
sample entering the bus station within the Traffic Commissionerrsquos criterion
The quality of service has also improved with average lateness reducing by 45 seconds
For inter-urban services there is a 10 per cent improvement in services arriving within the Traffic
Commissionerrsquos criterion The greatest benefit has been a reduction in average lateness by 2
minutes and 49 seconds This is extremely significant as the average lateness now falls within the
target set by the Traffic Commissioner
All
im
ages
cou
rtes
y of
JM
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onsu
ltin
g
Cenotaph Junction post work Clarence Place
Clarence Place Clarence Place
While the scheme may only impact on the final stage of inter-urban services this section is often
the most important for passengers as it can be extremely frustrating to complete the majority of
your journey only to be delayed by congestion at the end
In conclusion the scheme has resulted in a positive impact on reliability of bus services
Bus patronage monitoring
Changes in the level of bus patronage provide a valuable measure of the impact of this scheme on
travel habits
To determine the impact of this scheme on travel habits Electronic Ticket Machine (ETM) data was
collected from the main regional bus operators before and after the works
Dates and types of survey
Annual surveys are undertaken to determine the number of passenger journeys completed on each
sample route over a 31-day sample period Data collection commences on the Sunday nearest the
1st October of each sample year to ensure collection of an equal number of peak and off-peak
days
Analysis and results
To maintain operational confidentiality results are recorded on an index which illustrates relative
trends in travel without determining the performance of an individual route or operator
Analysis was undertaken on both local and inter urban services which utilise the scheme measures
on their route
Table 3 Scheme impact on bus patronage
Before After Difference
Total 100 1062 62
The rise in patronage as shown in Table 3 demonstrates the positive impact of the scheme in
promoting increased bus use The increase in patronage has been achieved against a historical
trend of declining bus patronage (Since 199697 bus patronage levels in South Wales have
declined by nearly 11 per cent)
Analysis of TIGER Package A ndash (Ebbw ValeBrynmawr to Newport and Chepstow bus corridor
improvement scheme) indicated that on this corridor as a whole patronage on inter-urban bus
services had increased by 285 per cent between 2000 (pre-scheme) and 2001 (post-scheme)
compared to a 416 per cent decline in patronage in the region as a whole over the same period
Conclusions
The increase in patronage by over 6 per cent indicates the added value of the scheme in promoting
additional travel on local services
Operatorsrsquo comments
One of the main aims of the scheme is to enable the bus operators to provide reliable services that
can be seen as a viable alternative to the private car
While the data-monitoring programme has been designed to analyse the various impacts of the
scheme (such as journey time and reliability) these only provide a snapshot of the impact during
the sample period By contrast operational experience has been gained on a daily basis therefore
the importance of this method of monitoring cannot be over emphasised
The impact of the scheme on their bus services will vary between operators depending on their
service patterns For example the greatest impact was anticipated to be on Newport Transport
services given that they operate a number of high frequency bus services with the scheme
accounting for a quarter of the route length By contrast Stagecoach services are long distance
with a lower frequency of which the scheme will only account for a low percentage of the total route
length albeit this section has experienced the greatest delays with a detrimental effect on
operational reliability
Analysis and results
To assess the impact interviews were held with the managers of each of the three main bus-
operating companies These identified a number of common benefits and issues
The positive impact of the scheme is summarised with the following quote from the major regional
operator in respect of bus priority measures currently being planned on Malpas Road
lsquoWe support any measures to give buses priority at a time when the general trend is for increasing
bus journey times due to ever increasing congestion and on street parking I sincerely hope that
any pressure to reduce the benefits of these proposals are resisted and that the good work already
achieved elsewhere in Newport (on Chepstow Road) can also be applied in this arearsquo
The main benefits of the various bus priority measures identified by the operators are
increased journey time reliability
reduction of lostcancelled service
more efficient fleet utilisation
reduced journey times through the ability to by-pass congestion
service enhancements increased frequency without additional vehicles
more effective route planning
increased operational efficiency
increased customer satisfaction
improved working environment for driver aiding recruitment and retention and
publicity benefits
One of the main benefits identified by operators is the ability to run a reliable service In particular
the reduction of journey times along the scheme enables companies to make up time lsquolostrsquo along
more congested sections of the route This provides benefits to passengers as the increased
stability of the network results in fewer services being cancelled or rescheduled at short notice
This also enables services to operate consistently within the guidelines set by the Traffic
Commissioner
Conclusions Despite concerns about enforcement negative publicity and congestion on untreated sections of
the route negating scheme benefits the bus priority scheme has provided a range of benefits to the
operators which enable service enhancements to the travelling public encouraging increased bus
use
Acknowledgements This leaflet was produced with the assistance of Newport City Council and Capita Symonds
Other examples In addition to this scheme there are further schemes in the Newport area
A48 Cardiff Road bus priority measures Physical work completed however re-phasing of traffic
lights ongoing to optimise traffic flows In addition on going construction of Newport Strategic
Distributor Road has resulted in traffic diverting along Cardiff Road preventing accurate
scheme monitoring
Malpas Road bus priority measures Work on Malpas Road was completed in June 2004 the
scheme is now fully operational
Newport Intelligent Traffic Signals Implementation of traffic signal priority for buses through
transponder activation Transport grant funding application approved by Welsh Assembly
Government Work due to commence in next financial year
Further information Further information on this special initiative can be obtained from
Glyn Stickler
Newport City Council
Civic Centre
Newport NP9 4UR
wwwnewportgovuk
Bus Priority
5
1204
Special initiative case study West Bromwich Town Centre
Description of need Background
During 2001 a new traffic management scheme was introduced in West
Bromwich to tackle traffic congestion discourage through traffic and improve
conditions for buses and pedestrians The scheme included several bus priority
measures In 2002 a new bus station was introduced to provide increased
capacity improve accessibility and enhance interchange with Midland Metro
A vision to regenerate
the town centre
emerged from a master
planning exercise The
main elements of the
transport strategy were
conversion of the West
Bromwich Ringway
from a one-way
gyratory to a two-way
carriageway with bus
priority and a bus gate
to discourage through
traffic reduce peak
period congestion allow all cross-town bus services to call at the bus station and
improve conditions for pedestrians Relocation of the bus station released land to
accommodate a new town square and a centre linking art and the creative use of
technology
Midland Metro Line 1 was opened in 1999 and passes to the south of West
Bromwich town centre One objective of the strategy was to encourage use of
Midland Metro by discouraging through traffic in West Bromwich town centre It
was hoped that this would also be of benefit to Showcase Route 404 (Walsall ndash
West Bromwich ndash Blackheath)
Problems
The West Bromwich Ringway acted as a large gyratory
system carrying all traffic around the town centre in a
clockwise direction Buses were delayed in peak
period traffic congestion on the Ringway and the
roads approaching junctions on the Ringway In free-
flow conditions traffic speeds were high Pedestrians
relied on unattractive subways to cross the Ringway
to the retail core and bus station
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
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onsu
ltin
g
West Bromwich bus station
The old bus station was not fully accessible did not present an attractive environment and lacked
capacity Not all bus services could use the old bus station ndash cross-town services routed via High
Street on both sides of the town centre did not call to avoid the need to make a complete circuit of
the Ringway before resuming their route The old bus station was remote from the West Bromwich
Central tram stop and therefore did not cater for bustram interchange
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
P C
onsu
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g
West Bromwich Town Centre
Objectives
The Transport Strategy for the town centre included the following objectives
moving the bus station to a site closer to the Midland Metro tram stop to encourage bustram
interchange
ensuring that all bus services could call at the new bus station without the need to follow
circuitous routes
removing bus stops on the Ringway thereby reducing the need for bus users to cross the
Ringway
providing priority for buses taxis and cyclists on the Ringway
providing an element of traffic restraint by discouraging through traffic
imposing parking charges in the town centre and
improving safety and the environment for pedestrians by replacing subways under the Ringway
with traffic signal controlled crossings
Scheme details Description West Bromwich Ringway was converted from a one-way gyratory to a
two-way road Traffic signal control with SCOOT was implemented at all
main junctions on the Ringway It was anticipated that the number of
traffic signal installations on the Ringway would help to discourage
through traffic
A new bus station was built on the south side of the retail core releasing
the site of the former bus station for other uses A bus gate was provided
on the western side of the Ringway to improve conditions for buses and
pedestrians and to reduce the level of traffic using the western side of
the Ringway An inbound with-flow bus lane was provided on High Street
to give priority to buses taxis and cyclists Traffic signal control was
provided at the new bus station entryexit on the south side of the
Ringway a buses only right turn lane was provided to assist westbound
buses enter the bus station and a surface pedestrian route was provided
to West Bromwich Central tram stop with a traffic signal crossing of the
Ringway
Traffic calming works were undertaken in a number of streets to prevent
traffic avoiding the Ringway by using alternative routes around the town
centre
The new West Bromwich Bus Station has 22 stands and is capable of
handling up to 220 departures an hour It is fully accessible with raised
kerbs at all stands there is a fully enclosed passenger area with bus-
operated doors at all stands and it includes CCTV surveillance and
electronic passenger information displays
High Street bus lane New Street (Ringway) bus gate
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
P C
onsu
ltin
g
Implementation date West Bromwich Ringway was converted from a one-way gyratory to
two-way carriageway in August 2001 The with-flow bus lane on High
Street the bus gate on New Street the buses only right turn on
Cronehills Linkway and side road traffic calming were all introduced at
this time The new bus station opened in April 2002
Costs The main element of the funding package was a major Local Transport
Plan bid submitted to government jointly by Sandwell Council and Centro
The total cost of the project was pound113 million of which the new bus
station accounted nearly 50 per cent
Planning context and The master plan for West Bromwich town centre was
consultation subjected to public consultation during May and June 1998 The strategy
for traffic management and public transport was an integral part of the
master plan Consultation took the form of a public exhibition in the
Queen Square retail area of the town centre written consultation with all
town centre businesses and distribution of 10000 explanatory leaflets
The master plan was adopted as an Interim Planning Statement in 1999
and now forms part of the Sandwell Unitary Development Plan Review
adopted by the Borough Council in April 2004
Further consultation focusing on the proposals for traffic management
and public transport took place in 1999 and included written consultation
with all town centre businesses and discussions with the owners of
properties affected by the scheme There was also a statutory process
of consultation associated with a Compulsory Purchase Order and
Traffic Regulation Orders
Bus operators Travel West Midlands is the principal bus operator serving West
Bromwich The only other operator of substantial size is Petersquos Travel
Both companies operate buses on Showcase Route 404 linking Walsall
and West Bromwich
Bus frequency During a typical weekday inter-peak hour there are 141 departures from
West Bromwich bus station 27 inbound buses using the bus lane on
High Street and a two-way total of 124 buses using the bus gate on New
Street
Before and after monitoring Dates and type of surveys
A biennial roadside cordon survey is undertaken at locations on all approaches to West Bromwich
town centre as part of the Local Transport Plan monitoring process Public transport counts are
taken at the same time Data collection takes place in late March each year
Data for the year 2000 represents the before situation and precedes the commencement of works
Data collected in 2002 represents the situation after completion of the traffic management and bus
priority measures The new bus station was not opened until April 2002 after completion of the
2002 surveys
Type of surveys
Three types of information were collected
Automatic Traffic Count (ATC) data was collected on all approaches to the town centre
manual classified counts were carried out at four of the survey sites to provide assessments of
modal split and vehicle occupancy and
a bus cordon survey provided counts of bus passenger numbers
Results In comparing lsquobefore and afterrsquo traffic and public transport data for West Bromwich it is necessary
to be aware that Midland Metro Line 1 opened in May 1999 and patronage continued to build up in
the period 2000-2002 This makes it difficult to isolate the impact of the changes to the West
Bromwich Ringway and the accompanying bus priority measures
The key findings of a comparison of data for 2000 and 2002 are summarised below
the number of car trips crossing the cordon around West Bromwich town centre has decreased
and
the mode share accounted for by public transport has increased and now accounts for 322 per
cent of all trips in West Bromwich
Table 1 shows the reduction in the number of vehicles crossing the town centre cordon during
different periods of the day Some substantial reductions were recorded between 2000 and 2002 ndash
16 per cent in the morning peak period 125 per cent in the afternoon peak period and 125 per cent
in a 12 hour day (0700 ndash 1900)
Table 1 Number of vehicles crossing the West Bromwich cordon
Period Direction Number of vehicle crossing the cordon
1998 2000 2002
Morning peak (0730 ndash 0930) Inbound 9277 9353 7777
Outbound 6785 6858 5831
Afternoon peak (1600 ndash 1800) Inbound 7601 7737 6610
Outbound 7258 7400 6479
12 hours (0700 ndash 1900) Inbound 7830 7865 7130
Outbound 10035 10043 9077
Source West Midlands Local Transport Plan web site
Implementation of the scheme provides a number of benefits for bus operators it establishes an
interchange that can be served by all bus services and the location of the new bus station catered
for bustram interchange The time savings from reduced peak period traffic congestion and
avoidance of the need for circuitous routes around the Ringway were used to improve reliability
rather than to reduce scheduled journey times
Monitoring data indicates an increase in the annual number of bus passengers using West
Bromwich bus station from 583 million before the scheme to a current level of 627 million
representing an increase of 7 per cent It is estimated that opening of the new bus station resulted
in a 1 per cent transfer from car to bus equating to an annual reduction of 62600 car trips
Table 2 shows the change in mode share crossing the West Bromwich town centre cordon in the
period 1998 ndash 2002
Table 2 Mode share
Direction Mode Mode share 0730 ndash 0930 ()
1998 2002
Inbound Car 710 678
Bus 290 297
Metro mdashshy 24
Outbound Car 754 696
Bus 246 252
Metro mdashshy 53
Source Centro
West Bromwich bus station
Cou
rtes
y of
Cen
tro
Future developments A Tesco-led retail development on the north side of the town centre will result in diversion of the
Ringway to the north of the proposed development This will enable realisation of the lsquotown squarersquo
concept with better operating conditions for buses and further improvement to the environment for
pedestrians
All traffic signal installations in the Ringway are under SCOOT control and the controllers are set up
for selective vehicle detection using GPS technology This system will be activated once
equipment is fitted to buses operating on services in the area
The Council intends to take advantage of the expected legislation permitting the use of cameras for
the detection of moving vehicle infringements of bus lanes and the New Street bus gate in order to
control increasing abuse by general traffic
Conclusions The reduction in traffic crossing the West Bromwich town centre cordon between 2000 and 2002
suggests that there has been a reduction in through traffic resulting from the restraint imposed by
the New Street bus gate and the number of sets of traffic signals to be passed on the Ringway
The future introduction of selective bus detection and the ability to use camera enforcement should
make the bus priority measures more effective
Relocation of the bus station the introduction of two-way traffic on the Ringway and the provision of
a with-flow bus lane on High Street permitted the concentration of all bus services in the bus station
improving access to the retail core and encouraging bustram interchange
Acknowledgements This leaflet was produced with the assistance of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council Centro
and Travel West Midlands
Other examples Leeds city centre
Further information from Leeds City Council wwwleedsgovuk
(or see the case study in this resource pack)
Wolverhampton (use of bus gates in city centre)
Wolverhampton City Council
Regeneration amp Transportation
Heatun House
Salop Street
Wolverhampton
WV3 0SQ
01902 555745
wwwwolverhamptongovuk
Further information Further information on the West Bromwich scheme can be obtained from
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Department of Planning and Development Services
Development House
Lombard Street
West Bromwich B70 8RU
0121 569 4136
wwwsandwellgovuk
Centro
Centro House
20 Summer Lane
Birmingham B19 3SD
0121 200 2787
wwwcentroorguk
Bus Priority
1204
Case studies
6
Bus Priority
6
1204
Guide to case studies
Introduction
This section of the resource pack contains a series of case studies by type of bus
priority measure providing practical information drawn from experience of
successful bus priority schemes implemented around the country
The case studies are designed to demonstrate the range of possible measures
and also give some indication of under what conditions they might be suitable for
consideration It is important to remember that there isnrsquot an lsquooff the shelfrsquo solution
that will maximise the benefits to buses regardless of location The most
appropriate measure in any one location will depend upon the local conditions
prevailing in that area Traffic levels the number and frequency of bus services
available carriageway width and the types of properties fronting onto the road are
some of the factors that need to be taken into account when considering the
most appropriate bus priority measure for that location
The case studies
Groups of measures are colour-coded to assist navigation of the case studies in
this section
The first group covers with-flow and contra-flow bus lanes ( ) These
measures mark out a lane of the carriageway for use by buses They require
sufficient carriageway width to enable them to be installed With-flow lanes are
amongst the most commonly adopted physical bus priority measures in this
country Contra-flow bus lanes where the buses travel in the opposite direction to
the main flow of vehicles are less common but can be useful for example by
providing a more direct route to a town centre than is available for general traffic
They also tend to be self enforcing Further development of the conventional
with-flow bus lane can include more comprehensive corridorwhole route
treatments such as green routes ( )
Bus gates and rising bollards ( ) tend to be considered when access to a
particular street is to be restricted to buses (and any other designated vehicle
eg taxi or cycle) Bus gates can be traffic signals actuated by the buses or
simply signs restricting access to buses Rising bollards provide a physical barrier
that lowers out of the way when actuated by the bus They
can be particularly useful in enabling direct access by
bus to areas where it is desirable to prevent other
vehicles entering such as shopping streets in town
and city centres
Guided busways ( ) are a method for obtaining
complete physical segregation of buses from other
road traffic As the name implies a guided bus is one
Bus Priority
Guide to case studies
that travels on its own dedicated carriageway or track which lsquoguidesrsquo the steering of the bus Higher
speeds can be achieved in the guideway and the presence of the guideway infrastructure can help
impart the impression that guided busways offer some of the attributes of a light rail scheme They
are also by their design self enforcing
The five case studies on pre signals and bus advance areas Selective Vehicle Detection
(SVD) MOVA Bus SCOOT and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) ( ) are examples of
different technology based solutions to providing bus priority Pre signals and bus advance areas
enable the bus to get to the front of other traffic at junctions The other four are sometimes referred
to as lsquovirtualrsquo bus priority in that they do not require any physical space to implement them In
contrast to measures requiring physical use of road space these measures use various methods
of communication to detect the presence of buses and activate traffic lights to give priority to buses
at junctions The various technologies described in these case studies range from those which
detect when a bus arrives at the traffic lights and then seeks to turn the lights green for the bus as
soon as possible through to technologies which can detect the location of a bus as it passes along
its route and seek to set the lights ahead to provide priority to the bus
Mixed priority street and bus friendly traffic calming ( ) are traffic management techniques
that allow buses to operate in street environments which are more sympathetic to pedestrians and
cyclists whilst also affording some priority to buses Traffic calming measures may be suitable in
areas where bus services run infrequently and the case for bus priority may be relatively weak The
introduction of well designed traffic management measures can improve the general flow of traffic
which benefits buses too This approach may best suit semi-rural areas and small to medium-sized
towns where there is often simply not enough available road space to introduce certain types of
bus priority
The group which includes High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes and no-car lanes ( ) are
variants on the bus lane approach but differ in their designation of the type of vehicle allowed into
the priority lane HOV lanes can be suitable where there are insufficient bus services to justify a full
bus lane but there is a desire to give priority to vehicles with more than just one person on board
No car lanes are sometimes considered in town centres where the authority also wishes to give
assistance to delivery lorries and to motorcycles
Park and ride ( ) focuses on getting people to use the bus instead of their cars for the final leg
of their inward journey It requires sufficient space on the edge of town centres to provide adequate
parking facilities Park and ride schemes will also usually incorporate a high level of bus priority on
the transfer route so that potential passengers can see a clear benefit over the private car
All of the measures described in these case studies should be supported by complementary
measures ( ) Measures to improve the bus stop environment can help improve boarding times
and speed up services Other measures such as prepaid ticketing can also assist this process
These final two case study leaflets provide a number of different examples of complementary
measures
Bus Priority
6
0903
Description of need Background
A strategic transport study carried out in 1995 predicted traffic and pollution
problems that central Leicestershire would face in the next ten years The
research showed that radical measures would be needed to reduce car use
congestion and pollution
Longer-term measures would need to include
congestion charging
park and ride facilities and
better public transport
The first park and ride scheme was introduced in 1997 for the west of the city
The local authority introduced extensive with-flow bus lanes for all public bus
services as well as the park and ride services
Problems
The key predictions from the transport study for central Leicestershire were
the total number of journeys will increase by 11 per cent
the proportion of trips made
by car will increase and car
travel will account for 81 per
cent of person trip miles
there will be greater pressure
on city centre parking
walking cycling and bus use
will all decline
road traffic accidents will
increase by 19 per cent and
emissions of CO sup2
and other
pollutants will increase by 15
to 20 per cent
Case study With-flow bus lane A47 Hinckley Road Leicester
St Nicholas Circle approaching High Street
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Objectives
As part of Leicesterrsquos park and ride strategy the bus initiative aimed to
make the city centre more accessible
provide high quality bus services to and from the city centre from surrounding areas
increase the number of people using the bus for all journeys
reduce the number of car journeys into the city centre
reduce pressure on city centre parking and
help cut pollution and improve the environment
Scheme details Description The project included the following elements
24 hour bus lanes (permitting cyclists and taxis as of 1999)
red surfacing of bus lanes and
minor junction improvements
In total 45km of bus lanes were introduced over a total road length
of 6km Entering the city (inbound) bus lanes are usually
continuous and provide a high level of priority for local and park and
ride buses However leaving the city (outbound) bus lanes were
only introduced at major hot spots due to the narrowness of the
road
Owing to the considerable length of the bus lanes along Hinckley
Road there are a number of different frontage types Industrial
retail and residential land uses are all found alongside the bus
lanes residential being the most prevalent
Implementation date The scheme was completed in August 1997
Costs The total cost of the bus priority measures was pound12 million
Consultation Public exhibitions were held along with roadside and household
questionnaires The police were also consulted They requested
that bus lanes that permitted shared use with cyclists should be at
least 35 metres wide The width of bus lane on Hinckley Road
varies between 30 and 35 metres this is largely dependent on the
available carriageway width
Bus operators The main bus operators running services along the Hinckley Road
corridor are First Leicester and Arriva Midland Less frequent
services are operated by Stagecoach Midland Red and Centrebus
Bus frequency Park and ride buses on this corridor operate four buses an hour at
peak times Frequencies of other services on Hinckley Road vary
between 1 and 6 per hour with a combined total of at least 30
buses per hour operating over the Glenfield Street to St Nicholas
Circle section of the bus lane
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Location of the A47 Hinckley Road Bus Priority Corridor
Before and after monitoring Dates of surveys
The scheme corridor was monitored before implementation in 1997 and after implementation in
January 1998
Types of surveys
As part of the project the effects on general traffic and bus passengers were monitored The main
survey areas were bus and car journey times traffic flows into the city and park and ride use
Results Traffic flows
Traffic flow was recorded on Leicesterrsquos principal routes during the project The county councilrsquos
automatic traffic counters on the A47 Hinckley Road recorded similar levels of traffic before and
after the initiative Weekday inbound flows increased by 6 per cent between October 1997 and May
1998 while outbound flows reduced by 2 per cent
However during the morning inbound peak hour the Hinckley Road corridor saw a 17 per cent
reduction in vehicles from 1100 to 910 There was a similar reduction of 150 vehicles during the
afternoon outbound peak
Journey times
Comparisons of bus and car journey times
on Hinckley Road following the introduction
of bus priority measures show a significant
reduction for buses and little change for
cars
Bus journey times during the morning
inbound peak were cut from 23 to 18
minutes a 22 per cent reduction During
the afternoon outbound peak they dropped
by 23 per cent Bus priority measures had
a minimal effect on car journey times During the morning inbound peak they dropped by 5 per cent
and during the afternoon outbound peak they increased by 2 per cent
The bus lane had an even greater effect on the new park and ride buses The average journey time
on the park and ride service was 12 minutes nearly one and a half minutes faster than the average
journey time for cars Taking account of the additional time it would take a motorist to park in the city
centre there is a clear time benefit to bus users
Importantly the difference between journey times for cars and buses narrowed considerably as a
result of the new bus lanes Before the bus lanes were introduced afternoon outbound peak bus
journeys were seven minutes slower than car journeys Afterwards the difference was reduced to
less than two minutes
Reliability
Journey time surveys on Hinckley Road showed that the bus lanes greatly improved the reliability of
services As a result of the scheme unreliability has been halved to just two and a half minutes in
the morning inbound peak
Conclusions Following the bus priority measures bus services to and from the city were much faster During the
busiest times local bus services are now about 22 per cent faster than before and only slightly
slower than car journeys Park and ride buses can cover the distance to and from the city centre
nearly one and a half minutes faster than cars When parking times are taken into account bus
journeys are at best faster and at worst much the same as car journeys
The reduction in peak hour traffic flows faster bus journey times and bus reliability improvements
are all indicative that the project has successfully met its objectives
Bus and car journey times at peak periods
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References LERTS Leicester environmental road tolling scheme 1999
Acknowledgements This document was produced with the assistance of the Environment Regeneration and
Development Department at Leicester City Council For further information contact the ERD
Department on 0116 2526339 or email environmenthelplineleicestergovuk
Other examples Kingsway Bedford
Contact the Traffic Management Department at Bedfordshire County Council for more details on
01234 228686
King Street Dudley
Contact Traffic Management and Development at Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council for more
details at transpduedudleygovuk
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St Nicholas Circle approaching High Street
Further information The following documents offer guidance for the implementation of with-flow bus lanes
DETR Local Transport Note 197 Keeping Buses Moving The Stationery Office January 1997
London Bus Priority Network Design Brief LTB 1994
The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions The Stationery Office 2002
Further information may also be sought from
Hounsell NB and McDonald M Evaluation of Bus Lanes CR87 Transport Research Laboratory
1985 - 93
Traffic Advisory Leaflet 601 Bus Priority Traffic Advisory Unit 2001
Bus Priority
6
0903
Description of Need Background
Rotherham Interchange is situated on the northern fringe of Rotherham town
centre It is the focal point for local bus services in the Rotherham area
Corporation Street is a road extending south through the town centre from the
Interchange
Corporation Street used to be a one-way street carrying
northbound traffic It formed part of the route through the
town centre to the Interchange for bus services from
the south of the town It is a secondary shopping street
at the eastern end of the central retail area
Northbound traffic is moderate and much of the
pedestrian activity is focused on the bus stops and
taxi rank
Case study Contra-flow bus lane Corporation Street Rotherham
Location plan showing before and after routes
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Service 69
Services 7 8 11 12
Services 13 29 130 132 264
New route (contra-flow bus
lane
Problems
Buses leaving Rotherham Interchange used to follow a circuitous route via Bridge Street College
Road Centenary Way and Main Street to gain access to roads to the south west of the town centre
Buses leaving the Interchange experienced substantial delays in joining the ring road at the
roundabout junction of College Road and Centenary Way In peak periods buses were also delayed
at the Masbrough Street roundabout on the ring road
Objectives
The scheme has been designed to
improve penetration of the town centre by bus services
improve reliability and reduce variability of journey time by avoiding delay at the Centenary Way
College Road roundabout
provide a more direct route and reduce bus journey times
improve safety and the environment for pedestrians on Corporation Street and
increase bus patronage by encouraging transfer from private car
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Contra-flow bus lane Corporation Street Rotherham
Detailed scheme layout
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Scheme details Description The scheme consists of a southbound contra-flow bus lane extending for
280 metres between the Bridge Street exit from the Interchange and
Market Square (the junction of Market Place High Street and Westgate)
There are two bus stops in the contra-flow bus lane and another two bus
stops with bus stop clearway protection in the northbound general traffic
lane There is a short 24 hour bus lane in the centre of the carriageway at
the north end of Corporation Street to provide access to Rotherham
Interchange for northbound buses
Some carriageway widening was necessary to cater for two-way
operation and provide enough room for bus stops loading bays parking
spaces for disabled people and a taxi rank Modifications were made to
the signal-controlled junctions at both ends of Corporation Street and a
Pelican crossing was upgraded to a Puffin Three ramped pedestrian
crossing areas were provided to ensure vehicle speeds were kept down
Buses are the only category of vehicle permitted to use both the contra-
flow bus lane and the short northbound bus lane that provides access to
the Interchange The contra-flow bus lane varies in width with a minimum
of about 30 metres over a distance of about 30 metres
Implementation date Work on site commenced in May 2002 and the contra-flow bus lane was
opened in late October 2002
Costs The scheme cost pound450000 of which pound250000 was attributable to the
contra-flow bus lane and pound200000 to environmental improvements The
works funded included replacement of two signalised junctions
upgrading of a Pelican to a Puffin crossing and green surfacing of the full
length of the bus lane Other improvements included level footways
through vehicle crossings new flags and block paving at vehicle
crossings new lighting columns and new litter bins bollards and
railings
Consultation A small exhibition was held in Rotherham town centre to gauge public
feeling towards the proposals During conceptual design meetings were
held with owners and occupiers of frontage properties on Corporation
Street and other premises affected by the proposals The intention was
to identify and resolve potential problems with deliveries and access
Further meetings with owners and occupiers took place before scheme
design was finalised Comprehensive consultation ensured that only one
objection was received when the proposals were advertised
Extensive consultation with bus operators took place throughout the
project and covered scheme development programming and
accommodation works Quality Bus Corridor meetings arranged by
South Yorkshire PTE provided the opportunity for discussion
The Councilrsquos Access Officer was involved in design work to ensure that
the needs of elderly and disabled people were fully met
Before work started owners and occupiers of frontage properties were
visited to agree access arrangements during construction During the
week prior to opening of the contra-flow bus lane leaflets were handed
out to pedestrians on Corporation Street to ensure awareness of the new
road layout and two-way operation on Corporation Street
Bus operators First in South Yorkshire operate virtually all services on Corporation Street
One other company operates a few journeys
Bus frequency Provision of the new contra-flow bus lane allowed the diversion of eight
southbound bus services via Corporation Street They have a combined
frequency of 24 to 25 buses per hour in daytime on weekdays
Before and after monitoring Dates and types of survey
lsquoBeforersquo bus journey time and bus occupancy surveys were undertaken during May and June 1999
South Yorkshire PTE is to carry out lsquoafterrsquo surveys following implementation of other schemes on
the Sheffield ndash Rotherham ndash Doncaster Quality Bus Corridor
Cordon counts of traffic entering Rotherham town centre are undertaken during the first two weeks
of October every year lsquoBeforersquo traffic count data are available for 2002 and lsquoafterrsquo traffic count data
will be available in October 2003
Results Information supplied by First in South Yorkshire identifies benefits to the operation of bus services
resulting from implementation of the contra-flow bus lane
Services bound for Canklow Road Distance operated per trip was reduced by 08km On
Services 130132 (6 per hour) running time to Canklow was reduced from 10 to 8 minutes As
running time allowed to Canklow on longer distance services 1329264 (1 to 2 per hour) was
only 7 minutes the benefit took the form of improved reliability
Services bound for Sheffield Road (5 per hour) Distance operated per trip was reduced by
08km Running time was not reduced because the scheduled time to the next timing point was
considered to be tight Benefits took the form of improved reliability
Services bound for Masbrough Street (12 per hour) There was no saving in distance operated
as the old and new routes were similar in length At first running time was reduced because
delay was avoided at the junction of College Way and Centenary Way This proved to be
optimistic and the reduction in running time was removed
The scheme allowed the introduction of a new and more convenient bus stop serving the main
shopping area There is anecdotal evidence that the increased pedestrian activity around the new
bus stops has helped to regenerate the area
South Yorkshire Police insist that buses should not cross the central white line in the road unless
authorised by a police officer An emergency plan has been drawn up for alternative routes and
provision of a recovery vehicle to deal with vehicle breakdowns in the contra-flow bus lane All street
works are planned and alternative routes agreed in advance with bus operators via South Yorkshire
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Contra-flow bus lane Corporation Street Rotherham
Traffic Flows
No adverse impact was experienced by general traffic using Corporation Street in the northbound
direction Although lsquoafterrsquo traffic count data is not yet available observation suggests no noticeable
change in traffic volume
Conclusions Introduction of the contra-flow bus lane provided a more direct route through the town centre for a
number of bus services It also allowed the introduction of more convenient outbound bus stops
serving the town centre Reduced journey times were achieved on some services On others the
reduction in journey time was used to improve reliability
Acknowledgements This was produced with the assistance of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council South
Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and First in South Yorkshire
Other Examples Russell Square London WC1
Contact the London Borough of Camden on 020 7278 4444 (main switchboard) Ask for the
Team Manager of the Transportation and Engineering Department
North Lane Leeds
Contact Leeds City Council Highways and Transport Department on 0113 247 7500
Further Information Further information on the Corporation Street contra-flow bus lane can be obtained from
Rotherham Metropolitan District Council
Planning Transportation and Tourism Service
Bailey House Rawmarsh Road Rotherham S60 1TD
01709 822958
wwwrotherhamgovuk
South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
PO Box 801 Exchange Street Sheffield S2 5YT
0113 276 7575
wwwsyptecouk
Other general guidance on the implementation of schemes such as this can be found in the following
DETR Local Transport Note 197 Keeping Buses Moving The Stationery Office January 1997
The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions The Stationery Office 2002
Bus Priority
6
1204
Case study Whole route approach St Albans Road Green Route Watford
Description of need Background
Hertfordshirersquos Green Routes form part of the strategy for delivering the bus policy
set out in the Local Transport Plan In particular Green Routes are intended to
help to deliver improved reliability through bus priority enhanced service levels
better quality buses a more accessible bus network and better facilities and
information for passengers
The A412 St Albans Road is located to the north of Watford and connects the
town centre to the A405 Kingsway North Orbital Road The overall aim of the
scheme was to make use of road space on St Albans Road released by the
opening of a new parallel road in order to provide priority for buses and
encourage modal shift to buses
Problems
The numerous bus services using St Albans Road suffered from poor reliability
as buses were delayed by traffic congestion
Objectives
The overall objectives of Green Routes in Hertfordshire are to provide a more
reliable service an increased level of service accessible buses and bus stops
better facilities for passengers at bus stops and high quality information through
partnership between the County Council and bus operators
The aims specific to the St Albans Road Green Route project were to provide a
more reliable and attractive bus service encourage modal shift in favour of the
bus improve overall access to the town and assist people with restricted mobility
The five specific objectives are as follows
to improve bus operations and passenger facilities
with extra priority for buses
to discourage cars and commercial vehicles from
using the A412 St Albans Road in favour of the
parallel A4008 Stephenson Way
to encourage a modal shift towards the bus whilst
improving overall access to the town and assisting
people with restricted mobility
to introduce safe and convenient routes for
pedestrians and cyclists and
to encourage Heavy Goods Vehicles to use St
Albans Road for access only
Illustration of scheme
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St Albans Road Green Route
Scheme details Description The scheme extends northwards along the A412 St Albans Road from Watford
Junction in the south to a point close to the junction with the A405(T) Kingsway
North Orbital Road The opening of the A4008 Stephenson Way connecting
Watford with the M1 and A41 (T) in 1993 created the opportunity to introduce
priority for buses on the A412 utilising road space released by traffic
transferring to Stephenson Way
Priority for buses was provided by the designation of with-flow bus lanes
totalling 885 metres in length installation of pre signals at three junctions and
introduction of selective vehicle detection in an enhanced version of SCOOT
Accessibility was improved by the introduction of low floor buses and the
installation of easy access kerbs at bus stops Improvements were made to
facilities for passengers through the installation of new shelters and provision
of improved seating street lighting and timetable displays Measures were
also introduced to increase pedestrian safety through improvement works at a
pedestrian crossing and the introduction of signal controlled pedestrian
crossing facilities at two locations
The overriding need to manage traffic entering and leaving the A41(T) at the
Dome Roundabout limited the scope for developing effective bus priority
measures on the St Albans Road approaches to the junction
Conditions for cyclists were improved by permitting shared use of bus lanes
introducing several lengths of cycle lane and providing advance stop lines at
several traffic signal controlled junctions Ancillary measures included
provision of loading bays and a small number of lsquopay and displayrsquo car parking
spaces footway resurfacing improvements to pedestrian crossing points and
replacement of pedestrian guard rail
Implementation The scheme was implemented in three phases following an initial UTC
date upgrade in 1996 Phase 1 construction works began in January 1998 the
following phases were opened in June 1998 November 1998 and August 1999
Selective detection of buses became operational in February 2000 and some
further small-scale improvement works were also implemented at Station
Road Watford during 2000
Cost The overall cost of the scheme was pound176 million (2000 prices) The total cost
is broken down as follows
Activity Cost (poundmillion)
Statutory undertakers diversions 011
UTC upgrades (1996) 042
Phase 1 construction (January to June 1998) 052
Phase 2 construction (August to November 1998) 050
Phase 3 construction (February to August 1999) 006
Selective vehicle detection active bus priority 001
Post implementation modification (works at Station Road) 014
Total 176
Source Hertfordshire County Council
In addition Arriva expenditure on new easy access low floor buses in the
Watford area totalled pound47 million in the period 1997 to 2000 This included the
acquisition of 11 gas powered buses
Consultation A number of public exhibitions detailing proposals for the scheme were held
in Autumn 1995 A leaflet was produced outlining proposals and inviting
members of the public to the exhibitions the leaflets were distributed to all
households in the area Comments on the proposals were collected using a
questionnaire at the exhibitions These comments were taken on board and
changes were made to the proposals including shortening the bus lanes in
places and toning down the parking restrictions The second set of proposals
were displayed in a second round of public exhibitions during February 1997
this coincided with advertising of the TROs
Bus operator The great majority of bus services on the St Albans Road corridor are
operated by Arriva The Shires and Essex The operator was closely involved in
development of the proposed scheme in accordance with the voluntary Quality
Bus Partnership and made contributions through deployment of new low floor
buses and by undertaking a bus user survey as a contribution to scheme
monitoring
Bus frequency The A412 St Albans Road Corridor in Watford carries the highest density of
bus services of any road in Hertfordshire During the weekday inter-peak
period there are 16 buses per hour in each direction with additional journeys
operating at peak times
Before and after monitoring Types and dates of surveys
Extensive before and after monitoring has taken place to establish the impact of the Green Route
project
automatic and manual classified traffic counts manual counts in 1996 and 2000
bus journey time surveys (on-bus and roadside) 1994 1996 1998 1999 (before) and June 2000
(after)
car journey time surveys 1994 1999 and 2000
bus occupancy surveys March 1996 and July 2000
perception survey of bus users MayJune 2000 and
interview survey of local residents and postal questionnaire to properties fronting on to St Albans
Road 2001
Results Traffic flows
Analysis of automatic traffic count data for 1996 and 1999 indicates that traffic flows on the A412 St
Albans Road decreased by 11 per cent south of the A41(T) junction and by 6 per cent to the north of
the junction In the same period traffic flow on the A4008 Stephenson Way increased by 20 per
cent indicating the diversion of traffic from the A412 to the parallel A4008 In comparison traffic in
the Watford area grew by 5 per cent during the same time period
Manual traffic counts undertaken at a number of points along the A412 indicate an overall reduction
of 14 per cent in weekday two-way traffic flow over a period of 12 hours There was also a
reduction of up to 15 per cent in traffic levels on side roads
Journey times
Average southbound bus journey times on the southern part of the St Albans Road Green Route
between the A41(T) at the Dome Roundabout and Station Road Watford decreased by 25 minutes
(12 per cent) in the AM peak period between February 1996 and June 2000 but were unchanged in
the inter-peak and PM peak periods In the northbound direction the average journey time reduction
over all three time periods was more than 15 minutes (17 per cent)
Car journey times southbound between Garston and Watford Junction Station at the northern and
southern ends of the Green Route increased by 75 minutes in the AM peak and 30 minutes in the
inter-peak period between 1994 and 2000 There were no significant changes in car journey times
southbound in the PM peak and northbound in all three time periods
Analysis of vehicle queuing counts indicates an overall increase in queuing at junctions on St
Albans Road between 1996 and 2000 reflecting the loss of stacking space following the introduction
of bus lanes and pre signals In developing the scheme it had been anticipated that increased
queuing and car journey times on St Albans Road would encourage general traffic to divert to the
A4008 Stephenson Way
Reliability
A survey of bus arrival times in Watford town centre undertaken by Arriva indicated an improvement
of 65 per cent in bus reliability
Bus occupancy and modal share
A comparison of bus occupancy in March 1996 and July 2000 showed increases in the number of
people travelling by bus of 17 per cent in the AM peak 18 per cent off-peak and 11 per cent in the
PM peak Bus mode share increased by 5 per cent in the same period A comparison of 1999 and
2000 patronage data for two key bus services using St Albans Road showed an increase of 18 per
cent compared with a fall of 61 per cent on the remainder of the local network
Local opinion
A bus passenger interview survey commissioned by Arriva in May 2000 included 387 completed
interviews The majority of respondents thought that buses were normally on time (67 per cent)
bus journey time had stayed the same or improved since completion of the Green Route (82 per
cent) and that the quality of passenger shelters had improved (53 per cent) Issues of concern to
respondents included delays to buses at locations beyond the Green Route and the frequency of
bus services using the corridor
Market research of the views of local businesses and occupiers of frontage properties indicated
that improved access to shops loading bays and parking facilities were the most positive elements
of the Green Route project whilst the least satisfactory aspects were disruption to trade during
construction and decrease in traffic speed
Air quality
Emissions by buses were reduced as a result of investment by Arriva in new low floor diesel and
gas-powered buses The gas-powered buses were effective in reducing emissions but problems
were encountered with fuel consumption and range on a full tank of fuel Consequently the fleet of
gas buses has now been converted to operate on diesel fuel
Conclusions Hertfordshire County Council considers that the St Albans Road Green Route has achieved its
objectives of reducing bus journey times improving reliability and increasing bus patronage and
mode share The strategic objective of displacing traffic onto a more suitable parallel route (A4008
Stephenson Way) has also been achieved without any increase in lsquorat runningrsquo
References Green Route Scrutiny Report by Transport Panel Hertfordshire County Council December 2001
St Albans Road Green Route Project Before and After Report Hertfordshire County Council
August 2000
Acknowledgements This leaflet was produced with the assistance of Hertfordshire County Council
Other examples Other examples can be found in this resource pack including
Durham Road Super Route Sunderland
Chepstow Road Newport
Further information Further information on the St Albans Road Green Route can be obtained from
Hertfordshire County Council
County Hall
Pegs Lane
Hertford
01992 556765
wwwhertsdirectorg
Bus Priority
6
1204
Case study Bus gates amp bus only links
Introduction Bus gates and bus only links are short lengths of bus only street intended to allow
buses to travel on direct routes that are prohibited to all other traffic They are
used to keep unwanted traffic out of an area whilst allowing the operation of a bus
service on a direct route that is attractive to passengers
In its simplest form a bus gate or bus only link is a short section of road where a
Traffic Regulation Order is in place restricting access to buses Signs are the only
protection against violation In such cases abuse of the restriction by other
categories of traffic is common
Local authorities have adopted a variety of approaches to make bus gates more
effective or self-enforcing Measures used include application of a different colour
or surface treatment to the gate carriageway narrowing (sometimes
complemented by traffic calming or a physical obstruction) and protection by
bus-activated traffic signals or rising bollards
Bus gates or bus only links can be used in a variety of different situations
as part of a toolkit of measures used to restrict access for general traffic and
allow buses to operate in town and city centres
to enable buses to bypass congested junctions
to allow buses to penetrate residential areas industrial areas and business
parks whilst preventing the route becoming an attractive short-cut for unwanted
through traffic and
to maintain bus routes where a traffic management scheme has been
implemented or a new road has been built
Enforcement Bus gates are particularly susceptible to violation unless measures are taken to
make them less attractive to motorists and more self-enforcing This can be
done in a number of ways
by narrowing the carriageway in the bus gate to the
minimum necessary to accommodate a bus
by installing traffic signals with bus detection
by installing rising bollards that are activated by
transponders on buses (see case study of Bridge
Street rising bollards Cambridge) and
by using a different colour or surface treatment for
the bus gate or installing traffic calming (eg a
speed cushion) in the gate (see case study of bus
friendly traffic calming Hull)
In a few locations local authorities have utilised physical obstructions that can be crossed by buses
but not by cars as an alternative to installing a speed cushion in a bus gate The difficulty with a
physical obstruction such as a sunken area in the middle of the carriageway is that it may preclude
use of the bus gate by emergency vehicles minibuses and some midibuses
Priority access point Northgate Bath
The priority access point on Northgate Street in Bath City Centre was introduced by Bath and North
East Somerset Council in 2001 with the objectives of reducing the volume of traffic in the city
centre providing an opportunity to improve public transport services reducing noise and air
pollution in the city centre improving the pedestrian environment for city centre users and thereby
encouraging investment in the central area Alternative routes were available for displaced traffic ndash
A367 Green ParkCharles Street and A36 Bathwick StreetCleveland Place The diagram below
illustrates the strategic location of the bus gate
The priority access point takes the form of a short length of road with access controlled by a set of
transponder-activated traffic signals From initial implementation the bus gate operated between
0830 and 1830 on all days of the week This time period was chosen following consultation with
the police emergency services city centre traders and bus operators Following a review of the
hours of operation it is proposed to revise the hours to 1000 to 1800 during 200405 in order to
ease constraints on servicing premises in the city centre
This scheme is part of the cityrsquos wider traffic management system that has been introduced with
the aim of improving the environment in central Bath and creating a more pleasant area for all
users
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Northgate bus priority measures Bath priority access point
The priority access point is used by 14-15 southbound buses per hour in peak hours reducing to
12-13 buses per hour in the inter-peak In addition the bus gate can be used by taxis private hire
vehicles emergency vehicles and cycles
Monitoring has shown reduced bus journey times increased reliability and reduced traffic levels on
the streets leading to the priority access point of up to 70 per cent after implementation
Strathmore Street bus gate Perth
A with-flow bus lane and bus gate were installed on Strathmore Street in Perth in order to enable
buses to bypass queuing traffic The bus gate at the end of the bus lane is intended to allow buses
to re-enter the traffic lane safely at a pinch point where the carriageway can accommodate only two
lanes Buses leaving the bus stop at the end of the bus lane trigger the traffic signals at the bus
gate to create a gap in the traffic A hurry call is also sent to downstream traffic signals The
downstream section of the route is heavily congested and the traffic signals at the bus gate can be
used to control traffic flow Limited localised carriageway widening was necessary over a length of
35 metres to enable construction of the bus gate The maximum depth of widening was 20 metres
The scheme is one of several measures introduced in Perth to improve reliability on Stagecoach
service 7 The combined effect of a doubling of daytime frequency the introduction of new buses and
the reliability benefits of bus priority has seen an increase of more than 50 per cent in patronage
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h a
nd
Kin
ross
Co
un
cil
Strathmore Street bus priority Strathmore Street bus gate
Ilminster Road bus gate Taunton
The bus gate on Old Ilminster Road in Taunton has been in operation since 1996 and has brought
significant journey time and distance savings for bus services travelling into the centre of Taunton
A plan is provided to illustrate the scheme and shows the new route taken by buses alongside the
route used before the bus gate was installed
Before the installation of the bus gate in 1996 buses travelled the same route as general traffic
from the motorway junction and along the dual carriageway (A358) before entering the town centre
a journey of around 3 kilometres Since the bus gate has been introduced buses now avoid
congestion at junctions on this busy dual
carriageway and as a result the journey
distance has dropped to around 16
kilometres and saves around 15 minutes
during peak hours
As the photo shows the bus gate is
enforced with a rising bollard which is
activated by transponders on the bus Fire
service vehicles can also use this bus gate
they are fitted with tags which are enabled
by their emergency lights The tag activates
the bollard and allows them to pass through Old Ilminster Road bus route
Taunton bus gate
Guided bus link Kesgrave Ipswich
The Kesgrave guided busway on Superoute 66 in Ipswich is an example of a fully self-enforcing bus
link The purpose of the 200 metre length of guided busway is to allow buses to take a direct route
between two neighbouring residential areas without providing a through route for cars avoiding main
road traffic congestion
The route taken by the Superoute 66 service is shown on the above plan with the yellow line
representing the guided bus link By using this guided bus link around one and a half minutes is
saved on each Superoute journey selective vehicle detection (SVD) used at two junctions further
along this route also helps to ensure that this service runs to schedule
Co
urt
esy
of
So
mers
et
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un
ty C
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ncil
C
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rtesy
of
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on
sult
ing
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of
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ing
Superoute 66
The service also incorporates Real Time Passenger Information technology at some stops
providing passengers with information about the next bus expected at the stop
The Superoute 66 has been a success and the frequency of the service has altered to reflect this
When the service started buses ran every 20 minutes however due to its success the service has
been increased to operate on a 24-hour basis with the bus running at 15 minute intervals with a 10
minute frequency in the peak hours and hourly overnight In addition vehicle type has been changed
from short single-deck vehicles through long single-deck buses to double-deck vehicles
Derriford Road Plymouth
Stage 2 of bus priority works in the Derriford
Road area of Plymouth began in March 2004
The work which incorporated the installation of a
signal controlled bus gate was completed in
August 2004 as part of a wider package of bus
priority measures which are in place on Derriford
Road
The works carried out on Derriford Road have
extended the existing bus lane and added new
measures to encourage the use of bus over the
private car The installation of the most recent
bus gate in this area is used as an example here Superoute 66 guided bus link
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urt
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of
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ffo
lk C
ou
nty
Co
un
cil
The bus gate was installed with the help of developer funding It allows southbound buses travelling
on the A386 access to Derriford Hospital without having to use Derriford roundabout This means
that buses can bypass busy sections of road and make journey time savings
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The Derriford Road bus priority scheme
Pemros Road Plymouth
The Pemros Road bus gate and bus only link in Plymouth have been in place for many years The
presence of the bus gate and bus only link prevents general traffic from using a road which goes
through a residential area to get to the Tamar Bridge
The bus only link carries bus services wanting to cross the busy Tamar Bridge and allows them to
travel easily avoiding general traffic congestion The bus gate is open to taxis as well as buses and
is enforced with a camera
The Tamar Bridge has also been fitted with a tagging system that detects buses travelling
eastwards from Saltash and closes the toll lane barriers This prevents general traffic travelling up
the A38 While general traffic is being held buses are then free to turn right from the left hand lane
to reach the Pemros Road bus gate
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Pemros Road bus only link
Conclusions The bus gates and bus only links discussed have all been implemented as part of a wider
package of bus priority measures which have had significant effects on either bus patronage or
bus journey times The examples used all show different technologies and enforcement
measures which can be used when installing a bus gate with each of them having some success
in their installation The use of a bus gate or bus only link however should be considered with
regards to local conditions to ensure that they are appropriate Consultation is also an important
part of the process and should not be overlooked
Acknowledgements This leaflet was produced with the assistance of Bath and North East Somerset Council Perth and
Kinross Council Somerset County Council Suffolk County Council and Plymouth City Council
Other examples A number of examples of bus gates are to be found in case studies elsewhere in this resource
pack
Leeds City Centre A number of bus gates provide priority access for buses to the central area
lsquopublic transport boxrsquo whilst encouraging other vehicles to use the lsquocity centre looprsquo road to make
cross-city trips
Oxford City Centre Several bus gates have been installed to control access to the city centre
public transport route as part of the Oxford Transport Strategy and
Cambridge City Centre The Bridge Street bus gate in Cambridge is made self-enforcing by the
use of rising bollards
References Guidelines for Planning for Public Transport in Developments The Institution of Highways and
Transportation 1999
Local Transport Note 197 Keeping Buses Moving 1997
Further information For further information on the case studies identified in this leaflet contact
Barbara Selby Traffic and Transportation Manager (Transportation and Highways) Bath and
North East Somerset Council on 01225 395386
Scott Denyer (Urban Traffic Control) Perth and Kinross Council on 01738 476517
Keith Jennings Traffic Signals Manager Somerset County Council on 01823 358233 or email
kpjenningssomersetgovuk
Ian Gray Transport Co-ordination Manager Suffolk County Council on 01473 265049
Philip Heseltine Senior Engineer (Transportation) Plymouth City Council on 01752 307942
Bus Priority
6
0903
Description of need Background
The Cambridge Core Traffic Scheme (CCTS) is an important part of the cityrsquos
overall transport strategy developed to cut congestion in the centre Both the local
city plan and the county structure plan recognise the need to reduce traffic in the
relatively compact central area as this would improve safety air quality and the
general environment
CCTS involves restricting
through traffic to the city centre at
key entry points using rising
bollards Local buses taxis and
bicycles are exempt from the
restrictions
Residents and businesses in the
city centre were canvassed on
which routes should be
restricted and they gave their
strongest support to Bridge
Street just north of the city centre
Problems
The main problem in Cambridge was perceived as the high traffic levels in a
relatively compact city This in turn resulted in a range of adverse impacts such
as poor pedestrian safety air quality concerns and delays to public transport
Objectives
The overall objective of CCTS is to lsquoencourage greater use of walking cycling and
public transport and discourage dependency on the private motor carrsquo CCTS also
meets both national and regional objectives on traffic reduction and improved air
quality The local objectives are to
bull stop cars driving into the city centre
bull maintain access to city centre properties
bull maintain public transport and cycle access
bull improve pedestrian safety
bull enhance the environment
bull improve air quality and
bull achieve an overall improvement
Case study Rising bollards Bridge Street Cambridge
Park and ride bus gaining access through Bridge Street closure
point
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of
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gesh
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un
cil
Scheme details Description Traffic restraint via rising bollards acting as a bus gate One side of
Bridge Street is occupied by college buildings and the other is
retail mainly pubs and restaurants
Implementation date The closure scheme began on 22 January 1997
Costs Funding for the CCTS came from the Government as part of public
transport allocations pound150000 was spent on the experiment
Although maintenance is handled under a single contract covering
all bollard systems in the city annual maintenance costs have
been estimated at pound5000
Consultation Stakeholders residents and business within the central core area
were consulted on the scheme Public consultation in March 1998
followed the experimental introduction and showed good support
Bus operator Stagecoach Cambus
Bus frequency Park and ride services have a 10 minute frequency as do many of
the other services that run in Cambridge More rural services
operate on a lower frequency of 30 minutes to an hour
Illustration of scheme
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Before and after monitoring
Cou
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y of
Cam
brid
gesh
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nty
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ncil
Cyclist using mandatory cycle lane to bypass rising bollards Mandatory signing for Bridge Street closure point
Dates of surveys
Cambridge City Council carried out monitoring surveys in both the summer and autumn of 1996
before implementing the scheme lsquoafterrsquo surveys were carried out in autumn 1997
Types of surveys
The surveys looked at a range of variables including
bull traffic flows
bull vehicle speeds
bull journey times
bull cycle and pedestrian flows and
bull air quality
The local authority chose monitoring sites on main roads where it could expect traffic flows to
increase
Manual classified counts were carried out on main roads These took place on both weekdays and
Saturdays between 0700 and 1900 Peak hour traffic surveys were carried out elsewhere
Journey time surveys were carried out in both directions on the inner ring road during the morning
and evening peaks and at off-peak times Similar surveys were also carried out on four radial
routes which were either used by park and ride buses or gave access to the north west of the city
The city council made the results of this extensive monitoring available in January 1998 The main
findings are summarised below
Results Traffic flows
The cityrsquos radial routes and inner ring road showed collectively little change after the scheme was
introduced But some individual roads experienced increases in traffic whilst others experienced
decreases as a result of the scheme
On Bridge Street itself traffic was physically prevented from entering so obviously it was
significantly reduced by up to 85 per cent on weekdays
Evaluation of the scheme concluded that overall lsquosignificant traffic reductions have been achieved
on the closure route without causing unexpected increases on other roadsrsquo
Journey times
Journey time savings for general traffic showed a lsquomixed bagrsquo of results However there was a
general improvement on the inner ring during peak periods and deterioration in off peak journey
times The table below summarises changes to journey times
Summary of journey times on the ring road
Clockwise BEFORE AFTER Anti-clockwise BEFORE AFTER (minsec) (minsec) (minsec) (minsec)
AM Peak 1817 1719 AM Peak 2358 1851
Off Peak 1724 1947 Off Peak 1526 1710
PM Peak 4159 3542 PM Peak 2317 2518
(Data based on 85th percentile of journey time runs per time period)
Air quality
Cambridge City Council monitored nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels before and after implementation of
the scheme Nitrogen dioxide is one of the air pollutants most closely associated with traffic and is
a useful indicator of traffic-related pollution
Air quality monitoring indicates that NO2 levels have improved or stayed the same at 16 out of 18
sites across the city centre Air quality has only deteriorated at two sites Overall the scheme
seems to have had a positive effect
System performance
During the schemersquos early days the number of hours that the bollards operated was disappointing
This was largely because unauthorised vehicles tried to get through the Bridge Street bollards
immediately behind buses and taxis and in doing so damaged the bollards
The council improved the performance of the bollards by introducing flashing warning signs
changing the closure point layout and improving the detection system for unauthorised vehicles
The bollards now operate effectively for around 95 per cent of the time
Conclusions The rising bollards in Bridge Street have given significant priority to local buses taxis and cyclists
entering Cambridge city centre Traffic flows have been significantly reduced on the closure route
without causing an unexpected increase in traffic on other roads The scheme has also improved
local air quality
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brid
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Safety loops cut in to carriageway around and on approach to rising bollard
References Cambridgeshire County Council Cambridge Core Traffic Scheme Stage 1 ndash Bridge Street
Experimental Road Closure Environment and Transport Committee 1998
Acknowledgements This leaflet was produced with the help of the Environment and Transport Department at
Cambridgeshire County Council For further information contact the Cambridge Project Team on
01223 717780
Other examples bull Stonebow York
Contact The City of York Council Network Management Section (Traffic unit) on 01904 613161
ext 1450
bull High Wycombe Buckinghamshire
Contact Buckingham County Council for more details wycombebucksccgovuk or the
Wycombe Area Office on 01494 475315
Further information Assistance with the implementation of rising bollards is offered in the following documents
bull Traffic Advisory Leaflet 497 Rising Bollards DETR April 1997
bull DETR Local Transport Note 197 Keeping Buses Moving The Stationery Office January 1997
The Local Authority Rising Bollard User Group (LARBUG) intends to publish advice on the use of
rising bollards in due course
Bus Priority
6
0903
Description of need Background
The A641 Manchester Road in Bradford is the main route south from the city
centre to the M606 motorway and the towns of Brighouse and Huddersfield
Before the guided bus scheme there was no priority for buses on the Bradford
section of this corridor Traffic congestion meant long journey times and poor
reliability
In 1998 the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (MDC) West Yorkshire
Passenger Transport Executive (Metro) and bus operator First commissioned two
studies These recommended the development of a guided bus scheme as part
of the South Bradford Quality Bus initiative This would give Manchester Road a
high level of bus priority
City of Bradford MDC Metro and First formed a publicprivate sector partnership
to develop a guided bus scheme They refined their proposals in 1999 so the final
scheme consisted of a mix of guided busway with-flow bus lanes and priority at
signal controlled junctions Construction began in November 2000 and the
scheme opened in February 2002
Problems
Before the guided busway opened congestion delayed
buses in both directions during peak hours Timetables
included an additional 10 minutes to allow for delays
Congestion on Manchester Road affected the reliability
of cross-city services on the Shipley and Leeds
corridors
Surveys in 1998 - 99 highlighted reliability and
punctuality as bus usersrsquo greatest concerns Motorists
Case study Guided busway Manchester Road Bradford
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also identified reliability and punctuality of buses as the most important factor influencing their
willingness to switch to bus The city council was concerned about the way that the dual
carriageway cut South Bradford in two for pedestrians forcing
them to rely on footbridges and subways
Objectives
The scheme aimed to
improve bus reliability
reduce bus journey times
increase passenger confidence and
encourage motorists to switch to the bus
Scheme details Description The guided busway required the reallocation of 23 kilometres of road
space on the dual carriagewayrsquos central reservation The scheme also
involved the introduction of conventional near-side with-flow bus lanes for
11 kilometres of the route These are available to buses and cyclists
In some places the number of lanes available for general traffic was cut
from three to two in each direction The objective was to provide two
lanes for through traffic over the full length of the scheme Three lanes
were retained at junctions to cater for turning traffic The speed limit was
also lowered from 40 to 30 mph The City Council installed signal-
controlled pedestrian crossings at 11 locations to serve bus stops on the
central guided busway and at kerbside bus stops These additional
crossings greatly improved pedestrian links between communities on
opposite sides of Manchester Road
The Council also raised the kerb at stops on Manchester Road and
elsewhere along the corridor to give close and level boarding New bus
shelters were also part of the scheme including three landmark lsquosuper
sheltersrsquo These are three times the size of normal shelters and fitted
with wind turbines to power heated seats or an information display
As well as helping to pay for some of the infrastructure First also
provided new accessible low sulphur emission buses They trained
drivers to a higher standard in customer care and introduced a lsquocustomer
promisersquo to guarantee service standards
Implementation date Construction work was close enough to completion to allow driver
training to begin in July 2001 Services began to operate along the guided
busway on 31 January 2002
Costs The scheme cost pound12 million at 2001 prices including the cost of the
new buses Highway works cost pound47 million noise insulation pound600000
and diversions to statutory services pound1 million
Inbound guideway Manchester Road Bradford
Cou
rtes
y of
Met
ro
Consultation In summer 1999 the city council delivered a colour leaflet explaining the
scheme to properties along the corridor The leaflet included a short
post-paid questionnaire The council exhibited detailed plans at two
locations in Bradford city centre and on a bus lsquoroadshowrsquo at a
supermarket close to the corridor Council officers answered questions
on the scheme at a number of Neighbourhood Forums Eight newsletters
were issued to provide information on progress and explain the impact of
construction works on traffic
Bus operators First in Bradford provides the majority of bus services on Manchester
Road including all those on the guided busway Two Arriva Yorkshire
services operate along sections of Manchester Road but do not use any
of the guided busways
Bus frequency During daytime on Mondays to Fridays there are 22 buses an hour in
each direction on Manchester Road between Odsal and Bradford city
centre
Illustration of scheme
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Before and after monitoring Dates of surveys
lsquoBeforersquo data was collected in May and June 2000 lsquoAfterrsquo surveys took place in May and June 2002
Types of surveys
The lsquobeforersquo and lsquoafterrsquo monitoring programme consisted of
car and bus journey time registration surveys
bus occupancy counts
automatic traffic counts and
manual classified traffic counts
A survey of attitudes among 240 bus passengers carried out in April 2002 showed that over 60 per
cent ranked the service as good or very good on a range of 16 indicators
Results City of Bradford MDC has produced a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of the scheme Here
is a summary of the results
Traffic flows
The principal finding was a clear fall in peak traffic using Manchester Road
Inbound traffic on Manchester Road fell by 14 per cent in the morning peak (0730 to 0930) and 13
per cent in the evening peak (1600 to 1800) Outbound traffic on Manchester Road fell by 17 per
cent in the morning peak (0730 to 0930) and 7 per cent in the evening peak (1600 to 1800) The
effect was not restricted to peak periods Total weekday traffic using Manchester Road fell by about
11 per cent mostly switching to other routes in and out of the city
Total inbound traffic on six radial routes to the south of the city centre including Manchester Road
reduced by 6 per cent in the morning peak and 9 per cent in the evening peak Total outbound traffic
on the six radial routes fell by 4 per cent in the morning peak but increased by 3 per cent in the
evening peak
There is evidence that some traffic switched to other routes into the city centre via Wakefield Road
and outbound via both Little Horton Lane and Wakefield Road
Journey times
The installation of 11 new signal-controlled pedestrian crossings was an essential component of
the scheme but had an adverse effect on bus and car journey times
Inbound
Scheduled bus journey time between Odsal Top and Bradford Interchange is 15 minutes in the
morning peak and 13 minutes at other times The express bus service is about three minutes
quicker
Average journey times for inbound stopping bus services reduced by one minute in the morning
peak period (7 per cent) but journey times for the express service did not improve In the morning
peak hour the average time saving increased to two minutes (13 per cent) Inbound car journey
times increased in both periods by between one and two minutes
Before the scheme began peak inbound car journeys were five minutes faster than stopping bus
services and similar to express bus times After implementation inbound car journeys took as long
as stopping buses and the average express bus was three minutes faster than the car
In the morning inter-peak period journey times increased for both buses and cars The net effect
was to increase the difference in journey times between stopping buses and cars from four to five
minutes
In the morning peak the scheme improved bus reliability by reducing variability in express and
stopping bus journey times At the same time variability in journey times by car increased
Outbound
Scheduled bus journey time between Bradford Interchange and Odsal Top is 14 minutes in the
evening peak and 12 minutes at other times The express bus service is about three minutes
quicker
Average journey times for outbound stopping services fell by more than one minute in the evening
peak period (10 per cent) and by more than two minutes (16 per cent) in the evening peak hour The
express service achieved a slightly greater improvement whereas average outbound car journey
times were largely unchanged Variability in bus and car journey times declined in the evening peak
period There were insubstantial changes to average times for outbound buses and cars in the
inter-peak
Differences between journey times by car and bus have been reduced However stopping buses
remain more than two minutes slower in the peak and five minutes slower in the inter-peak
Although there is no direct evidence the new signal controlled pedestrian crossings and speed limit
changes are likely to have increased journey times for all forms of transport
Bus patronage
In August 2001 First launched its lsquoOvergroundrsquo network in Bradford This boosted bus use and
made comparison of the lsquobeforersquo and lsquoafterrsquo figures difficult The analysis was based on electronic
ticket machine (ETM) data and on bus occupancy counts The number of passengers boarding
buses on the length of the corridor directly affected by the scheme between Odsal and the city
centre grew by between 7 and 10 per cent more than on other corridors into Bradford Both data
sources indicate modest growth in the morning peak and inter-peak periods There was growth of
about 20 per cent in the afternoon inter-peak and of 10 per cent in the evening peak
Reduced delays
Most inbound time savings in the morning peak hour were achieved in two locations on the corridor
These were the guided busway approach to the Mayo Avenue junction where one minute was
saved and the right turn into Croft Street at the lsquocityrsquo end of the corridor which saved 30 seconds
Together these accounted for 10 per cent of scheduled bus journey time between Odsal Top and
Bradford Interchange
The majority of outbound evening peak time savings were achieved by the guided busway north of
Mayo Avenue on the approach to the Mayo Avenue roundabout with a saving of one and a half
minutes or 12 per cent of scheduled bus running time from the city centre to Odsal Top
Conclusions Implementation of the Manchester Road guided busway scheme as part of the South Bradford
Quality Bus Initiative resulted in increased bus patronage reduced delays to buses reduced peak
bus journey times and reduced peak traffic flows
Acknowledgements This was produced with the assistance of City of Bradford MDC Metro and First Further
information can be obtained from the City of Bradford MDC Transportation Design and Planning
Department on 01274 437418
Other examples A61 Scott Hall Road Corridor Leeds
Contact Leeds City Council Highways and Transport Department on 0113 247 7500
A64 York Road A63 Selby Road Leeds
Contact Leeds City Council Highways and Transport Department on 0113 247 7500
Kesgrave Connection Ipswich
Contact Suffolk County Council Environment and Transport on 01473 583305
Fastway (CrawleyGatwickHorley) ndash phased opening Summer 2003 to Summer 2005
Contact West Sussex Highways and Transport Department on 01243 777273 Alternatively
information can be obtained from the following web site httpwwwfastwayinfo
Further information The Transport and Works Act provides guidance on
the need for an Order
The Transport and Works Act was not used for the
Bradford scheme However as all the works were
within the highway boundary it was possible to rely
on Traffic Regulation Orders for authorisation
There is no formal published design guidance for
guided busways The Buses and Taxis Division of
the Department of Transport issued a Briefing Note
on Guided Buses in 1995 and numerous articles
have appeared in the technical press
The following documents may also be of interest
Daugherty GG and Balcombe RJ Leeds Guided
Bus way Study Transport Research Laboratory
1999
DETR Local Transport Note 197 Keeping
Buses Moving The Stationery Office January
1997
Shelter with solar panels and a wind turbine
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Bus Priority
6
1204
Traditional bus lane set back
Pre signals junction layout
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Case study Pre signals and bus advance areas
Bus priority at traffic signals whilst maintaining junction capacity is often a
contentious issue The use of pre signals or bus advance areas is an emerging
bus priority measure which has proved successful at various locations around
the UK
Traditionally the end of a bus lane has been set back a short distance from a
junction to enable buses to move between lanes to cater for left turning traffic and
allow for the maximum throughput of all vehicles through the junction This
traditional arrangement is shown below
Traditional bus lane set back Pre signals work by holding general
traffic at traffic signals set back a short
distance from the junction usually at
the end of a designated bus lane This
creates a bus advance area where
while general traffic is held back at
these signals buses are given a green
signal allowing them to proceed to the
main junction and take whichever lane
they need Pre signals placed at the
end of a bus lane also allow buses to
bypass queues and have priority at
main junctions
Pre signals junction layout To ensure junction capacity loss is
minimised pre signals are
synchronised with the main signals
This means that traffic is released from
the pre signals just before the main
signals turn green ensuring that full use
is made of the
green signal
The use of
vehicle
detection technologies at pre signals is also an option
for minimising delays to general traffic in the absence
of vehicles in the bus lane This kind of system would
stop general traffic at the pre signals only if a bus was
approaching
Advantages of pre signals over unsignalled setbacks The two main advantages are as follows
prevents abuse of the bus lane and
useful where buses need to weave into an outside lane to turn right
Disadvantages of pre signals There are a number of disadvantages associated with the use of pre signals
bus delays off-peak
buses that arrive during vehicle green may have a choice between using the traffic lane and
getting green or using the pre signal and waiting a cycle
a bus stop in the wrong place may make it hard to achieve benefit ie if a bus stop is placed just
before the signals then it is not possible to avoid the bus stopping at a red signal and
pedestrians may be tempted to cross in the wrong place if there are signals and an island in
place
Some of the above disadvantages can however be overcome with good design and vehicle
detection
Types of bus pre signals The University of Southamptonrsquos Transport Research Group have identified three main categories
of pre signals that can be used to provide priority to buses at busy junctions
Category A
Category A pre signals are described as those where buses are not controlled by a pre signal
whereas general traffic is This means that while traffic is held at the pre signals buses can
proceed straight to the main junction uncontrolled However when the general traffic has a green
signal buses will have to give way to the main traffic flow
Category B
With category B pre signals buses are controlled in the same way as general traffic so buses have
priority when general traffic is held at a red pre signal and vice versa
Category C
Category C pre signals are defined as those that use vehicle detection to activate the pre signals
and give priority to approaching buses This would mean that delays to general traffic may be
minimised as they are only stopped if an approaching bus is detected Once a bus is detected and
the general traffic has been stopped at the pre signals the bus can then proceed to the main
junction without delay
Bus advance areas at roundabouts Bus priority at roundabouts can be given through creating bus advance areas incorporating pre
signals before the give way line at the entry point to the roundabout
As with pre signals general traffic is held at the end of a bus lane by pre signals while buses can
proceed to the roundabout give way line without delay This system gives buses time to position
themselves in the correct lane to complete their required manoeuvre when entering the roundabout
The type of pre signals that may be used in any particular area are subject to local conditions as not
all categories are suitable in all situations The cost implications and available technologies need
to be considered as part of a package of bus priority measures The following case studies provide
examples of different pre signals schemes differing in technology and complexity
Case study Shepherdrsquos Bush This is an early example of the use of pre signals as part of a package of bus priority measures
aimed at reducing congestion and the negative environmental impact of heavy traffic flows
Pre signals were installed in 1993 at the end of a 24-hour bus lane on the south side of Shepherdrsquos
Bush Common These signals stop general traffic and allow buses to carry on to the main junction
and position themselves in the correct lane This is particularly useful for buses needing to make a
right turn at the main signals When the pre signals are red buses are free to move ahead of the
general traffic However once the pre signal is green any buses emerging from the bus lane will
have to give way to the main traffic flow
The timing of the pre signals is such that general traffic is released shortly before the main signal
turns green and return to red just before the main signal to ensure that the bus advance area is
clear for the buses during the next cycle C
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Shepherdrsquos Bush bus priority measures Reproduced with permission from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
A study carried out by TRL involved before and after surveys of the scheme to identify the effects of
the overall package of measures on buses travelling through Shepherdrsquos Bush
The previous diagram shows the area and the bus priority measures implemented in 1993
The results of the before and after surveys carried out by TRL are given in the table below It shows
changes in bus journey times (seconds) for buses travelling between points A and B on the above
diagram incorporating both the bus lane and pre signals
1992 ndash Before implementation (secs)
Weds Thurs Fri Sat
1993 ndash After implementation (secs)
Weds Thurs Fri Sat
1200-1330
1430-1600
1630-1830
1900-2000
1215
1255
2397
2235
1364
2000
1861
1842
2057
2330
2002
2158
1327
1644
1004
943
959
1602
1444
1572
1014
1196
1310
1078
1193
1637
1579
1197
1234
1194
1616
1236
The results show a considerable reduction in journey times for buses along this stretch after the
implementation of the bus priority measures It is not possible to attribute a specific time saving to
the pre signals as the timesavings are as a result of a combination of measures however it is
considered that the pre signals do contribute considerably
Case study York As a Centre of Excellence for Integrated Transport
Planning the City of York has a range of bus priority
measures in place to reduce bus journey times Pre
signals are one of the measures used to achieve
this
Pre signals on A1079 Hull Road were introduced in
1997 as part of a package of measures linked to the
opening of a park and ride site at Grimston Bar
These signals were installed to give priority to buses
at the end of a bus lane allowing them to re-enter
the carriageway where it is reduced from a double to
a single carriageway on the way into the city centre
The pre signals here are connected to the cityrsquos UTC
system and can be used to regulate traffic flow and
ease congestion on this busy route by holding the
pre signals on green for buses This therefore acts
as a queue management system
The bus priority measures on this stretch of road
have had a positive impact on bus journey times
Inbound pre signals Hull Road York
Hul Road pre signals
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On the Grimston Bar park and ride route for example buses have a peak hour advantage of
between 4 and 12 minutes over cars as a result of the package of priority measures This facility
has the potential to be used as a gate to hold traffic out of the more congested parts of the A1079
into the city This facility is used at inbound peak times The overall effect on car traffic should be
negligible as the increase in delay at the pre signals should be offset by the increased efficiency at
the signalised junctions upstream
Case study Perth In 2000 a number of bus priority measures were installed as part of corridor improvements on the
Stagecoach route number 7 in Perth These improvements included the installation of bus lanes
bus only streets and selective vehicle detection (SVD) at traffic signals
Pre signals were installed on Glasgow Road bus lane to allow buses to bypass queuing traffic on
this busy road The pre signals enable buses to re-enter the general traffic flow at the end of the
bus lane and also controls access to the bus advance area at the main signals
Glasgow Road pre signals Reproduced with permission from Perth and Kinross Council
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Pre signals on Stagecoach route number 7 Pre signals on Stagecoach route number 7
Buses leaving the bus stop near the bottom of the bus lane are detected through SVD technology
and the pre signals are triggered stopping general traffic and allowing buses to enter the bus
advance area
Bus reliability has improved and patronage has increased by over 50 per cent due to the
introduction of these measures and the new and improved bus services
This scheme has been further developed and the extension of the bus lane is an ongoing project
Case study Leeds The East Leeds Quality Bus Initiative incorporates the use of pre signals with a guided busway to
give priority to buses approaching the city centre along the A64 The guided bus scheme involves a
central reservation bus guideway between two busy signalised junctions on the inbound route
which brings buses into conflict with general traffic when they cross from the central reservation to
the general traffic flow and then cross back over again to a bus lane Pre signals are used here to
facilitate this cross over and ensure the safety of all road users Being signals associated with a
bus guideway special white lsquoarrowrsquo aspects were authorised by DfT to replace the normal green
aspects for buses
General traffic along this route is stopped only at the pre signals to give buses priority and not at
the main signals further along the route with which the pre signals are coordinated This is sensible
from a safety point of view as this is a busy 40 mph road and it would be less safe to have a
number of unexpected signal changes
The signals here are coordinated by SPRUCE a
software based Bus and Tram Priority tool that was
developed by Leeds City Council as part of a Government
sponsored initiative This system works within the cityrsquos
UTC system and allows for the selective detection of
priority vehicles Once a priority vehicle has been
detected approaching a junction SPRUCE adjusts the
fixed time signal cycle to allow the bus to pass through
the junction and then returns to the fixed time cycle This
is achieved by using different strategies depending on the
bus arrival time
The use of SPRUCE gives an advantage to buses at all
times of day but it is particularly advantageous in off-peak
hours when it might otherwise be quicker for buses to
use the general traffic lanes The average delay to buses
in the off-peak resulting from this signal priority was
reduced from 32 seconds to 8 seconds DfT authorised white arrow signals
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A64 Pre signals
It has been noted that the use of dynamic priority (using priority vehicle detection to alter signal
timings) can be far preferable to static priority (timings not responsive at all times of day) because
buses can more often be granted higher priority with less effect on general traffic
Pre signals are used in other areas of Leeds for example they are used at the end of the A647
Stanningley Road High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane which is used as the case study for the
HOV leaflet
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References High performance bustram signal priority JCT Symposium 2004
Local Transport Note 197 Keeping Buses Moving 1997
Miscellaneous Bus Priority System Investigations Final Report to the Traffic Control Systems Unit
Corporation of London Transportation Research Group University of Southampton 1995
Performance of Bus Priority Measures in Shepherds Bush TRL Report 140 1995
Wu J and Hounsell NB Bus Priority Using Pre-Signals University of Southampton 1998
Acknowledgements Acknowledgement is given for the assistance provided by the London Borough of Hammersmith
and Fulham City of York Council Perth and Kinross Council and Leeds City Council
Further information For further information on the case studies contained in this leaflet contact
Mike Gilroy London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham on 020 8753 3050 (Shepherdrsquos Bush)
Darren Capes (Network Management) City of York Council on 01904 551651
Scott Denyer (Urban Traffic Control) Perth and Kinross Council on 01738 476517
Mervyn Hallworth (Urban Traffic Management amp Control) Leeds City Council on 0113 2476750 or
MervynHallworthLeedsgovuk
Bus Priority
6
1204
Case study Selective Vehicle Detection (SVD) and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)
Background Bus operation is becoming more sophisticated Methods of providing priority to
buses at traffic signals have been available at isolated junctions for many years
one of the first trials was in Swansea in the late 1970s More recently priority to
individual vehicles has been provided for coordinated traffic signal control in
SCOOT a control strategy for traffic signals in urban areas
Bus management systems allow operators to track and monitor their buses
against the timetable or scheduled headway Information from the systems can
be provided to the public in the form of real time passenger information through
various means
bus stop displays
SMS messages to individual subscribers and
web sites etc
Such sophisticated systems provide opportunities for better services to the
travelling public In the case of bus priority systems as well as reducing
passengersrsquo travel times the quicker bus journeys may lead to operational
savings for the operator or the ability to increase service frequencies with the
same number of vehicles
This leaflet describes the technologies that are available to enable bus priority and
bus management and information systems
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of
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ed
Bus information display
Bus location To provide priority at traffic signals to individual vehicles the controller needs to know that the
vehicle is approaching the signals Usually the selected individual vehicles will be buses but other
vehicles such as trams and emergency vehicles also require priority at traffic signals Similarly
real time passenger information systems need to know the location of vehicles There are two
basic ways of providing the information about vehicle location
1 Selectively detect vehicles at particular points on the road network often requiring
communication between equipment on the vehicle and at the roadside
2 The vehicle has an on-board means of locating its position and reports it to a vehicle
management system
The first method is commonly referred to as Selective Vehicle Detection (SVD) and the second as
Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)
The objective of SVD and AVL systems is to provide vehicle location information as required by the
bus priority and bus management and information systems that are in use Each system has its
own advantages and disadvantages
SVD technologies There are several technologies that can provide selective vehicle detection
long vehicle inductive loops
vehicle inductive loop detector signal processing
video image processing
infra-red transmitter and receiver
microwave transmitter and receiver and
inductive loop and transponder
The first three methods are all passive there is no active participation in the detection process by
the vehicle or equipment on it Passive detection is attractive as it eliminates the need to equip a
large fleet of vehicles The first method using long loops can be made to detect full-size buses
reliably but it will detect other long vehicles and will not detect smaller buses Historically the
method has been rejected on these grounds
In mixed traffic two new intelligent vehicle detectors PRISM and FOOTPRINT work by processing
the signal from an inductive loop detector to recognise a specific vehicle The technology is suitable
for giving the same level of priority to all vehicles of the same type but it cannot provide different
levels of priority to a particular bus for example - only to late-running buses It also cannot provide
information on individual vehicles for information and management purposes The technique would
be particularly appropriate at isolated bus only facilities such as the entrance or exit of a park and
ride site where the expense of on-vehicle equipment on all buses that might be used on the service
would be hard to justify for use at a very few sites No independent verification of the performance
of the detectors is known
Video image processing would require considerable development to provide a reliable system to
work under all urban conditions No-one has so far undertaken the necessary investment to
develop a commercial system for bus detection in urban areas
Infra-red equipment is allowed to transmit continuously as it is not subject to radio transmission
regulations and a transmitter on a bus could continuously transmit its presence to be detected by
suitable roadside receivers Unfortunately the infra-red communication requires line-of sight
transmission and a study in London in the 1980s concluded that to provide reliable detection would
require many high mounted receivers The cost of regularly cleaning them to maintain reliable
operation would be prohibitive because of the difficulty of access
Infra-red detectors are used in North America for both bus priority and signal pre-emption for
emergency vehicles where a high degree of priority is required however there has been
considerable disquiet recently about the use of un-encoded infra-red and the sale to private
motorists of signal pre-emption transmitters
Microwave transmitters and receivers have similar problems with mounting to avoid obscuration
this system can also be problematic as mobile microwave equipment is not allowed to transmit
continuously The bus equipment would therefore have to be a transponder and only transmit in
response to a signal from the roadside
Vehicle mounted transponders that work with inductive loops have been available for a long time
but as with all loop detectors the loop and feeder are susceptible to damage Despite the
vulnerability of the loops inductive loop transponder systems are the SVD technology used in the
majority of bus priority networks in the UK Self contained transponders with a unique ID number
do not need connecting to the vehicle electrical system and so are quick and cheap to install To
obtain information about the service that the vehicle is running on however requires connection to
the vehicle systems usually the electronic ticketing machine Both types are available
AVL technologies The technologies available for in-vehicle units in AVL systems are
Global Positioning System (GPS)
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)
fixed reference points
odometer (milometer) and
door open and close indicator
Many of the commercial AVL systems currently operational in the UK use GPS for their location A
GPS tracking device on the bus communicates by private mobile radio to the central system and a
link to the electronic ticketing machine can provide additional information on the current route
However until 2000 accuracy of the positioning without correction of the deliberate error in the
system was a problem The error has since been removed and commercial GPS is now accurate
to plusmn 3 metres
Where GPS reception is poor it may be supplemented with a reading from the odometer In
addition it is possible to take an input from the door operating mechanism to indicate when a bus
has arrived at a stop and when it has left it For bus priority a second communication channel is
usually provided for direct transmission of bus priority requests to traffic signal controllers
Global Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a wireless communication service for data using the
mobile phone network It is used alongside GPS technology to provide accurate vehicle location
data and instant communication between the vehicle and the real time information system by
allowing faster access to bus service information
AVL systems can also use fixed reference points such as bus stop indicators or special beacons
route maps and dead reckoning from the odometer
The complexity of the system will be reflected in the cost of the system
Requirements for bus priority The basic requirement for bus priority is that the location system should provide accurate
information when a bus is at the specified point where bus priority is requested This point will
normally be 10 to 15 seconds bus journey time before the junction unless there is an intermediate
bus stop Where there is a bus stop close to the junction the priority request point will be
immediately after that bus stop
If the location is subject to error then the priority request point will have to be moved sufficiently
downstream of the bus stop to ensure that the bus will actually have left the stop when the AVL says
that it is at the priority request point The benefits of the bus priority will be degraded if the priority
request point has to be moved too close to the junction
Requirements for bus management and information Locational information is required at a sufficient frequency to provide good bus management and
passenger information The exact requirement will depend on the user but the minimum is likely to
be arrival andor departure from each bus stop to an accuracy of better than one minute
Capabilities of SVD and AVL Capability SVD AVL
Location Accurate Typically plusmn 3m
Multifunction ndash priority May only be priority Usually all functions available as standard
management information
Flexibility Location information only available Location information available everywhere
where detectors are installed Bus priority request points stored in
database
Main maintenance requirements Loop detectors Database
Inter-operability Standards not fully defined as yet Discussions on standards on-going
Common disadvantages The main disadvantage of any system that uses on-bus equipment is that operators move buses
between routes between towns and between regions If different highway authorities use different
systems the SVD or AVL equipment on a bus may not be compatible with the system to which the
bus has been re-assigned This can also be a particular problem with longer distance inter-urban
services that cross one or more highway authority boundary Problems of inter-operability are
being addressed for AVL When a standard is produced it will be important to follow it
Applications The bus priority case study on non AVL Bus SCOOT in this series gives a good example of the
application of SVD Similarly the case study on Bus SCOOT with AVL in Cardiff provides an
example of the use of AVL technology
Another good example is the system started in Brighton in 2001 This is a joint project between
Brighton amp Hove Bus Company who run 250 buses and Brighton amp Hove City Council and was
the first in the UK to equip an entire fleet rather than just selected routes
The system uses a combination of the odometer reading and the door mechanism supplemented
by GPS to ensure the accuracy of information relayed to the 100 real time signs throughout the City
The benefit for the Bus Companyrsquos controllers in being able to see the location of every bus has
been enormous they can now make much more informed decisions about maintaining service
frequencies during traffic delays Messages can be sent to the real time information signs to inform
passengers about traffic problems and this is regularly used to very good effect The system
stores historic data which compares how buses performed in reality compared with their timetable
this enables timetables to be adjusted to further improve reliability
The City Council is now building on the system a website showing real time bus information will be
in operation this autumn and a real time mobile phone text messaging service will begin in early
2005
Useful sources of information Bowen GT Bus Priority in SCOOT Transport Research Laboratory TRL Report 255 Crowthorne
1997
Bus passenger information system in London wwwtransportforlondongovuk
Chandler MJH and Cook DJ Traffic control studies in London SCOOT and bus detection 13th
PTRC Summer Annual Meeting PTRC Education and Research Services July 1985
Cooper BR Vincent RA and Wood K Bus-actuated traffic signals ndash initial assessment of part of
the Swansea bus priority scheme TRL Laboratory Report LR925 Crowthorne 1980
Hill R Maxwell A and Bretherton D Real time passenger information and bus priority in Cardiff
bus priority trial Proceedings of the AET European Transport Conference PTRC Education and
Research Services 2001
Review of current data requirements and detector technologies and the implications for UTMC
Deliverable 2 from the UTMC26 project Increasing the value of road and roadside detectors
Available from httpwwwutmcgovukutmc26pdfd2v9dpdf
Testing of Different Bus Detectors for Traffic Signal Priority in Helsinki
wwwhelfiksventirerepBusDetectorshtm
Use of TIRIS transponders for bus priority wwwitsleedsacukprojectsprimaveratirishtml
Bus Priority
6
1204
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Park and ride bus
Case study MOVA Winchester Bar End Road Hampshire
Description of need Background
MOVA stands for Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation It is a signal
control strategy that alters traffic signal timings in response to actual traffic
conditions at isolated junctions Inductive loops on the approach to the signals
allow MOVA to allocate the optimum green time to the different traffic movements
The system can be programmed to reduce the waiting time of the priority vehicle
MOVA is used by almost all authorities having responsibility for traffic signals and
it is a requirement on new signal installations and major refurbishment of trunk
roads Approximately 600 junctions in the UK use MOVA and the installation rate is
over 100 per year Emergency and priority vehicle signal control is implemented
fully within MOVA
The trials at Winchester were carried out as part of the MOVA Developments
project carried out by TRL Limited under contract to the Traffic Management
Division of the DfT
Problems
The park and ride car park site is located off a busy road fed from the nearby M3
motorway exit Additional traffic as a result of the park and ride site has caused
congestion in the vicinity of the junction and caused delay to the buses
Objectives
The main objective of the scheme is to reduce delays to park and ride buses
whilst keeping delays to general traffic to a minimum
Scheme details Description MOVA Bus Priority was implemented by using Selective Vehicle
Detectors (SVDs) of the long loop type which distinguish buses from
most other vehicles
Implementation date September 1997
Cost pound5000 including the MOVA control unit and labour for cutting the detector
loops
Consultation The DfT initiated the project with TRL to implement bus priority using
MOVA TRL consulted with a number of authorities to find suitable sites
and Hampshire County Council identified Bar End Road as a possibility
Hampshire County Council agreed to fit MOVA at the site and for TRL to
carry out the study
Bus operator Stagecoach
Bus frequency Average bus frequency is approximately every 7frac12 minutes
Illustration of scheme
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of
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cil
Bar End Junction layout diagram
Before and after monitoring Dates of surveys
Before and after surveys were carried out during 1997
Types of surveys
Journey times of buses travelling through the junction were recorded over a two day period both
with and without the priority control operating for comparative purposes Bus arrival and departure
times were recorded at the Bar End Road approaches and exits
Results Bus delays with and without priority
MOVA without priority MOVA with priority Journey time reduction
Period From city To city From city To city From city To city
(seconds) (seconds) (seconds) (seconds) (seconds) (seconds)
AM peak 446 496 206 255 240 241
Off peak 234 322 193 232 41 90
PM peak 246 367 180 249 66 118
All day 286 372 193 241 93 131
Source TRL Limited
Traffic flows
No change in traffic flows occurred with the introduction of the MOVA Bus Priority scheme
Journey times
The best result occurred in the morning peak when bus delays were reduced by 241 seconds (a
54 per cent benefit) with smaller but still significant benefits at other times
System performance
Over all the sites assessed in the project Bus Priority within MOVA has been shown to work
effectively without necessarily introducing major delays to other traffic At Bar End Road the results
were considered to be good However benefits at other locations will depend on specific site
characteristics particularly the position of bus stops in relation to the junction and whether or not
conflicting signal stages have bus routes with high bus flows
Possible scheme amendments
The Park and ride scheme is being extended to involve another junction and MOVA will be replaced
by an extension to the Urban Traffic Control system
Conclusions The scheme has been operating very successfully for over two years proving that in certain
circumstances MOVA Bus Priority offers features needed both to give priority to buses and to
prevent excessive disruption to other traffic
References Vincent RA MOVA Developments Final Report Transport Research Laboratory Laboratory
Report PRTT00199 Crowthorne 1999
Acknowledgements This leaflet was produced with the assistance of the MOVA Development Group and Mr A Gray of
the Environment Department of Hampshire County Council who arranged for the installation and
operation of the trial bus priority site at Bar End Road
Other examples Hanworth South West London
Contact the traffic team on traffichounslowgovuk
Merton South London
Contact Transport Services (Environmental Services Department) on 020 8545 4794
Further information Department for Transport Highways Agency Installation Guide for MOVA MCH 1542 Issue C May
2003
Bus Priority
6
0903
Description of need Background
The lsquosplit cycle offset optimisation
techniquersquo ndash or SCOOT ndash is an urban
traffic control (UTC) system The
Transport Research Laboratory (TRL)
developed SCOOT in collaboration with
UK traffic system suppliers Today TRL
Peek Traffic and Siemens Traffic
Control jointly own SCOOT
SCOOT responds automatically to
traffic fluctuations so expensive signal
plans are unnecessary This makes SCOOT an efficient tool for managing traffic
on roads that use traffic signals Over 170 towns and cities in the UK now use
SCOOT
Bus SCOOT is a facility incorporated into SCOOT to give priority to buses To use
Bus SCOOT an authority must install devices for letting SCOOT know where the
buses are eg loops or detectors
The Uxbridge Road is a strategically significant radial road running from Uxbridge
town centre to Shepherds Bush in west London It is 22km long and runs through
three London boroughs A bus route runs the entire length of the Uxbridge Road in
two overlapping sections and there is also a limited stop express route At peak
times there are over 20 buses an hour in each direction on these two routes and
over 60000 people travel on them every day
Problems
The Uxbridge Road suffers from severe traffic congestion throughout its length
Physical bus priority measures were introduced as part of a demonstration
project from 1993 to 1996 These measures gave a four minute
reduction in bus journey times Bus patronage also
increased considerably during this time period However
buses still suffered delays from traffic signals and
therefore further measures were needed to alleviate
this
Case Study Bus SCOOT (non AVL) Uxbridge Road London
The 607 express bus Uxbridge West London
Cou
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Ian
Arm
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ng
Objectives
The Uxbridge Road scheme was part of the London field trials which also included schemes for
Twickenham and Edgware Road The trials aimed to evaluate a number of integrated strategies at
the three test sites
London Buses initiated the scheme with the Traffic Control Systems Unit (TCSU) now Traffic
Technology Systems (TTS) of Transport for London The Transportation Research Group the
University of Southampton and TRL Limited subsequently joined the study
Scheme details Description The scheme tested was Bus SCOOT (as incorporated in SCOOT 41)
running on the Uxbridge Road It did not use automatic vehicle location
(AVL)
Implementation date The scheme was introduced in 1998
Costs The estimated cost of the scheme is pound80000 a year It has the potential
to save pound200000 a year
Consultation As these were field trials a public consultation exercise was not carried
out
Bus operators London Buses operates services along the Uxbridge Road
Bus frequency An average of 23 buses an hour run along the route
Illustration of scheme C
ourt
esy
of J
MP
Con
sult
ants
Ltd
The Uxbridge Road West London The circles along the road represent signalised junctions at which SCOOT is installed
Before and after monitoring Dates of surveys
On-street trials were carried out on the Uxbridge Road over a five week period in May and June
1998
Types of surveys
The trials tested the following strategies for one week each
SCOOT
Bus SCOOT with extensions only
Bus SCOOT with extensions and low degree of saturation recall and
Bus SCOOT with extensions and high degree of saturation recall
The strategies ndash an explanation of terms
Extensions only ndash if traffic signals are on green when a bus arrives the time the signals are on
green is extended to allow the bus to proceed
Extensions and lowhigh degree of saturation recall ndash if traffic signals are on red when a
bus arrives Bus SCOOT looks at the other signal arms and decides whether to recall the green
for the bus Whether the green is recalled depends on the priority (low or high) assigned for this
to occur
A low degree of saturation recall means that a low priority is given to the green recall for the
bus over other signal arms Conversely a high degree of saturation recall means that a high
priority is given to the green recall for the bus over other signal arms
Automatic data collection facilities were backed up by on-street measurement where necessary
The comprehensive database compiled as a result included most or all of the following for each
strategy
automatic recording of bus identities and detection times using palmtop computers installed in
traffic signal controllers
automatic recording of traffic flows delays and congestion using the ASTRID database which
automatically collects and stores traffic information from SCOOT for display or analysis
automatic recording of signal status and strategy actions ie bus priority to confirm that the
system is working properly and to provide core data to explain what effect the system has on
buses and general traffic
automatic traffic counts providing data for twelve main roads and side road links
manual recording of registration numbers for buses and a sample of cars at each end of the
corridor to provide journey times
queue length and traffic flow measurements on key side roads and
data on events such as system failures
Results Bus SCOOT results for buses
Bus SCOOT Strategy Average saving to buses
Delay ndash secsbuslink () Delay variability ()
1 Extensions only 10 (5) 13 (4)
2 Extensions and low degree of saturation recalls 39 (20) 29 (8)
3 Extensions and high degree of saturation recalls 37 (19) 39 (11)
Bus SCOOT results for general traffic
Bus SCOOT Strategy Average saving to vehicles
Delay ndash secsvehicle Congestion (link)
link ()
1 Extensions only 0 (0) 06 (11)
2 Extensions and low degree of saturation recalls -04 (-2) 01 (2)
3 Extensions and high degree of saturation recalls 05 (3) 04 (8)
Bus SCOOT economic benefits
Bus SCOOT Strategy Economic benefit to buses poundkannum due to savings in
Delay (D) Reliability(R) VOC1 D + R + VOC
1 Extensions only 38 11-49 1 50-88
2 Extensions and low degree of saturation recalls 146 42-110 5 193-261
3 Extensions and high degree of saturation recalls 139 40-146 5 184-290
1 Vehicle operating costs
Traffic flows
The introduction of Bus SCOOT had no effect on traffic flows
Journey times
Automatic recording logged some 25000 bus journeys The results indicate statistically significant
savings in average bus delay and in delay variability of up to 20 per cent and 11 per cent
respectively
System performance
Bus SCOOT worked effectively during the demonstration project as it had in previous surveys The
scheme did not record details of bus patronage and there were no issues regarding enforcement
Nor were there any effects of the scheme other than those recorded
One possible change to the scheme would be the use of automatic vehicle detection systems
Conclusions Network capacity
The bus priority strategies used on the Uxbridge Road are expected to have an insignificant effect
on the networkrsquos overall capacity None of the strategies involve any physical measures or
reallocation of road space
Bus SCOOT temporarily changes capacity at individual signal junctions when bus priority is in
operation However with no stage skipping (stages run through in numerical order) and with green
time compensation to non-priority stages (stages not giving priority to buses are compensated for
any loss of green time while priority is given to the link with priority) the average length of each
stage (and hence capacity) remains largely unchanged
Travel time and delay
All the priority strategies evaluated here have mainly affected travel time and delay Buses operating
with Bus SCOOT experience average delay savings of between 7 and 20 per cent between sites in
London with no significant effect on other traffic
Reliability and regularity
All of the priority strategies in London have produced a saving in bus journey time reliability
expressed by the standard deviation of the journey times The different strategies have recorded
savings of between 4 and 13 per cent
References Bretherton RD amp Harrison MEJ Evaluation of SCOOT Bus Priority Field Trials Transport
Research Laboratory Laboratory Report PTTT03699 Crowthorne 1999
Acknowledgements This was produced with the assistance of the University of Southampton London Transport Buses
and Transport for London For further information contact TfL Bus Priority team on 020 7960 6763
Other examples The SCOOT web site contains references to other successful implementations of SCOOT The
web address is httpwwwscoot-utccomindexhtml
Further information To use Bus SCOOT on a network SCOOT 41 must installed and in use Other information and
guidance can be found in
DETR Local Transport Note 197 Keeping Buses Moving The Stationery Office January 1997
DETR Traffic Advisory Leaflet 799 SCOOT URBAN CONTROL SYSTEM
DETR Traffic Advisory Leaflet 800 Bus Priority in SCOOT
DETR Traffic Advisory Leaflet 601 Bus Priority
Bowen GT Bus Priority in SCOOT Transport Research Laboratory TRL Report 255
Crowthorne 1997
Bretherton RD Bowen GT Harrison MEJ and Langford SL Scope for Enhancing Bus Priority in
SCOOT Transport Research Laboratory Laboratory Report PTTT19796 Crowthorne 1996
Bretherton RD and Wall GT Review of Bus Priority in SCOOT Transport Research Laboratory
Laboratory Report PTTT12195 Crowthorne 1995
Bretherton RD Baker KA and Harrison MEJ Public Transport Priority in SCOOT Transport
Research Laboratory Laboratory Report PTTT03999 Crowthorne 1999
Bretherton RD and Harrison MEJ Evaluation of SCOOT Bus Priority Field Trials Transport
Research Laboratory Laboratory Report PTTT03699 Crowthorne 1999
Gardener K and Metzger D Uxbridge Road bus priority demonstration project Proceedings of
Seminar K (Traffic Management amp Road Safety) pp 63 - 74 25th PTRC European Transport
Forum 1997
PROMPT Field Trial and simulation results of bus priority in SCOOT 8th International
Conference (IEE) on Road Traffic Monitoring amp Control pp 90 - 94 1996
Bus Priority
6
1204
Park Place on Cardiff survey route
Cou
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Case study Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) Cardiff
Description of need Background
The lsquosplit cycle offset optimisation techniquersquo - or SCOOT - is an urban traffic
control (UTC) system that the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) developed in
collaboration with UK traffic system suppliers
SCOOT responds automatically to traffic conditions altering signal settings to
optimise junction operation so expensive updating of fixed time signal plans is
unnecessary This makes SCOOT an efficient tool for managing traffic on roads
that use traffic signals Over 170 towns and cities in the UK now use SCOOT
Bus SCOOT is a facility incorporated into SCOOT to give priority to buses In
order for priority to be given SCOOT must be informed about the location of
buses One means of doing this is using information from an Automatic Vehicle
Location (AVL) system There are two ways of providing AVL the first is by using
differential Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and the second by using
a beacon based system Cardiff uses GPS technology
Most bus AVL systems in the UK allow the location of a bus to be compared
against a schedule and in this way priority can be provided depending on a busrsquos
adherence to schedule In the Cardiff system for instance it is possible to give
priority only to those buses that are running behind schedule
Problems
In common with many other cities Cardiff has seen significant growth in the use
of the private car with traffic levels increasing by over 55 per cent since 1987
With only limited road capacity available this is resulting in delays to all vehicles
and consequent congestion and gaseous pollution
Objectives
The overall aim in Cardiff is to secure a move to multimodal transport with an emphasis on public
transport
The specific objectives of the Cardiff trial were to
reduce the delays to buses and improve their adherence to schedule using the SCOOT bus
priority facility interfaced to an AVL system and
Test and evaluate the provision of priority only to buses running behind schedule
Scheme details Description The scheme tested was Bus SCOOT using AVL to inform SCOOT about
the location of buses The AVL facility was part of a real-time passenger
information system that makes use of GPS technology An on-board
computer and GPS receiver tracks the busrsquos location and a bus priority
request is transmitted to SCOOT from the bus when a predefined
location stored in the on-board computer is reached
The SCOOT AVL system in Cardiff concentrated on the northern corridor
of the city and is the largest GPS based bus priority and real time
passenger information system to be installed in the UK 25 per cent of
the cityrsquos buses and 49 signalised junctions were included in the initial
scheme
Implementation date The scheme was introduced in 1999
Cost The cost of the system depends on the method of bus detection If there
is an existing (AVL) system which is used for bus management and
passenger information purposes (as in Cardiff) the additional cost of
providing the information to SCOOT can be small (dependent on the type
of AVL system) If there is no AVL system then there is an additional
infrastructure cost for detection (for example ndash all buses equipped with
transponders plus a bus loop installed on each approach where bus
priority is required)
Consultation Extensive consultation took place between Cardiff County Council and
the main bus operator Cardiff Bus regarding planning and
implementation of the scheme
Bus operator The main bus operator is Cardiff Bus
Bus frequency There were average bus flows of between 16 and 40 buses per hour
through the junctions in the scheme
Illustration of scheme The survey area covered the lsquoNorthern
Corridorrsquo from just south of Caerphilly
RoadBeulah Road in the North to just
past High StreetCastle Street in the
South
Before and after monitoring Dates of surveys
Trials were carried out by TRL over an
eight week period in Autumn 2000 Due
to some technical problems the amount
of data collected was lower than
planned Consequently further trials
were held over an eleven week period in
Spring 2001
The strategies monitored were
alternated on a weekly basis
Types of surveys
Three strategies were surveyed
SCOOT without bus priority
SCOOT with priority enabled for all
buses and
SCOOT with priority enabled only for
buses running more than one minute
behind schedule
Cardiff survey routes
Cou
rtes
y of
Car
diff
Cou
nty
Cou
ncil
Beulah Rd
Castle St
City Centre
Caerphilly Rd
Gabalfa
Interchange
North Rd
Colum Rd
Park Pl
High St
Results Evaluation was significantly affected by events and technical problems encountered during the trial
In the AM peak when priority was given to all buses there was an average reduction in delay to
buses of 4 seconds per bus per junction and an average reduction in lateness of 70 seconds With
priority given to only those buses behind schedule there was a reduction in delay to buses of 3
seconds per bus per junction and a reduction in lateness of 92 seconds These results are in line
with the benefits normally expected to be provided by Bus SCOOT
Providing priority only to buses behind schedule reduced the number of priority events and hence
the number of times that general traffic was disrupted
Traffic flows
Despite the advantages to bus operations no decrease or increase in traffic flows was noted due
to the introduction of this scheme
System performance
The Cardiff system demonstrated that active priority can be provided to buses on-street using the
SCOOT bus priority facility interfaced with an AVL system However while the functionality of the
SCOOT AVL interface has been shown the potential benefits of bus priority in this particular
instance were significantly affected by operational and technical problems These problems were
mostly due to the high level of co-ordination required between different stakeholders the number of
interfaces between different systems a lack of formal monitoring procedures and the complexity of
the systems combined with the relatively new use of the technology
Measures to reduce the impact of these factors are required for the successful implementation of
an AVL bus priority system These include providing value adding facilities for the bus companies
training and information for drivers and formal performance and fault monitoring procedures all of
which have been improved in Cardiff since the completion of the trial
Conclusions The success of the scheme has meant that 90 to 95 per cent of the cityrsquos buses are now equipped
with bus priority technology The scheme has been expanded to cover 120 junctions
References Bowen GT Bus Priority in SCOOT Transport Research Laboratory TRL Report 255 Crowthorne
1997
Bretherton RD Bowen GT Harrison MEJ amp Langford SL Scope for Enhancing Bus Priority in
SCOOT Transport Research Laboratory Laboratory Report PTTT19796 Crowthorne 1996
Bretherton RD amp Wall GT Review of Bus Priority in SCOOT Transport Research Laboratory
Laboratory Report PTTT12195 Crowthorne 1995
Bretherton RD Baker KA amp Harrison MEJ Public Transport Priority in SCOOT Transport
Research Laboratory Laboratory Report PTTT03999 Crowthorne1999
Bretherton RD amp Harrison MEJ Evaluation of SCOOT Bus Priority Field Trials Transport
Research Laboratory Laboratory Report PTTT03699 Crowthorne 1999
Bretherton RD Maxwell A amp Wood K Provision of differential priority within SCOOT Final Report
Transport Research Laboratory Laboratory Report PRT02503 Crowthorne 2003
Acknowledgements This document was produced with the assistance of Cardiff County Council ACIS and Cardiff Bus
In particular Reg Hill Bill Cokeley Graham Morris and David Kinnaird of Cardiff County Council
Craig Gulliford of ACIS and Geoff Blewden of Cardiff Bus
For further information contact Dave Bretherton dbrethertontrlcouk or Keith Wood
kwoodtrlcouk
For further information regarding Cardiff Bus contact enquiriescardiffbuscom or go to
wwwcardiffbuscom
Other examples The SCOOT web site contains references to other successful implementations of SCOOT the
web address is httpwwwscoot-utccomindexhtml
Further information To use Bus SCOOT on a network SCOOT V31 (or more recent version) must be installed and in
use Other information and guidance can be found in
DETR Traffic Advisory Leaflet 799 SCOOT Urban Control System
DETR Traffic Advisory Leaflet 800 Bus Priority in SCOOT
DETR Traffic Advisory Leaflet 601 Bus Priority
Bus Priority
6
1204
Case study Mixed priority street Wilmslow Road Rusholme Manchester
Description of need Background
Rusholme is located approximately one mile from the centre of Manchester and is
the largest and one of the busiest district centres in Manchester There is a
concentration of local retail activity student facilities visitor attractions and ethnic
minority enterprise and employment in the centre It is the most successful retail
centre in Manchester outside the city centre and is the location for over 150 ethnic
minority businesses Rusholme is considered culturally vital to Asian communities
in Manchester and the North West of England Activity is not confined to daytime
on weekdays the district centre is also busy in evenings and at weekends
Rusholme Road
Wilmslow Road runs southwards from Manchester City Centre to the northern
boundary with Stockport linking South Manchester and Manchester Airport with the
city centre Frontage properties include retail residential commercial and light
industrial land uses Closer to the city centre Wilmslow
Road also serves Manchester Royal Infirmary St Maryrsquos
Hospital Whitworth Art Gallery and the cityrsquos higher
education precinct
Cou
rtes
y of
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onsu
ltin
g
Problems
Before implementation of the improvements Wilmslow Road was a single carriageway road with
two lanes in each direction The success of Rusholme district centre combined with limited
opportunities for off-street parking and rear servicing of retail and commercial properties resulted in
high levels of on-street parking and servicing on Wilmslow Road Indiscriminate and illegal parking
was common creating hazards for pedestrians and cyclists impeding traffic flow creating
congestion and contributing to delay and unreliability for buses
The area became hazardous for pedestrians forced to cross between parked vehicles particularly
as the high level of pedestrian activity continues late into the night in Rusholme Analysis of
accident data for a period of three years before implementation of the scheme showed 136
reported injury accidents involving 178 personal injuries Unusually 44 per cent of accidents
occurred during the hours of darkness and accounted for more than half of all the injuries to
pedestrians
Wilmslow Road is one of the busiest bus routes in Greater Manchester The high volume of traffic
and the extensive on-street parkingservicing contributed to traffic congestion that in turn led to
delay to buses considerable variability in bus journey times and a negative perception of the
reliability of public transport on the Wilmslow Road Corridor Journey times for buses on the
corridor have been increasing year-on-year for a number of years with the result that additional
buses have had to be deployed to maintain reliability and punctuality
Wilmslow Road also has the largest volume of cyclists in the North West The concentration of
vulnerable users on Wilmslow Road led to casualty numbers steadily increasing from 47 in 1998 to
81 in 2000 The Manchester Universities jointly expressed their concern on behalf of students on
the campus just to the north of Rusholme
Meetings between the Rusholme Traders Association and the City Council indicated that the
existing traffic management in place in the area was not satisfactory and the situation was
negatively affecting the perceptions of those visiting and driving through the area
Objectives
The Rusholme scheme is about encouraging the vitality of Rusholme district centre improving
safety and making better use of the carriageway space available The objectives include
reducing accidents
increasing safety for pedestrians and cyclists
managing parking
managing servicing for local businesses
improve reliability of bus services by reducing journey time variability
encourage the vibrant business activity in the area enhancing local trading viability
reducing congestion and the associated negative environmental consequences and
improving visitor perceptions of the area
Scheme details Description The scheme on Wilmslow Road reduced the four lane carriageway through the
district centre to a single mixed use lane in each direction between Hathersage
Road and Dickenson Road in order to allow the provision of defined servicing
bays parking bays and bus stops The traffic lanes are narrow in order to
inhibit inconsiderate parking The remaining carriageway space was used to
introduce horizontal alignment changes to reduce vehicle speeds and provide
improvements for pedestrians cyclists and bus passengers The natural
curvature of the road was exaggerated to encourage drivers to reduce their
speed appropriately
Short unconnected sections of bus lane were removed from the core area and
replaced by with-flow bus lanes with a minimum width of 40 metres on the
northern and southern approaches to the core area terminating at transponder
controlled signalised bus gates This is the element of the scheme that is
intended to provide priority for buses
The scheme embodies principles of traffic metering and queue relocation The
traffic signal installations at junctions at both ends of the district centre can be
used to manage the flow of traffic through the centre Peak period traffic
queues on the northern and southern approaches to the district centre can be
bypassed by buses using the bus lanes and bus gates
Cou
rtes
y of
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g
Rusholme Road
Bus stops were relocated to align with crossing facilities and areas with
appropriate footpath space Other additional measures included
raised kerbs and improvements to the bus stop environment to aid
boarding
bus stops with shallow saw-tooth bus bays conventional bus bays and bus
boarders protected by red cordon markings and clearway orders
removal of short and discontinuous lengths of with-flow bus lane on
Wilmslow Road in the district centre and implementation of longer lengths
of with-flow bus lane terminating in bus gates on the northern and southern
approaches to the district centre
footway widening to allow a pedestrian clearway free of obstruction by street
furniture
introduction of continuous full time cycle lanes and
a number of measures to enhance the character of the area including
lsquostreet artrsquo to reinforce the cultural identity of Rusholme upgraded street
furniture and improved street lighting
Three illustrations are provided ndash Figure 1 provides an overview of the scheme
Figure 2 provides a sketch layout of an area at the southern end of the
scheme and Figure 3 illustrates the layout on a section of Wilmslow Road in
the district centre
Implementation The mixed priority scheme on the section of Wilmslow Road between
date Hathersage Road at the northern end of the district centre and Platt Lane at the
southern end was completed in September 2004 The with-flow bus lanes on
the northern and southern approaches to the city centre were implemented
shortly afterwards C
ourt
esy
of J
MP
Con
sult
ing
Figure 1 Scheme outline
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
P C
onsu
ltin
g
Figure 2 Southern approach to Rusholme district centre
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
P C
onsu
ltin
g
Figure 3 Section of Wilmslow Road at Rusholme district centre
Costs Total scheme implementation cost was pound20 million The scheme was
designated as a Safety Scheme Demonstration Project and attracted funding
of pound10 million from DETR (DfT) following a competitive bidding process The
balance of pound10 million was funded from local resources
Consultation Initial informal consultation with ward members and officers of the Local
Regeneration Partnership took place before consultation with the public and
stakeholders Advance consultation also took place between Manchester City
Council Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive and Greater
Manchester Police
A combination of methods of consultation with the public was used including
distribution of explanatory leaflets to all properties on Wilmslow Road with a
contact facility for a translated version of the leaflet for non-English speaking
residents
public exhibitions were held and included models and artists impressions of
the scheme
a telephone hotline to receive comments this was staffed and was not just
an answer phone service
dissemination of information through the local media and
meetings with the emergency services to discuss traffic management
issues
A joint representative working party and steering committee was formed to
oversee the implementation of the proposals
Bus operators Wilmslow Road has the highest number of registered bus services on any
road in Greater Manchester operated by Stagecoach Manchester including
services provided under the Magic Bus brand name Other operators providing
local bus services on Wilmslow Road include First Manchester Arriva North
West Finglands and five smaller independent companies
Bus frequency In the inter-peak period on weekdays there is a total hourly two-way flow of 110
buses on Wilmslow Road through the district centre The hourly two-way flow
increases to 136 on the section of Wilmslow Road to the north of the district
centre where the southbound with-flow bus lane is located Bus flows are
substantially higher during weekday peak periods
Scheme impact Post implementation monitoring of the impact of the scheme has not yet taken place but it is
anticipated that it will deliver the following outcomes
an improvement in the street environment making the district centre more attractive for shoppers
and visitors
a reduction in indiscriminate and illegal parking The initial view of the bus operator is that a
similar scheme in nearby Withington has been more effective in eliminating problem parking
because the traffic lanes are narrower and there is less opportunity to park without completely
blocking traffic
a reduction in the high numbers of pedestrian casualties achieved through the provision of
additional pedestrian crossing facilities speed reduction measures and better management of
on-street parking and servicing of frontage businesses
a reduction in the number of accidents involving cyclists achieved by providing cycle lanes and
advanced stop lines
a more attractive environment and full accessibility at bus stops and
improvements in reliability and particularly a reduction in the variability of bus journey times as a
result of implementation of bus priority measures on the approaches to the district centre queue
relocation and the metering of traffic through the mixed priority section of Wilmslow Road
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
P C
onsu
ltin
g
Rusholme Road
Conclusions This mixed priority scheme has improved conditions for pedestrians and cyclists reduced speeds
and allowed better management of parking and servicing in Rusholme district centre The specific
elements of the scheme that benefit buses are the two bus lanes and bus gates on the approaches
to the district centre They allow buses to overtake other traffic provide journey time and reliability
benefits and help outbound right-turning buses on the northern approach to the district centre The
mixed priority measures implemented in the district centre are thought to have had a broadly neutral
effect on buses benefits from better control of parking and servicing being offset by the impact of
additional pedestrian crossing facilities
Acknowledgements Acknowledgement is given for the assistance provided by Greater Manchester Passenger
Transport Executive Manchester City Council and Stagecoach Manchester during preparation of
this case study
Other examples There are similar examples of mixed priority routes elsewhere in Greater Manchester including the
district centres of Levenshulme and Withington
Further information For further information contact the bus priority team at Greater Manchester Passenger Transport
Executive on 0161 242 6000 or write to
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
19 Portland Street
Piccadilly Gardens
Manchester M60 1HX
Bus Priority
6
1204
Case study Bus friendly traffic calming Hull
Description of need Background
Traffic calmed areas Hull
The first traffic calming scheme with road humps was introduced in Hull in 1993
Since then Hull City Council has achieved substantial reduction in road accident
casualties Central to the success of Hullrsquos traffic calming policy has been the
introduction of 20 mph zones throughout the city the first of which was introduced
in 1995 The idea of 20 mph zones was introduced in the UK to address the
problem of child pedestrian accidents DfT guidance on 20 mph zones suggests
that the risk of a child being involved in an accident drops by two thirds with the
introduction of a 20 mph zone (TRL analysed 250 zones
which indicated that child accidents fell by 67 per cent and
the overall number of accidents fell by 60 per cent)
By 1998 Hull City Council had developed fifty 20 mph
zones including zones on a number of bus routes
These were a mixture of high and low frequency
routes with some calmed roads having as many as
14 buses per hour each way A further development in
1998 was the acceptance of agreed standards
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
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onsu
ltin
g
between the City Council bus operators and emergency services in Hull for bus and ambulance
friendly traffic calming Currently in Hull there are just under 17 kilometres of traffic calming on bus
routes in the city 9 kilometres of which is on bus routes with a frequency of 10 minutes or greater
Objectives
The agreed standards for traffic calming were introduced in Hull in order to minimise the impact of
traffic calming on bus routes and ambulances responding to emergency calls whilst still reducing
mean speeds and achieving the targeted casualty reductions In general where traffic calming is
not carefully consulted on at the design stage the impact upon public transport can result in
services being withdrawn due to additional time added to the service and wear and tear on vehicles
making a route not commercially viable There are also cases in some parts of the country where
bus drivers have complained that poorly designed traffic calming has resulted in injuries through
repeated driving over humps
Additional objectives of traffic calming include reducing average traffic speeds increasing the
number of people walking and cycling improving the environment for those who live work or travel
along the route and providing a safer route to school for local children
Scheme details Description
The agreed standards between Hull City Council
and the bus operator included
all vertical traffic calming measures to be a
maximum 75 millimetres high
all speed cushions to be 21 metres wide 3
metres long with 550 millimetres side slopes
speed tableflat top humps to have 1800
millimetres long ramps with a minimum 9
metre long plateau
all traffic calming schemes to include
minimum number of measures to achieve
objectives
minimum 15 metre length of waiting
restrictions to protect each side of speed
cushion and
regular traffic calming meetings between city
council bus operators and emergency
services
The dimensions of the traffic calming measures
were agreed to take advantage of the wider
wheel base of the buses
Traffic calming measures on Shannon Road
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
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onsu
ltin
g
The waiting restrictions surrounding traffic
calming measures prevent cars from parking on
the approach to speed cushions ensuring that
buses are able to approach the traffic calming at
the correct angle allowing a more comfortable
journey for the passenger
Hull now has over one hundred 20 mph zones
throughout the city An example of one of these
schemes can be seen on Shannon Road This
scheme was introduced in April 1998 in
response to a previous high level of injury
accidents especially involving child pedestrians and cyclists Shannon Road is a local distributor
route carrying around 5000 vehicles per day and services a large estate to the east of the city
centre A frequent bus service exists and there are numerous shops and a school on the route
The scheme consists of speed cushions throughout its length and a short section of 20 mph zone
to protect the school and major shopping area The 20 mph zone includes road narrowing and
priority working to enforce the 20 mph limit
The signs positioned at the entrance to all zones in Hull have been designed by local children
helping to emphasise local ownership of the scheme
Cost
The overall contribution to the implementation of the 20 mph zones in Hull is pound55 million to date
This has been met from a variety of different sources both from corporate capital and transport
capital funding
Consultation
Decisions on the choice of traffic calming measures to use at any particular location in Hull is
based on experience that has been built up in the area and on extensive consultation with the bus
operators emergency services and the public All the 20 mph zones went through consultation
including leaflets questionnaires public exhibitions and meetings of ward forums and residential
committees
Owing to the current scale of traffic calming in Hull there is a high level of community awareness
surrounding traffic calming and communities are well aware of the positive results from other local
areas In fact much of the demand for the schemes has come from within the local communities
Bus operators
Bus operators are now actively involved in the design of traffic calming in Hull this includes
consultation on issues such as spacing and positioning of cushions in relation to bus stops The
scheme on Newland Avenue (a national road safety demonstration project) is an example of a
scheme where the council and bus operator have worked closely together in designing the layout of
Road narrowing on Shannon Road
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
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onsu
ltin
g
the carriageway negotiating the optimum position for cushions bus stops and crossing facilities to
reduce delay experienced by bus services on the route and minimise any discomfort which may be
experience by the passenger as a result of traffic calming measures
One issue raised by operators is the effect of traffic calming on services which are operated by
mini and midi bus services Because of their shorter wheel base they are unable to avoid the
effects of the traffic calming even with the agreed measures This produces a lsquowobblersquo effect for the
passengers and exerts additional pressure on the inner wheel of the vehicle as the vehicle is not
able to get both wheels on the slopes of the cushion The solution to this has been to increase the
width of the cushion allowing the mini buses to get both wheels on the side slopes of the cushions
The additional problem here is that any measures introduced to mitigate the effects on mini and
midi buses will also be effective for small vans reducing the overall effectiveness of the traffic
calming scheme
The operators enforce the 20 mph zone through driver instruction and by the use of sporadic speed
gun checks particularly in areas where there have been complaints about buses allegedly
speeding
Bus operators have realised a hidden saving from the extensive traffic calming and introduction of
20 mph zones Where accidents occur on high frequency routes the bus operator still needs to
provide the same frequency of service although buses will become caught up in the delay
associated with the accident This delay can be as much as 15 minutes which means an additional
bus is required on the route to maintain the correct
frequency The reduction in accidents through the
implementation of traffic calming therefore results in a
saving to the operators as there are fewer occasions
where they need to provide the extra bus This kind of
saving is only applicable to areas where there is
extensive traffic calming The reduction in accidents
also improves the reliability of services across the
whole network particularly for cross city services
Before and after monitoring A number of monitoring studies have been undertaken in areas where bus friendly traffic calming
has been introduced In Hull accident data for the city has been collated for three years before each
scheme and three years after each scheme In addition the Institute for Public Policy Research
conducted research into child pedestrian safety using Hull as one of its case studies
TRL have undertaken a study of 20 mph zones including analysis of the impact of 20 mph zones
on traffic flows in treated areas and surrounding areas which may be affected by traffic transferring
to other streets Whilst bus operators monitor journey times reliability and patronage levels these
figures can be misleading indicators as they tend to be affected by other factors such bus priority
measures in other parts of the city
Roundel markings
Cou
rtes
y of
JM
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onsu
ltin
g
Results Traffic flows
The TRL report lsquoReview of Traffic Calming in 20 mph Zonesrsquo suggests that traffic flow was reduced
by 27 per cent within 20 mph zones whereas the roads surrounding the 20 mph zones
experienced an increase of 12 per cent
Traffic flows were monitored at two sites in the Shannon Road safety scheme The results showed
that traffic had been reduced by over a quarter in the 20 mph zone in the afternoon peak (286 per
cent between 1530 and 1630)
Journey times
Bus operators have taken the view that traffic calming has only had a negligible effect on bus
journey times In most cases the bus routes where traffic calming has been implemented were
already slow routes with numerous stops and high patronage resulting in average speeds of
around 10 mph for buses even before traffic calming Thus the reduction in general traffic flow
experienced on these routes as a result of traffic calming may have a positive effect on bus journey
times
Casualty reduction
Accident data collated by Hull City Council for three years before and after the implementation of
traffic calming on bus routes (18 schemes in total) revealed that the number of accidents has
dropped from 315 in the three years before traffic calmed zones were implemented to 156 in the
three years after implementation This equates to a reduction of 53 accidents per year and 43 less
accidents per kilometre per year
Overall
fatal and serious injury accidents have been reduced by 64 per cent
injury accidents involving children have been reduced by 60 per cent
injury accidents involving pedestrians have been reduced by 60 per cent
injury accidents involving child pedestrians have been reduced by 71 per cent
injury accidents involving cyclists have been reduced by 28 per cent and
injury accidents involving child cyclists have been reduced by 32 per cent
Looking at this data on a scheme by scheme basis Shannon Road saw a reduction in accidents in
the three years proceeding traffic calming of 71 per cent with accidents per year falling from 93 to
27 between 1995 and 2000 Greatest changes were seen in accidents involving pedestrians which
saw a reduction of 93 per cent and accidents during darkness which saw a reduction of 85 per
cent
An Institute for Public Policy Research study estimated that since 1994 Hullrsquos programme of 20
mph zones has already saved about 200 serious injuries and about 1000 minor injuries In
accounting terms these savings are worth well over pound40 million
Total number of crashes in 20 mph zones has fallen by 56 per cent and the number of crashes
resulting in deaths or serious injuries has been cut by 90 per cent
This reduction in accidents on the cityrsquos roads is also felt to have a positive impact on the reliability
of bus services an accident can cause in the region of 15 minutes delay to a service having a
serious impact on passengersrsquo perceptions of reliability and punctuality This is particularly an issue
if a bus route is affected by an accident hotspot and is consequently experiencing regular delays
Average vehicle speeds
At Shannon Road the scheme was introduced incrementally The 20 mph signs were introduced
followed by speed roundels and finally the main scheme was introduced Vehicle speeds were
monitored through this phasing and the results can be seen in the table below
Summary of traffic speed
Mean mph Before 20 mph
signs only Signs and roundels After Change
Near Tweed Grove North
South
29
29
28
29
23
26
16
20
-13
-9
Near School North
South
29
30
30
30
26
27
19
20
-10
-10
The results show that the largest reduction occurred when the full scheme was implemented with
average speeds being reduced by up to a third although a noticeable reduction in speed occurred
with the introduction of the signs and roundels
Conclusions The key to bus friendly traffic calming is extensive consultation between the bus operators and
council representatives This is highlighted in Hull where the Council and bus operators have been
working together on traffic calming schemes for ten years
Traffic calming has been able to improve bus reliability through a number of indirect routes including
a reduction in the number of accidents on the network reducing the delay experienced by bus
services and through a reduction in traffic flows on traffic calmed routes resulting in buses
experiencing less congestion related delays in these areas
A number of issues remain unresolved with regards to public transport and traffic calming including
the fact that priority seats on buses for the elderly and those with mobility impairments tend to be
positioned at the front of the bus over the front wheels This is where the lsquowobble effectrsquo created by
speed cushions is greatest and has led to a number of complaints about the discomfort of the
journey and incidents where shopping has fallen over
There is also the issue of services which operate using mini and midi buses as the dimensions for
traffic calming measures agreed between the city council and bus operators does not
accommodate the shorter wheel base of these vehicles
The future
Currently 26 per cent of the 730 kilometres of road are covered by a 20 mph limit and further areas
are under consideration Some 60 per cent of roads in Hull are suitable for 20 mph zones although
the great majority of these will be in residential areas away from the main bus routes
European approach
A number of bus friendly traffic calming measures from mainland Europe are discussed in lsquoCivilised
Streets a guide to traffic calmingrsquo One example of this is the combi hump used in Denmark The
design includes two humps one for cars (in the middle) and two for buses (either side of the hump
for cars) the hump for cars being more severe than that for buses taking advantage of the
difference in wheel base lengths between buses and cars
Sweden has developed a traffic calming measure using a depression in the road (used in
Stockholm and Vaumlsteras) The depressions are wide enough that cars must drive through them but
buses are able to straddle them this has led to support from bus operators for this measure There
are three areas of concern with using depressions as a traffic calming measure firstly they are
less visible than a hump secondly there have been some drainage issues and finally the cost of
this measure is approximately four times that of installing humps
A further example can be found in Denmark which combines depressions and humps This is know
as the bus sluis and comprises a hump in the normal carriage way with a separate section of
carriage way for buses This separate section has a depression with a ramp leading up to it which
buses can straddle and cars can not the disadvantage with this measure is the amount of carriage
way width required
References Brightwell Sarah Hull reaps road safety rewards from slowing the cityrsquos traffic Local Transport
Today 150504
Carmen Hass Klau et al Civilised Streets a guide to traffic calming Environmental and Transport
Planning 1992
Traffic Advisory Leaflet 0999 20 mph speed limits and zones DfT 1999
Acknowledgements This leaflet was produced with the assistance of Hull City Council and East Yorkshire Motor
Services Limited
Other examples Telford amp Wrekin Council
Contact the Network Management and Development Department on 01952 202100 (main
switchboard)
Further information Further information on traffic calming in Hull can be obtained from
Traffic Projects Manager
Traffic Services
Kingston upon Hull City Council
Kingston House
Bond Street
Hull HU1 3ER
01482 612095
Bus Priority
6
0903
Description of need Background
High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)
or lsquo2 Plusrsquo lanes were
introduced on the A647
Stanningley Road and
Stanningley By-Pass as Leeds
City Councilrsquos contribution to
the ICARO (Increasing CAR
Occupancy) research project
Stanningley Road and
Stanningley By-Pass form the
principal radial route to the
west of Leeds city centre and
are part of the route linking
Leeds and Bradford
Problems
The part of Stanningley Road
and Stanningley By-Pass chosen for the HOV lane is a dual two lane carriageway
In January 1997 journey times in free-flow traffic conditions were little more than 5
minutes for 20km whereas in the morning peak period journey times were
typically more than 10 minutes
Objectives
Leeds City Council saw the primary objective of the scheme to be to provide
priority for the majority of people travelling towards Leeds on the A647 in peak
periods It was expected that the scheme would result in an increase in car
occupancy
ICARO objectives were broader in scope The aims were
to increase car occupancy by encouraging car
sharing and
to demonstrate the feasibility of providing a lane for
shared use by buses other high occupancy
vehicles motorcycles and cycles
Case Study High Occupancy Vehicle lanes A647 Stanningley Road Leeds
2+ lane A647 Stanningley By-Pass Leeds C
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Scheme details Description The HOV lane is available to buses coaches other vehicles
carrying 2 or more people motorcycles and pedal cycles Goods
vehicles over 75T are not permitted to use the 2+ lane
There are two lengths of inbound HOV or 2+ lane extending for a
total of 15km along 20km of dual carriageway The HOV lanes
operate in the morning and evening peak periods (0700 ndash 1000
1600 ndash 1900) on Mondays to Fridays Advance signing is provided
on the approaches to the HOV lanes Half-width laybys are
provided to ensure that buses can serve bus stops without
obstructing the flow of other permitted categories of traffic
Traffic signal control is provided at the end of the HOV lane to
manage merging of traffic from the HOV and non-HOV traffic lanes
At first these signals operated for fixed time periods They have
been modified to respond to different traffic conditions before and
after the end of the HOV lanes The signals can also switch on and
off in response to traffic conditions
The scheme included police enforcement laybys speed cameras
improved street lighting improvements at bus stops pelican
crossings with tactile paving anti-skid surfacing and changes to
traffic circulation on side roads
Implementation date The HOV lane was opened under an experimental Traffic Regulation
Order on 11 May 1998 and made permanent on 8 November 1999
Costs Scheme implementation cost was pound585000 at 1998 prices C
ou
rtesy
of
Leed
s C
ity C
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ncil
Scheme layout High Occupancy Lane Leeds
Consultation The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 authorises local authorities to
introduce experimental TROs without prior consultation In this
case although there was no formal public consultation there was
substantial consultation with elected members the emergency
services bus operators cycling groups groups representing the
disabled community motoring organisations and local community
groups before implementation Further consultation took place with
residents the police and bus operators after implementation
resulting in minor changes to the initial scheme
Bus operators The majority of bus services on Stanningley Road are operated by
First but some services are provided by Black Prince Coaches
Bus frequency There are 8 buses an hour in each direction using the first section
of HOV lane on Stanningley Bypass This increases to 17 buses an
hour in each direction between the junction of Stanningley Bypass
and Stanningley Road in Bramley and Armley
Before and after monitoring Dates of surveys
lsquoBeforersquo surveys were undertaken in May and June 1997 lsquoAfterrsquo surveys took place in May and June
1999 Analysis of further surveys undertaken in September 2002 is nearing completion
Types of surveys
Data collected included traffic counts in the morning and evening peak periods vehicle occupancy
journey times and queue lengths In addition analysis was undertaken of records of personal injury
accidents and police enforcement Information on public attitudes and driver behaviour was
obtained from household and roadside interview surveys An environmental monitoring station on
Stanningley Road provided information on air quality
Results An evaluation of scheme impacts has been undertaken by Leeds City Council
Morning peak traffic flows Immediately after opening there was significant driver avoidance of
the A647 and traffic flow fell by 20 per cent By late 1999 traffic
flows had returned to 1997 levels in both the peak hour and the
operational period
Evening peak traffic flows Traffic flow in the operational period (1600 to 1900) fell by 10 per
cent at scheme inception but returned to the lsquobeforersquo level by June
1999 By June 2002 traffic flow had increased by a further 14 per
cent in the three hour period
Occupancy In 1997 30 per cent of cars carried two or more occupants One
third of vehicles (including buses) carried two-thirds of people
travelling in the corridor in the morning peak period The number of
high occupancy vehicles using the A647 in the period 0700 to
1000 increased by 5 per cent between 1997 and 1999 Given that
1997 and 1999 flows were similar the implication is that there was
an exchange of HOV and non-HOV traffic between the A647 and
parallel routes
Average car occupancy rose from 135 in May 1997 to 143 by
June 1999 and 151 in 2002
Bus patronage increased by one per cent in the first year of
operation of the HOV lanes There are indications of further growth
in bus patronage since 1998 but the recent introduction by First of
an lsquoOvergroundrsquo network inhibits robust conclusions
Journey times Morning peak journey time savings for buses and other high
occupancy vehicles were 4 minutes comparing June 1997 and
June 1999 data Over the same period there was a reduction of 1frac12
minutes in non-HOV journey times
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td
2+ lane A647 Stanningley Road Leeds
Accidents There was reduction of 30 per cent in casualties in a period of
three years after scheme implementation in May 1998
Enforcement Lane violation levels were low in the months following
implementation as a result of daily police enforcement In 2002 lane
violation levels were still less than 6 per cent despite a relaxation of
enforcement This can be attributed to the level of enforcement
agreed between the city council and the police
Public attitudes Roadside interviews in February 1999 showed HOV driver support
for the lane to be only 66 per cent This is low considering the
journey time benefits of the scheme The reason may be that HOV
drivers also made peak period journeys as non-HOV drivers and
when doing so did not benefit from the journey time savings
observed
Air quality There has been little change in air quality on the A647 as a result of
the introduction of the HOV lane The relatively small improvement
can be attributed to reduced vehicle emissions rather than to the
impact of the HOV lane
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s C
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Traffic signals at end of 2+ Lane Leeds
Conclusions The HOV lanes scheme on the A647 Stanningley Road and Stanningley By-Pass has resulted in
a reduction in inbound journey times for buses and other high occupancy vehicles of 4 minutes
in the morning peak
a reduction in inbound non-HOV journey times of 1frac12 minutes in the morning peak
increases in bus patronage and average car occupancy
a reduction in the number of accident casualties and
a low level of violation
Following the success of the scheme on the A647 Leeds City Council is now planning to introduce
HOV lanes on the proposed East Leeds Link Road
Leeds City Council is now participating in the HOV Monitoring (HOVMON) project to develop
automated camera enforcement techniques to determine car occupancy
Acknowledgements This case study was produced with the assistance of Leeds City Council and Metro (West
Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive)
Other examples A4174 Avon Ring Road westbound (A432 to M32) Hambrook South
Gloucestershire (in the North Fringe of Bristol)
Contact South Gloucestershire Council Planning Transportation and Strategic Environment
Department on 01454 868686
Further information Further information on the A647 Stanningley Road HOV lane can be obtained from
Leeds City Council
Highways and Transport Department
The Leonardo Building 2 Rossington Street Leeds LS2 8HB
0113 247 7500
wwwleedsgovuk
The publicity leaflet lsquoPriority Lane for High Occupancy Vehiclesrsquo (1999) is available from Leeds City
Council at the above address
Bus Priority
6
1204
Case study A690 Durham Road Superoute no-car lanes
Description of need Background
Superoutes first proposed in 1998 offered a new approach to bus travel within
the Tyne and Wear region The 35 superoutes within the region are the product of
informal quality bus partnerships between local councils bus operators and
Nexus with the aim of delivering frequent high quality services along key public
transport routes
The superoutes aim to
provide modern buses and infrastructure
provide better travel information lighting and security at bus stops
implement bus priority and highway improvements to enable quicker journeys
ensure frequent more reliable journeys
improve interconnection between services in the region
provide Euro 11 emissions compliant vehicles and
increase bus patronage across the region
Several of the superoutes within the Sunderland area run along A690 Durham
Road
The City of Sunderland Council developed proposals for providing priority for
buses and upgrading passenger facilities and information on the A690 Durham
Road following an assessment of the potential benefits of providing lsquoGreen Routersquo
treatment on a number of corridors in the city Green corridors are routes that
have been upgraded to give priority to vulnerable users such as pedestrians and
cyclists and public transport vehicles
Measures to benefit buses and bus users on the Durham Road Corridor were
implemented in several stages and promoted as the Durham Road Superoute
Bus services in the corridor also benefited from investment in Park Lane
Interchange in the city centre and the designation of a special parking area to
address illegal parking
No-car lanes are a relatively new concept in the re-allocation of highway space
The concept which evolved from that of the bus lane is
based on use of the lane by buses and some other
vehicles but the prevention of car use in the
designated lane These lanes have been introduced to
Newcastle City Centre and it is hoped that the
success can be repeated across the region It is now
proposed to designate the bus lanes on Durham
Road as no-car lanes
Problems
Bus priority and green corridor measures were proposed along the high frequency bus route along
Durham Road in response to the following problems
delay to buses caused by traffic congestion at key junctions in the city centre
delay to buses on Durham Road in the direction of peak flow on the approaches to major
junctions on the corridor
obstructions to traffic caused by right turning traffic and legitimate and illegal on-street parking
difficulty in emerging into heavy free-flowing traffic and queuing traffic from bus lay-bys and
difficulties for buses entering Durham Road from side roads
The problems were predominantly experienced in peak periods
Objectives
The objectives of the superoute bus priority proposals were to
make the city centre more accessible
provide high quality bus services to the city centre by improving reliability and reducing variability
of journey times
achieve modal shift from car to bus and
improve the surrounding environment
The overall objective was to raise the profile and quality of bus services in the City of Sunderland
through the application of Green Route treatment
Scheme Details Description The Durham Road Superoute was formally launched in April 1998 and was at
the time the most comprehensive corridor approach to improving bus travel in
Tyne amp Wear The scheme comprised 1630 metres of bus lanes new bus
shelters improved passenger information and 21 new low floor buses (with
ramps for wheelchair access grant aided by Nexus) This superoute is the first
scheme introduced under a Quality Partnership for the City of Sunderland
Stagecoach Busways Go Wear (Go Ahead Group) City of Sunderland and
Nexus were all involved in the scheme
Costs The cost of introducing the superoute scheme was pound250000 including design
and monitoring
The estimated cost of implementing no-car lanes on Durham Road is pound50000
including design and monitoring
Consultation The emergency services bus operators and ward members were all
consulted in addition to face-to-face interviews with residents as part of the
evaluation procedure
Bus operators The two main bus operators running services along the A690 Durham Road
Superoute corridor are Stagecoach and GO North-East Arriva also operate a
bus service along Durham Road
Bus frequency The Durham Road Superoute extends from Sunderland City Centre to the city
boundary to the west of the junction of the A690 Durham Road with the A19 at
East Herrington The number of buses per hour using the superoute increases
eastwards as routes from residential suburbs join Durham Road Weekday
peak period frequency rises from 6 buses per hour in each direction at the A19
intersection to 22 buses per hour close to the city centre The five superoutes
serving the corridor account for the majority of this number
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Before and after monitoring Dates and types of survey
A comprehensive programme of before and after scheme monitoring has been undertaken on the
Durham Road Superoute Journey times (including time at bus stops allowing passengers to board
and alight) have been recorded by the moving observer method initially with survey staff on buses
and more recently through roadside surveys The most recent surveys were undertaken in 2002
and it is from these that the following results are taken
Before and after comparisons are difficult as in 1997 and 1998 buses operated to and from the
central bus station in Sunderland and from May 1999 Park Lane Interchange opened and services
were then diverted In the future bus journey time monitoring will move away from manual recording
to automated data collection enabling a more complete analysis of the impacts of schemes
A series of household attitudinal surveys were posted in the vicinity of the superoute 335 residents
responded In addition to this user attitudinal surveys were also carried out in the form of face-toshy
face interviews on buses and at bus stops
Results Traffic flows
General traffic flows on the corridor have decreased by 6 per cent at the outer cordon and 16 per
cent in the inner cordon Flows on alternative routes have increased by 6 per cent on both Chester
Road and Silksworth Lane Traffic delay surveys have revealed increased journey times for traffic
particularly outbound during the evening peak
Journey times and reliability
The moving observer surveys comparing bus journey times for November 1997 to November 1998
reveal both benefits and disbenefits The introduction of bus priority measures has produced more
consistent journey times and reduced the large variation identified in the 1997 survey
However there are now delays at traffic signal controlled junctions on the route where there is no
bus priority and outbound on the approach to the Barnes Gyratory Average measured journey times
along the corridor are in the range of 9 to 11 minutes compared with the scheduled journey time of
15 minutes
More recent figures reveal a rise in journey times which can be attributed to the increase in traffic
on the periphery of the city centre and longer times accessing and egressing the Interchange
Patronage
Continuous monitoring of bus services has shown a 6 per cent patronage increase on Durham
Road Easy Access bus services and a slight increase in travel on other bus services on Durham
Road Both are measured in comparison to other bus services in Sunderland Easy Access bus
services account for 55 per cent of passengers travelling on the corridor
Safety
The transformation of the A690 Durham Road to the superoute has seen a reduction in accidents
along the corridor In 1998 the number of fatal and serious accidents fell to 28 in comparison to the
40 recorded the previous year In the same time period slight accidents fell from 257 to 231
System performance
The household attitudinal surveys revealed the following
93 per cent agreed that ease of getting on and off buses is now good or very good
92 per cent of respondents said that general quality of low floor buses is good or very good
36 per cent revealed that the superoute has improved bus travel and
19 per cent revealed they use the route more often now than they did a year ago
The face-to-face interviews provided the following results
81 per cent of respondents listed access for wheelchairs and prams as the main factor that has
improved since the introduction of bus lanes and low floor buses with 96 per cent agreeing that
accessibility for wheelchair and prams is good
over 80 per cent of those interviewed thought that information frequency of service punctuality
vehicle quality and attitude of drivers is good and
73 per cent agreed that the provision of bus lanes had improved the service
The evolution of no-car lanes Bus lanes assist the movement of buses around
congested city centres by reducing journey time
and improving reliability but in many cases no-
car lanes have proven to be a more effective use
of road space The Government White Paper
recognised that congestion and unreliability of
journeys adds to the cost of businesses
undermining competitiveness in our towns and
cities No-car lanes give priority for essential
vehicles facilitating the movement of goods as
well as people in congested urban centres
In addition to helping the movement of buses and goods vehicles no-car lanes can increase
road capacity in some cases by segregating wider vehicles from standard vehicle lanes
Another major benefit is the reduction of lorry traffic on alternative routes No-car lanes are
probably best utilised in situations where bus flows are too low to justify a lane exclusively for
buses
Newcastle City Council has led the way in the implementation of no-car lanes In Newcastle
city centre there are many existing or planned no-car lanes for example on Barras Bridge
New Bridge Street Westgate Road Sandyford Road John Dobson Street Barrack Road
Percy Street and Great North Road No data has been produced to evaluate the schemes but
feedback from user groups has been positive so far The previous examples are all
successful schemes in Tyne and Wear it is therefore feasible that the success of these
schemes could be translated to Sunderland with the implementation ofconversion to no-car
lanes on the A690 Durham Road Superoute
Conclusions The introduction of a bus lane on Durham Road has provided a more direct route to Sunderland city
centre which can be seen in the reduction in journey times There have also been significant
decreases in traffic flows Durham Road Easy Access bus services have also seen a patronage
increase of 6 per cent with household and user attitudinal surveys revealing positive feedback The
results show that the superoute has successfully met its objectives
However the success of no-car lanes in nearby Newcastle shows that lanes need not be exclusive
to buses in order to relieve urban congestion and that in the future a conversion of some or all of the
A690 Durham Road to a no-car lane may be a more viable option
No-car lane in Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Centre
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Acknowledgements This document was produced with the assistance of the City of Sunderland Council and Nexus
Further information Further information can be obtained from
City of Sunderland Council
Development and Regeneration Directorate
City Centre
Burdon Road
Sunderland SR2 7DN
0191 5531000
wwwsunderlandgovuk
Newcastle City Council
Planning and Transport Section
Newcastle City Council
Civic Centre
Barras Bridge
Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 1RD
wwwnewcastlegovuk
Nexus
Nexus House
St James Boulevard
Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4AX
0191 2033333
wwwnexuscouk
Further information on superoute can be obtained at wwwsuperoutecom
Bus Pr o ityBus Priority
6
1204
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Oxford park and ride service
Case study Bus park and ride the cases of Leicester and Chester
Description of need Background
The UKrsquos longest-running park and ride site was established in Oxford during the
early 1970s This was part of a comprehensive transport strategy designed to
discourage traffic from entering the city because of its adverse effect on the cityrsquos
historic fabric A number of other cities experimented with park and ride including
Nottingham and Leicester A lull in park and ride development followed as traffic
growth predictions were not borne out in reality
A new phase of park and ride schemes were implemented in the mid 1980s in a bid
to alleviate city centre congestion This phase included schemes in Bath
Cambridge and Chester The introduction of new park and ride sites continued into
the mid 1990s The 1990s also saw existing sites begin to expand to accommodate
the needs of changing demand
The Governmentrsquos 10-Year Plan
of July 2000 promised ldquohigh
quality park and ride schemes so
that people do not have to drive
into congested town centresrdquo
setting a target for the
development of ldquoup to 100 new
park and ride schemesrdquo by 2010
Since 2000 there has been a net
increase of 26 sites and plans
are being developed for further
significant expansion
Site location
The target market for park and ride is existing car users who would otherwise drive
into the town centre Sites are usually located on radial routes on the edge of the
urban area to intercept inbound motorists However it is important to consider the
potential impacts on local bus services Abstraction of patronage from local services
to park and ride also reduces the capacity of the service
In a survey of all the bus based park and ride schemes in
the UK the average distance from the city for a park and
ride site was two to three miles This analysis also
revealed that all but one of the sites over 4 miles away
had been built since 2000 The table overleaf
illustrates the distance of park and ride sites from the
urban centres
Park and ride in Great Britain
Distance from the centre (miles) Up to 05 05 to 1 1 to 15 15 to 2 2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 6 to 7 Over 10
Number of sites 1 9 19 16 30 18 3 1 2
Source TAS (2003)
Key elements
Park and ride schemes form part of an overall transport strategy This can include a package of
measures constraining traffic in the city centre that includes reducing parking spaces applying
appropriate charging extending traffic free zones encouraging walking and cycling Parking controls
in the city centre are an integral part of park and ride strategies Those park and ride sites with the
highest utilisation levels tend to offer a huge discount in cost of parking compared with town centre
parking (18-19 per cent of the town centre rate at peak times) In some towns the popularity of the
park and ride scheme has been adversely affected by the reluctance to introduce on-street parking
management in the city centre The primary reason for this is fear of inducing a transfer of retail trade
to other nearby centres
Park and ride car parks have the advantage that they tend to have larger spaces and are therefore
easier to park in due to value of land being lower on these edge of urban area locations Urban centre
parking is often multi-storey to maximise the floor space available many drivers dislike multi-storey car
parks due to associated safety concerns
Frequent and reliable bus services are crucial to the success of park and ride schemes A service
frequency of broadly ten minutes off-peak and seven to eight minutes in peak times is suggested by
lsquoBus-Based Park and Ride A Good Practice Guide 2000rsquo In addition to this it is imperative that park
and ride sites are able to offer comparable journey times with private car though where combined with
bus lanes bus gates and conveniently located town or city centre bus stops it is possible for park and
ride services to offer a distinct journey time advantage over the private car Public transport priority
measures can also assist regular services along the route
The service must provide sufficient capacity to accommodate the morning and afternoon peaks in
demand but a key criticism of park and ride is the wasted capacity as patronage tends to be
concentrated in peak periods and primarily in one direction A number of schemes have sought to
combat this in Oxford services traverse the city and as such cross-city journeys are possible by park
and ride Recent evidence suggests that cross-city journeys make up 10 ndash 15 per cent of park and
ride patronage In York a contra-flow is provided by students using the services to access York
College which is located opposite the Askham Bar site This car park site also has a dual use as the
site was funded as part of a land sale to Tesco for the development of a superstore A further way to
combat this wasted capacity is to tap into off peak markets such as tourists or shoppers this can be
achieved through partnerships with town centres to promote park and ride use for leisure trips
There are three possible ways of charging for park and ride charge for bus journey charge for
parking or both Approximately 70 sites in the UK have chosen the bus fare option while 11 sites
charge for car parking Three cities charge for both The table below illustrates the costs and benefits
for the different charging structures
Costs and benefits of alternative charging structures
Charging structure Benefits Costs
Bus fare Zero rated VAT Potential to discourage high occupancy car use Responsibility for cash handling Poor control over group travel
processing with bus operator Potential to delay departure while bus driver Visible controls as all users have collects fares
to pass and pay driver
Car parking No delay in bus boarding VAT applies Allows direct user comparison Free bus for non car users (if access to site on foot
with towncity centre alternative is possible) Cash collection required from site Revenue protection required Risk of users missing bus while paying for parking
Source TAS (2003)
Problems
Park and ride schemes have been introduced mainly in answer to access issues in congested centres
Air pollution is also a concern in congested central areas and it is felt that park and ride may go some
way to addressing these concerns through reducing the volume of traffic entering the central area
However it is argued by some that park and ride reduces city centre mileage at the expense of
additional mileage in rural and suburban areas although this gives lesser concentrations of kerb-side
pollution because of the dispersed nature of any additional traffic movements
Monitoring Due to the length of time some of the schemes have been running comprehensive before and after
monitoring is not always possible Monitoring of more recent schemes looks at traffic flows on roads
adjacent to the park and ride sites to establish the level of abstraction from the private car Journey
times are also monitored for both bus and private car A number of schemes have conducted market
research of park and ride users to establish user profiles and areas for improving
Scheme details Case study 1 Leicester Description
In 1997 Leicester introduced a park and ride site at Meynellrsquos Gorse to the west of Leicester with
comprehensive bus priorities in an inbound direction The central objectives of this scheme were
increasing accessibility to the city centre
reducing peak hour journeys
reducing air pollution and
encouraging modal shift from cars to buses
Meynellrsquos Gorse could originally accommodate just over 300 cars and was operating at capacity
within three months of opening The number of spaces has increased to 500 but the site still
operates close to capacity
To prevent the car park being filled by
commuters to the exclusion of shoppers
and to reduce abstraction from local
services in the off peak two different
methods of charging are employed Up to
0930 a return ticket costs pound175 per
person An alternative charge of pound220 per
car is available after 0930 This is also a
reflection of high long stay parking costs
and low car occupancy at peak times The
service runs every 10 minutes during peak
hours and every 15 minutes in the off peak
period Normally hours of service are
between 0700 to 1900 Monday to
Saturday
Security is addressed at the site through the presence of an attendant for part of the day and
the area is covered by CCTV
The bus route from the park and ride site to the city centre is direct Private cars are able to access
the city centre at the point where passengers from the park and ride bus alight however the route
by private car is slower and incurs higher parking charges
Cost
The park and ride site is jointly funded by Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City
Council (approximately 33 per cent to 67 per cent respectively) The city council manages the
car park while the county council manages the bus services contract
Bus operator
The service is operated by Arriva
Monitoring results
Although no scheme specific data was collected before implementation comparisons have been
made with pre-study traffic flow data and data from monitoring conducted in 1998 after
implementation The most significant observations are as follows
190 fewer cars were entering the city in the morning peak along the A47 Previously 900 cars
per hour were entering the city along this route
park and ride buses were able to complete the journey quicker than the private car Bus
journey times improved by approximately 5 minutes while car journey times remained the
same
the reliability of journeys by bus improved with the standard deviation of journey times
dropping from 49 to 27 minutes for the inbound journey and 6 to 26 minutes in the
outbound journey
63 per cent of park and ride users previously made their journey by car
a quarter of respondents used park and ride 2 ndash 4 days per week while just under a quarter
Meynellrsquos Gorse park and ride site Leicester
Cou
rtes
y of
Lei
cest
er c
ity
coun
cil
(23 per cent) used park and ride on a daily basis
34 per cent of park and ride users were making more journeys to Leicester since the
introduction of park and ride This supports the argument that park and ride schemes reduce
the generalised cost of travel for some users and as a consequence generate extra trips to
the centre and
65 per cent of users were female
A comparison of patronage over time is not possible due to the two systems of charging
operating in the peak and off peak However an analysis of revenue reveals patronage
increased on bus services in the corridor which is illustrated in the table below
Year 1999 2000 2001 2002
Increase in patronage 49 10 -2 4
Source TAS (2003)
The reduction in growth shown in the table is thought to be a reflection of the site nearing
capacity
Scheme details Case study 2 Chester Description
Chesterrsquos first park and ride site opened in 1983 with the original objective of reducing
congestion in central Chester A later transport study identified three further objectives which
are to
ensure that there is no increase in city centre parking facilities
encourage long stay and commuter parking to use park and ride sites and
continue the policy of expanding park and ride sites aiming for an extra 1000-1500 spaces
by 2011
The Chester scheme includes four sites Broughton Heath Sealand Road Upton and Wrexham
Road All are staffed by an attendant throughout the day with the presence of automated ticket
issuing machines All sites are also monitored using CCTV The site charges for the bus
journey rather than the parking thus avoiding VAT complications This has the added
advantage of marketing the sites as having lsquofree parkingrsquo Also there are faster loading times
and a reduced security risk for the driver because ticketing is off-bus
The park and ride bus route allows access to the city centre by the most direct route which is
not available to those accessing the centre by private car This is combined with bus priority
measures on radial routes to ensure that bus journey times are at least as quick as travelling by
private car There are a number of drop off and pick up points in Chester city allowing the
services to achieve maximum city centre penetration
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Che
ster
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Park and ride bus Chester
Bus operator
The emergence of a series of tender options allowed a single operator to bid for all four site
contracts together Whilst this was not a specific aim it has proved to have some advantages
Chester City Transport has been appointed as the operator
There has been little evidence of park and ride services abstracting passengers from local
services although there is anecdotal evidence that a small number of local residents are
walking to the site and using the service
Monitoring results
The increase in usage of park and ride in Chester is illustrated in the table below It is noticeable
that again growth rates have reduced as the car parks have neared capacity Park and ride now
accounts for 44 per cent of car parking in Chester (excluding on street parking office parking
and non council controlled car parks)
Chester park and ride passenger trips 1997 ndash 2003
Year Park and ride usage change
199798 776358
199899 926082 19
19992000 1093532 18
200001 1023961 -6
200102 1019953 0
200203 1064579 4
Source TAS (2003)
Studies have also been carried out to assess the level of interception of park and ride sites from
the traffic flow on the road past the sites The average for all four sites is 22 per cent The
rates recorded for the individual sites are illustrated in the table below
Vehicle usage of Chester park and ride sites
Average weekly cars Average weekday traffic Site using park and ride site movements past park and ride site interception
Boughton Heath 795 34000 23
Sealand Road 359 19500 18
Upton 572 18000 32
Wrexham 611 34000 18
Source TAS (2003)
Conclusions Discussion points connected with the development of park and ride sites include the use of green field
land for the parking facilities This often generates concern about environmental impact which should
be set against the beneficial impact of reducing pollution from traffic into the towncity centre
There is also debate as to whether a park and ride site results in a greater or lesser use of non park
and ride public transport services Abstraction rates can range from 10 to 28 per cent depending
upon a number of factors including the quality and frequency of the local service
A number of schemes have failed to produce any decongestion benefits This may be a result of
previously suppressed demand that has refilled road space made available by the park and ride
scheme Park and ride sites may also have a negative impact by attracting people who previously
made the whole journey by public transport This might create capacity for other new journeys within
the urban area whilst conversely reducing patronage on marginal rural bus services
Although commercial viability tends not to be a key objective in park and ride strategy at the outset a
number of schemes have progressed over time into commercially run services Park and ride
generally requires frequent investment with vehicles tending to be replaced midlife One of the
incidental benefits of this is that these higher quality vehicles which were introduced to attract the
private car user have now been transferred to local services
The future Many existing park and ride sites are looking to combine with more radical bus priority measures In
the case of Oxford this is the Expressway ndash a guided bus route and in Nottingham two park and ride
sites which were originally bus based are now part of the rapid transit system
More recently established schemes are looking at potential for new sites and ways of increasing the
capacity of the original network Leicester for example is currently looking to add three new sites
(2500 car parking spaces) on routes into the city with associated bus lanes and signal priority
References English Historic Towns Forum Bus-based park and ride - A Good Practice Guide 2000
Oxfordshire County Council Good Practice Guides wwwoxfordshiregovuk
Parkhurst G Environmental cost - benefit of bus based park and ride systems University of London
Centre for Transport Studies ESRC Transport Studies Unit 1999
TAS Park and Ride Great Britain 2003 TAS Publications and Events Ltd 2003
Acknowledgements This leaflet was produced with the assistance of Cheshire County Council Chester City Council
Leicester City Council Oxfordshire County Council York City Council and TAS
Other examples Nottingham
Contact the Parking department at Nottingham City Council for further information on
0115 9155555
Oxford
Contact the Environment and Economy department for further information on 01865 815700
York
Contact the Environment and Development Services department for further information on
01904 613161
Further information Further information on park and ride in Chester can be obtained from
Environment and Sustainability Department
Cheshire County Council
County Hall
Chester
Cheshire CH1 1SF
0845 113331
Further information on park and ride in Leicester can be obtained from the Public Transport
Co-ordinator at Leicester City Council on 0116 2232111
Bus Priority
6
1204
Complementary measures 1 - The bus stop environment
Description of need Background
Traffic congestion is not the only cause of delay to buses The length of time that
buses stand at bus stops can be a substantial component of overall journey time
Dwell time at bus stops has two main components - the time taken for
passengers to board and alight and delay in re-entering the flow of traffic where
buses have stopped in lay-bys or at bus stops where the traffic stream can
overtake with ease Any measure that reduces delay and time spent at bus stops
or improves the environment for people waiting at bus stops will make the bus a
more attractive travel choice
This is the first of two case studies in which consideration is given to measures
that complement bus priority In this case study consideration is given to
measures designed to help buses rejoin the main stream of traffic and to make
the bus stop environment more attractive to users
Objectives The primary objective of the measures considered in this case study is to help to
make travel by bus more attractive A scheme to enable buses to move away
from a bus stop and back into the traffic stream will contribute towards reducing
journey times and improving reliability Improvements to the environment at bus
stops can contribute in a variety of ways by making the waiting area safer and
more attractive and by improving accessibility for example Implementation of
complementary measures at bus stops will add to the impact of schemes to
provide priority for buses
Infrastructure measures Problems
Over time many bus stops have been located in bus bays to enable other traffic
to overtake safely buses picking up or setting down passengers at bus stops
Whilst this is a valid objective it does result in delay to buses attempting to
emerge from lay-bys and rejoin the main traffic stream
because drivers of other vehicles are commonly reluctant
to give way to buses It is a particular problem in
congested conditions
This problem has also led some bus drivers to avoid
stopping at the kerb at bus stops in bus bays in order
to make it easier to re-enter the traffic stream This
in turn led to problems of accessibility for elderly and
disabled people because of the need to step down into
the carriageway and step up on to the platform or first step of the bus It also has the effect of
increasing bus boarding and alighting times
Solutions Filled bus lay-bys
One approach is to pave or infill the bus bay in order to re-create a flush kerb at which the bus
stops in the nearside traffic lane This is intended to enable the bus to resume its route without
delay An ancillary advantage is that this may provide more space for improved waiting facilities
at the bus stop including better quality shelters and seating This does carry the possibility of
delay to other traffic particularly if the traffic lane is not wide enough to permit overtaking or if a
second lane is not available However the bus is able to keep its place in the traffic stream and
it helps to ensure that bus journey times are comparable with car
It is important to consider safety and operational issues such as is the stop to be used as a
layover point or service terminus which may result in unnecessary delay to other vehicles
Before and after surveys were undertaken by TRL in London during 2002 and 2003 using video
surveys and automatic traffic counts to monitor traffic flows journey times and vehicle delays
The effect of filling lay-bys was to reduce passenger boarding times by between 05 and 1
second per passenger Delay at the bus stops decreased by between 2 seconds on a road
operating at 50 per cent of capacity and 4 seconds on a road at 70 per cent of capacity Traffic
delays increased by up to 11 seconds per vehicle on a one-lane road and 2 seconds on a two-
lane road but economic assessments based on the lsquoBus Journey Time Savingsrsquo spreadsheet
produced by Transport for London (TfL) showed that the overall benefits to bus passengers
outweighed the disadvantage to other road users by a ratio of more than 5 to 1
Bus lay-bys in bus lanes
One situation where bus lay-bys are still
being implemented is on bus lanes This
is particularly relevant in a bus lane with
high frequency services running on it or
where not all services call at all stops A
stationary bus in the bus lane waiting for
passengers to board and alight would
cause delays to services behind it that do
not need to stop If the bus were to be
able to pull into a lay-by other services
would be able to continue their journeys
unimpeded In such circumstances the
problem of pulling away from the bus
stop is minimised because the bus is
pulling out into a bus lane Bus lay-by on a bus lane in Plymouth
Co
urt
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of
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P C
on
sult
ing
Bus boarders
Co
urt
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of
GM
PT
E
Bus boarder in Greater Manchester
Unrestricted or illegal parking often prevents buses reaching stops or aligning correctly with the
kerb to ensure close and level boarding Extending the footway out into the nearside lane to create
a boarding and alighting platform a bus boarder may help to remove these sources of delay and to
improve safety for passengers Provision of a raised kerb at a bus boarder can be a further
deterrent to obstructive car parking or stopping to pick up or set down passengers Other vehicles
may park in the lee of the boarder but the position of the bus in the main flow is maintained and
passengers may have easier access to the bus Clearly road width needs to be sufficient to permit
the construction of a boarder without the possibility of a stopped bus blocking the passage of
oncoming vehicles or without causing unacceptable delay to following traffic
The Department for Transport document ldquoInclusive Mobilityrdquo outlines that there are two types of bus
boarder available
bull full width protruding into the carriage so that the bus avoids parked vehicles (approximately 1800
millimetres) and
bull half width between 500 millimetres and 1500 millimetres wide providing a compromise between
a full boarder and no boarder at all These are appropriate for use where a full boarder would
cause unacceptable delay to other vehicles or where the bus is too close to traffic coming in the
opposite direction on the carriageway
Before and after surveys were undertaken by TRL in London in conjunction with TfL throughout
2003 for bus boarders including daytime video surveys and automatic traffic counts to monitor
journey times and vehicle delays On average bus delays fell by between 13 seconds on a road
operating at 50 per cent of capacity and 18 seconds on a road at 70 per cent of capacity Delays
behind the bus increased by up to an average of 42 seconds per vehicle Economic assessments
based on lsquoBus Journey Time Savingsrsquo in this case indicated that bus boarders had a positive effect
on low flow roads but that benefit might be cancelled out by the delay to other traffic on high flow
roads
It was estimated that roads operating at more than about 50 per cent of capacity might suffer a
disadvantageous effect while wider roads could potentially reduce the delay to other vehicles
because of the greater possibility of passing the bus However note should also be taken of the
width of the road and accessibility benefits to passengers Increased accessibility to the bus was
probably undervalued because while reductions in stop time as a result of reduced boarding times
were noticeable no account was taken of the effects of increased accessibility for disabled
passengers
Raised kerbs
Improvements in accessibility at stops by installing raised kerbs and enabling the bus to kerb
correctly not only addresses the issues of social exclusion by providing access for those with
mobility impairments but also enables quicker loading times to be achieved Wheelchair users
maybe able to board buses directly without using a ramp
The Department for Transport document ldquoInclusive Mobilityrdquo states that standard kerb heights range
from 125 millimetres to 140 millimetres Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive in the
ldquoBus Stop Design Guidelinesrdquo suggests a kerb height of 160 millimetres provides the best
compromise between accessibility while minimising damage to buses
The Greater Manchester design guidelines also outlines the minimum lengths for raised kerbs
depending upon the number and frequency of services using the stop they are as follows
bull 4 metres for a lightly used bus stops or stops that are only used for alighting
bull 7 metres for a single bus stop where only one bus will arrive at any one time
bull 16 metres at a double bus stop
bull 26 metres at a double bus stops used by standard 12 metres length buses and articulated
buses and
bull the recommended length of raised kerb at bus boarders is 6 metres
Hull City Council has introduced raised kerbs at a number of its stops However rather than
installing a continuous length of raised kerb double or triple boarders have been installed where two
or more buses could be at the stop at the same time Sections of raised kerb are separated by
lengths of kerb of conventional height Two or three buses are able to park close to the kerb
providing full accessibility and loading simultaneously whereas before the second or third bus
would have had to wait for the previous bus to leave or not be able to pull in close to the kerb to stop
Case study Manchester bus stop treatment Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) consider bus stop design an
integral part of any bus priority scheme This includes the layout of the street furniture street
lighting quality of the paving information available at the stops and carriageway markings
The positioning of the stops is also important the introduction of bus priority measures and
quality bus corridors are an ideal time to review the location of stops on a route
GMPTE have produced design guidelines for bus stops on
lsquoQuality Bus Corridorsrsquo The guidelines include details of
consultation and covers recommended minimum standards
for elements such as footway layout and carriageway
markings at bus stops
The recommended footway layout includes
bull a band of coloured and textured surface along the kerb
edge
bull a rectangular block of colour at the boarding point
bull a band of coloured and textured surface at the end of
each bus stop at right angles to the kerb and
bull remaining areas within the stop boundaries to be
surfaced in a contrasting coloured textured material
In order to protect the bus stop area from illegal parking and
allow the bus to access the stop unimpeded GMPTE
recommend bus stops are covered by a bus clearway order
and 300 millimetres wide yellow box markings are applied
around the bus stop clearway carriageway marking In addition to this a red cordon is marked
around the yellow box this measure has been effective in highlighting the bus stop area and
preventing indiscriminate parking
An example of a bus stop environment C
ou
rtesy
of
JM
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ing
C
ou
rtesy
of
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PT
E
Carriageway markings based on Design Guidelines for bus stops
Conclusions This leaflet has explored a number of improvement measures at bus stops that in isolation may
only achieve a marginal benefit but if implemented with new bus priority measures as part of a
comprehensive scheme can add to the impact of the overall scheme A number of authorities
including GMPTE have embraced a holistic approach to bus priority in which improvements to bus
stop environment layout and information provision are an integral part of a bus priority scheme
References DfT Inclusive Mobility November 2002
GMPTE Design Guidelines for Bus Stops on Quality Bus Corridors in Greater Manchester January
2002
TAS Partnership Quality Bus Infrastructure a manual and guide Landor Publishing and the TAS
Partnership Ltd June 2000
Acknowledgements This leaflet was produced with the assistance of Transport for London TRL Hull City Council and
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
Other examples bull Holistic approach West Midlands Bus Showcase (see special initiative case study in this pack)
bull Norwich Western Corridor Quality Bus Partnership contact Norfolk County Council on
01603 222205
Further information Further information on issues covered in this leaflet can be obtained from
bull TfL customerservicetfl-buscouk
bull GMPTE Quality Bus Corridor team on 0161 2426000 (switchboard)
Bus Pr o ityBus Priority
6
1204
Complementary measures 2 - Other measures
This is the second of two case studies in which consideration is given to
measures that complement bus priority In this case study the matters
addressed are the importance of complementary measures ticketing initiatives
to reduce bus boarding times the operation of buses in pedestrian priority areas
issues relating to pedestrian crossings and the benefits of working in partnership
The importance of complementary measures Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) carried out
research on the impact of a range of different measures that could be
implemented to complement bus priority measures Interviews were carried out
on three corridors which had been treated holistically and on three control
corridors not included in the Quality Bus Corridor programme
Respondents were asked to rate whether they felt various aspects of their service
had got better stayed the same or got worse since they started using the bus
The biggest difference was in faster journey times where 25 per cent of those
questioned on treated routes felt that this aspect was improved compared with 8
per cent on routes which had not been treated A greater proportion of
respondents on treated routes also felt that the reliability of bus services had
improved (22 per cent) compared with 11 per cent of those on non-treated routes
The responses are summarised below
Percentage of respondents who felt aspects of the service had improved
Co
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sult
ing
Ticketing strategies The problem
On busy bus services a substantial proportion of bus journey time can be spent waiting at bus
stops as passengers board or alight purchase tickets andor show their travel passes At peak
times on many urban routes buses can spend as long standing at bus stops as they do in
congested traffic This is a particular problem on Monday mornings in places where weekly tickets
can be bought from the bus driver
Passengers paying with cash can take twice as long as those passengers with pre-paid tickets
creating delays for passengers already on the bus and those waiting to board Additional work is
created for the driver who has to operate the ticket machine and dispense change where
necessary this creates training issues for the operator and security issues for the driver
The solution
Traditional methods of reducing time spent at bus stops include flat or exact fare policies or the
deployment of conductors on buses or at busy bus stops (queue conductors)
There are several other ways in which bus boarding times can be reduced
promotion of pre-paid off-bus ticket sales
provision of ticket issuing machines at some or all bus stops and
application of smartcard technology to all passengers or to particular categories of passengers
(eg schoolchildren elderlydisabled pass holders) The Oxford Bus Company anticipates a 50
per cent reduction in bus boarding times through the introduction of smartcards in Autumn 2004
Case study Bradford Firstcard First Bradford introduced a smartcard known as Firstcard on all first services in Bradford in
April 2000 The scheme proved popular and achieved its first 10000 users by August 2000
Passengers simply place the card on the ticket machine reader and tell the driver where they
are alighting they are then issued with a ticket which tells them the value remaining on their
smart card The success of the scheme was recognised at The Bus Industry Awards in 2000
where First received a runners up award for the project and its aim to provide an easier and
more convenient method of payment for bus travel in Bradford
The tickets can be ordered over the telephone or on the internet and can be loaded or
renewed at Metro travel centres or at the First office
BusMiles operates as a loyalty scheme in connection with Firstcard to encourage
passengers to use the card
Case study Ticketing initiatives in London Transport for London (TfL) has gone one step further and
introduced cashless buses in the area bounded by Paddington
Kings Cross Waterloo and Victoria Passengers must purchase
their ticket from a machine at the stop or have a travel card bus pass freedom pass or saver
ticket By removing cash transactions on the bus it was felt significant reductions could be
made in dwell time at stops This initiative is also combined with the introduction of lsquobendy
busesrsquo which are able to carry up to 140 people and have three boarding doors Eventually it
is expected that the scheme will be rolled out to suburban areas
TfL has also launched a smartcard known as the Oyster card which is a card the size of a
credit card with a microchip The card can be ordered on line and recharged on line by
telephone or at a tube station The technology has been fitted to 6000 buses 255
underground stations and 28 national railway stations served by the underground
The aims of the scheme are to
improve customer service
provide better information about customers travel patterns and
reduce opportunities for fraud
The tickets have the added advantage of allowing faster movement through ticket gates and
on to buses speeding up the journey time The ticket does not have to be removed from its
wallet to be used passengers simply press the card against the reader which reads it within
a fraction of a second In mid-2004 there were approximately 19 million active Oyster cards
and take-up of the cards is expected to increase as further Oyster products and discounts
are introduced
Bus access to pedestrian priority areas The redevelopment and regeneration of many high streets has involved the exclusion of vehicles
with the intention of creating safe and pleasant pedestrian priority areas (PPAs) However in order
to maintain good public access without generating extra peripheral car traffic exceptions have been
made in many PPAs to allow buses and taxis and in some places trams to enter the zone This
allows public transport penetration of urban centres with central bus stops providing a realistic
alternative to city centre parking
The design of PPAs and the extent to which a roadway has been maintained is highly variable The
flow of public transport and delivery vehicles may determine pedestriansrsquo perception of safety and
their consequent tendency to wander freely throughout the PPA rather than maintaining their
conventional position on the footways Allowing buses into a PPA needs very careful consideration
to avoid damaging the environment that shoppers expect Quality of the shopping environment can
affect the choice of shopping centre especially when there are nearby competing centres and
length of stay both of which are important in maintaining the shopping streetrsquos vitality and viability
Co
urt
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Oxford city centre on Queen Street where buses and pedestrians share priority
Zebra pelican amp puffin crossings The provision of safe crossing facilities close to bus stops is a vital component of traffic
management road safety and bus priority schemes It is generally accepted that pedestrians
require assistance when crossing busy roads in safety and the zebra crossing has been a
successful means of reconciling the conflicting demands of vehicular traffic and pedestrians for
many years However where pedestrian flows are heavy or traffic speeds are high zebra
crossings may either impose inconvenient delay on vehicles including buses or become unsafe
for pedestrians
Pelican crossings were designed to address this situation and to maintain traffic movements while
providing extra protection for pedestrians Puffin crossings are a refinement that seeks to minimise
the potential delay to vehicles of a pelican crossing by reacting to the presence of a pedestrian on
the crossing rather than holding traffic at a red signal when no pedestrians are present
Signalised crossings protect pedestrians more effectively than zebras while minimising the delay
to vehicles and hence assisting buses to maintain their schedules Where possible bus stops
should be downstream of pedestrian crossings to reduce the amount of delay experienced by bus
passengers
Before and after surveys were conducted during 2002 and 2003 by TRL in London Overall traffic
delays decreased when a pelican crossing was introduced at three study sites with the lowest
pedestrian flow but increased at the fourth site where flows were higher Modelling indicated that
vehicles were delayed less at pelicans then zebras when pedestrian flows were less than 60 per
hour However traffic delays appeared shorter at zebra crossings with medium pedestrian flows
Holistic approach - quality partnerships Quality Bus Partnerships (QBPs) are formal or informal agreements between local authorities bus
operators and other relevant parties to provide an agreed level of quality of service and
infrastructure along a certain route or routes Alternatively they may be a more general agreement
relating to the general service or infrastructure provision QBPs are an efficient way of achieving
strategic objectives of all those involved as they result in co-ordination of actions between relevant
organisations and the exchange of information
Partnership working is essential where a holistic approach is proposed in order to ensure coshy
ordination of improvements to maximise impact In some cases it may be possible to deliver all of
the components of a scheme at once but where schemes are complex and involve substantial
investment in bus priority and route infrastructure phased implementation may be necessary
The local authority role in a Partnership is to deliver bus priority and traffic management schemes
supported by complementary measures including accessibility at bus stops improvements to the
waiting environment and more comprehensive information for passengers Local authorities also
have the lead role in consultation during scheme development and implementation
The role of the bus operator is to invest in new high quality buses and in upgrading the quality or
level of service The level of improvement in reliability and journey times that can be achieved is
governed to a considerable extent by the time savings that can be delivered by bus priority traffic
management and complementary measures Marketing promotion and monitoring are commonly
joint responsibilities of local authorities and operators
References DfT Inclusive Mobility November 2002
TAS Partnership Quality Bus Infrastructure a manual and guide Landor Publishing and the TAS
Partnership Ltd June 2000
Acknowledgements This leaflet was produced with the assistance of Transport for London (TfL) TRL Greater
Manchester Passenger Transport Executive and First Bradford
Other examples Ticketing strategies Cheshire County Council Smartcard
Holistic approach West Midlands Bus Showcase (see special initiative case study in this pack)
Norwich Western Corridor Quality Bus Partnership contact Norfolk County Council on
01603 222205
Further information Further information on issues raised in this leaflet can be obtained from
TfL at customerservicetfl-buscouk
Bus Priority
1204
Performance indicators
amp monitoring
7
Bus Priority
7
0903
Why do we need to monitor performance Bus priority is central to improving the speed and reliability of services Different
techniques have been used across the country We have to evaluate them to see
how they
benefit bus operators and passengers
affect other road users
operate effectively
may need improving and
give value for money
It is important to test whether bus priority schemes have met their stated
objectives firstly to ensure local accountability and secondly to see whether the
same type of scheme would work in similar circumstances elsewhere This is
particularly important where innovative bus priority measures are being tried for
the first time
Performance indicators assess important aspects of a new scheme They allow
us to judge whether it has benefited bus users or whether the scheme needs to
be modified Performance indicators from different schemes can also provide
stakeholders with evidence of what works This will help with the continued
development of bus priority
Monitoring statistics should be straightforward and easy to collect and should
form the basis of useful performance indicators Monitoring resources should be
proportionate to the overall cost of the scheme They should also be built into the
scheme costs early in the planning and appraisal stage lsquoBeforersquo and lsquoafterrsquo
monitoring may necessarily be limited for smaller schemes More complex
schemes may need a wider programme of monitoring
Bus priority performance indicators and monitoring Different types of bus priority scheme require specific monitoring methods The
full range of monitoring parameters and performance
indicators is shown below These can be used to assess
different bus priority schemes although only a subset
of them would be required to investigate any given
scheme In general the scale and type of monitoring
should relate to what a particular measure aims to
achieve
Performance indicators amp monitoring
Local Transport Plan Improved accessibility
Improved safety
Improved environment
Better economy
Bus Priority Strategy Reduce car dependency by
improving bus services
Reallocate road space to give priority to buses
Provide value for money
Targets Increase number of bus
passengers
Reduce bus journey times
Improve bus service reliability
Scheme Plans
Scheme Implementation
Best Value Performance Indicators
Number of passengers per annum
Number of vehicle kilometres per annum
Cost per passenger journey for services
Number of passengers satisfied with bus services
Continuous improvement
Before amp after monitoring
Achievements amp outcomes
Types of priority Monitoring parameters
Bus stop improvements Bus stop dwell time
Number of bus passengers
Buscar journey times
Modifications to waiting and loading restrictions Parkingservicing surveys
Buscar journey times
With-flow bus lanes Buscar journey times
Contra-flow bus lanes Bus reliability surveys
Bus gates Queue length surveys
Rising bollards Traffic counts
Number of bus passengers
Bus stop dwell times
Selective vehicle detection (SVD) Buscar journey times
Bus reliability surveys
Traffic counts
Number of bus passengers
Bus stop dwell times
SCOOTMOVA Buscar journey times
Queue length surveys
Bus reliability surveys
Traffic counts
Number of bus passengers
Bus stop dwell times
Guided busways Buscar journey times
Car journey times on parallel routes
Queue length surveys
Bus reliability surveys
Traffic counts
Number of bus passengers
Bus stop dwell times
Core and additional monitoring parameters We can distinguish between core and additional monitoring parameters and performance
indicators Core indicators are the minimum that should be collected and additional indicators are
those that could help explain further how the scheme is performing Six core indicators are
described below
Bus service improvements
Bus journey times
Buses can be timed along a section of a route both before and after schemes are implemented
Bus journey times are likely to reduce as a result of bus priority measures Sample sizes will
depend on the variability of the bus journey time and the expected benefit
Reliability
One of the main factors in passenger perception of bus services is reliability This performance
indicator records the difference between timetabled and actual arrival times at one or more points
in the scheme on low frequency routes This shows any improvements in reliability On higher
frequency routes the variation in headways (the interval between consecutive buses travelling on
a route) can be used
Improvements for passengers
Bus use trends
Better bus services can attract people from other forms of transport or encourage people to use
the bus for trips they might otherwise not have taken This increases bus patronage Any changes
need to be seen in context with the underlying trends in the area
The most appropriate way to assess the effect of bus priority schemes on patronage is by carrying
out lsquobeforersquo and lsquoafterrsquo surveys For smaller schemes it may be enough to simply compare ticket
sales on a route that has benefited from bus priority measures with sales on one that hasnrsquot
Bus stop waiting times
The time it takes to pick up and drop off passengers is a significant proportion of the total journey
time Clearly this will relate to the number of passengers getting on and off So if bus passenger
numbers increase buses are likely to spend longer at bus stops As a result some journey time
saving from bus priority measures may not be fully realised
Effects on other traffic
Car journey times
Car journey times can be measured to see whether bus priority has caused any significant delays
The main technique for this is matching the number plates of vehicles travelling in a corridor
between two or more fixed points
Car lorry and cycle counts
We can measure the levels of different types of traffic such as cars heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)
light goods vehicles (LGVs) buses and cycles
Traffic flows can reveal whether vehicles are switching to alternative routes and in some cases
the extent to which motorists are switching to buses However only detailed surveys can reveal the
underlying reasons for any change
An example approach Bus priority strategy
Improve bus service reliability
Improve bus speeds
Increase patronage
Reduce car dependency
Improve bus services
Provide value for money
Targets (5 Years)
Improve reliability 15 per cent
Faster bus speeds 10 per cent
Increase patronage 20 per cent
Reduce congestion 20 per cent
Implement three quality corridors
Action plan
Introduce on-street bus priority (with-flow bus lanes)
Innovative methods (contra-flow bus lanes)
Innovative methods (traffic signal priority)
New wheelchair accessible buses
High quality bus stop facilities
Enhanced pedestrian facilities to access bus stops
Monitoring
Buscar journey times
Car journey times on parallel routes
Queue length surveys
Bus reliability surveys
Traffic counts for area
Number of bus passengers
Bus stop dwell times
Results
Two corridors implemented third delayed by longer than anticipated consultation process
Reliability journey time and patronage targets on the two implemented corridors met or
exceeded
Congestion targets not met revisions made to signal timings on parallel routes
Bus Priority
1204
Web site
wwwbuspriorityorg
8
Bus Priority
8
0903
Web site
Bus Priority
1204
Frequently asked
questions (FAQs)
9
Bus PrioritBus Priority
9
0903
The following questions are typical of those that people frequently ask
during public consultation on bus priority measures You could adapt the
questions and suggested answers to suit your own public consultation
Remember that this is not a definitive list of questions and it obviously
cannot deal with specific schemes You may need to add information about
your proposed scheme and it may also be useful to include details of the
number of buses using different routes and the numbers of passengers
that they carry
Residents Why should residents like me care about bus priority
Bus priority would bring welcome benefits to you your neighbours and your
community as a whole Bus priority helps make buses faster
and more reliable so more people are likely to use them
This in turn will lead to less congestion and pollution in
your area You may even choose to use the bus
avoiding the stresses of driving and parking
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Co
urt
esy
of
JM
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sult
an
ts L
td
There is no need for a bus lane at this location I drive along this road everyday and there
are rarely any delays Why canrsquot you leave things as they are
Buses are used most during the morning and afternoon peak hours which is not necessarily when
local residents use the roads Before we develop proposals for bus priority we carry out traffic
surveys to find where delays occur and how severe they are Delays often reduce the interval
between buses causing them to lsquobunchrsquo Then several arrive at once after a long wait for people at
the bus stop
You are planning to install a bus lane near my house I am concerned about the loss of
resident parking in the area Where am I going to park
We will balance the need for resident parking with the operating hours of the bus lane If the bus
priority improvements affect parking facilities in your area we will do everything practical to provide
alternatives
You are planning to install a bus lane outside my house The road is already very
congested and will your proposals not make the problem worse
We hope the bus lane will make the situation better You are right to be concerned about
congestion and if we do nothing the problem will certainly get worse traffic is predicted to
increase by another 30 per cent over the next 10 years We canrsquot widen your road (and wersquore sure
you wouldnrsquot want us to) so a bus lane is the best way to cut congestion
I live on a side street next to where the bus lane is proposed I am concerned that it will
make it difficult and possibly dangerous to turn into my street
Any bus lanes we introduce will be designed to allow traffic to continue making any manoeuvres
and turns that they make at the moment Whatrsquos more all bus lanes are designed according to
stringent Government guidelines which have been fully vetted for safety Independent safety
experts also carefully examine all bus lane proposals before they are implemented So any safety
concerns will be fully investigated before any work begins
I regularly use the road where you propose putting a bus lane and I see far fewer buses
than other types of vehicle Why should traffic be further delayed for the low number of
buses that use the road
On average a typical double decker bus can carry as many people as 55 cars It therefore makes
sense to give buses greater priority to complete their journeys faster and more reliably This will
help make buses more attractive and encourage people to switch from car to bus More bus use
and less car use will help cut congestion and pollution in your area
You are planning to install a bus lane near where I live Will this turn my road into a lsquorat runrsquo
for cars
If it seems likely that your road will become a lsquorat runrsquo for cars then we will look at introducing
appropriate traffic management measures in consultation with your local community to prevent this
Which vehicles are allowed to use bus lanes and when
Bus lanes need to be clearly signed to help people understand who can legally use them and
when Signs are required at the start of a bus lane after each junction and at intervals along
sections of road where there are no junctions These signs show which vehicles can use a bus
lane Typically buses and cyclists only can use bus lanes Taxis are frequently allowed to use them
too The signs also give the bus lanersquos hours of operation This might be during the weekday
(Monday to Friday) peak hours only (eg 700am to 1000am) or for a longer period (eg 700am
to 700pm) Where there is a need to do so 24 hour bus lanes can be introduced During the hours
of operation only vehicles identified on the signs can use a bus lane Outside of these hours all
traffic can use a bus lane
Buses are large noisy vehicles Does the bus lane mean that I must look forward to an
increase in heavy traffic noises and emissions near my house
Buses come in a range of shapes and sizes They range from small hopper buses up to large
double decker buses to meet high demand on busy routes New buses today are much quieter
than they were ten years ago as a result of legislation limiting noise levels Buses are increasingly
fuel-efficient and lsquogreen and cleanrsquo European legislation is imposing increasingly strict limits on
vehicle emissions Most bus operators have more new buses that produce lower levels of noise
and pollution New quieter and less-polluting buses are usually introduced where local councils and
bus operators set up Quality Bus Partnerships to give priority to buses Bus priority measures
such as bus lanes help deliver faster more reliable bus services More attractive bus services
encourage people to switch from car to bus use and this in turn will help reduce congestion in
your local area
Commerce Why should local companies care about bus priority
Bus priority helps to make local bus services faster and more reliable which will make them more
attractive to both your employees and customers More bus use and less car use will result in less
congestion and leave more road space for transporting goods and services
Your company may wish to develop a travel plan for your employees to encourage them to catch
the bus or use other forms of sustainable transport (eg cycle) An effective travel plan has real
benefits a less problematic stressful journey to work improvements in health for employees who
walk andor cycle more and the opportunity to reuse space in the workplace currently used for staff
car parking
There is no need for a bus lane here Why canrsquot you leave things as they are
If we do nothing it is estimated that traffic volumes nationally will increase by 28 per cent by the
year 2011 and by 60 per cent by the year 2031 It is also estimated that congestion costs
companies that transport freight approximately pound12 billion a year Clearly we have to do
something Encouraging people to leave the car at home and catch the bus is one practical
solution
Before we develop any proposals for bus priority we survey the traffic along the route to see where
delays occur and how severe they are Local bus operators also provide crucial information on
delays to their services If there is evidence that buses are being held up by congestion then bus
priority measures are likely to be needed
Co
urt
esy
of
JM
P C
on
sult
an
ts L
td
You are planning to install a bus lane near our company I am concerned about the loss of
parking in the area Where are our employees going to park
The bus lanersquos operating hours will be balanced with the local need for parking If bus priority
measures affect parking facilities in your area we will look at providing alternative arrangements
However we hope that by making bus services more reliable more people will choose to use them
to travel to and from work including your employees This will clearly solve some local parking
problems and help reduce the conflicts that can occur when people park on residential roads while
they are at work
I am in charge of arranging deliveries for my company How am I going to arrange deliveries
when a bus lane will mean extra loading restrictions
We will do everything we can to maintain loading facilities in your area to support local businesses
The bus lane restrictions are likely to permit loading in the middle of the day outside the peak
hours Alternatively we will do what we can to replace existing loading areas with alternative
facilities in your area However as the demand for road space continues to grow it may be
necessary for deliveries to be made outside normal working hours
Industry Why should local industry care about bus priority
If we do nothing it is estimated that traffic volumes nationally will increase by 28 per cent by the
year 2011 and by 60 per cent by the year 2031 It is also estimated that congestion costs
companies that transport freight approximately pound12 billion a year Clearly we have to do
something Encouraging people to leave the car at home and catch the bus is one practical
response
Bus priority helps to make local bus services faster and more reliable which will make them more
attractive to both your employees and customers More bus use and less car use will result in less
congestion and leave more road space for transporting goods and services
Your company may wish to develop a travel plan for your employees to encourage them to catch
the bus or use other forms of sustainable transport (eg cycle) An effective travel plan has real
benefits a less problematic stressful journey to work improvements in health for employees who
walk andor cycle more and the opportunity to re-use space in the workplace currently used for
staff car parking
There is no need for a bus lane here Why canrsquot you leave things how as are
Before we develop any proposals for bus priority we survey the traffic along the route to see where
delays occur and how severe they are Local bus operators also provide crucial information on
delays to their services If there is evidence that buses are being held up by congestion then bus
priority measures are likely to be needed
I am the human resources manager at a large warehouse How will the bus lane proposals
affect employee parking in the area
The bus lanersquos operating hours will be balanced with the local need for parking If bus priority
measures affect parking facilities in your area we will look at providing alternative arrangements
However we hope that by making bus services more reliable more people will choose to use them
to travel to and from work including your employees This will clearly solve some local parking
problems and help reduce the conflicts that can happen when people park on residential roads
while they are at work
There is also a business case for reducing the number of car parking spaces Each parking space
is estimated to cost pound500 a year before taking into account the loss of that space for a more
productive use This is why companies like Pfizer GlaxoSmithkline and Boots have developed
effective travel plans which aim to reduce their employeesrsquo reliance on the car and make best
possible use of their sites
Bus Priority
1204
Signs amp regulations
10
Bus Priority
10
1204
Signs and regulations
Introduction Road markings and signs serve an important function in conveying clear and
consistent information and requirements to all road users They must be used in
combination and in line with current guidance in order to promote road safety and
efficient traffic flow
Use of the most appropriate signs and markings will also improve the
streetscape minimising street clutter and encouraging adherence to regulations
This leaflet identifies enforceable signs and markings for bus lanes Information
on both with-flow and contra-flow lanes are provided including examples of signs
and road markings for a range of common design scenarios
The content of this document is based upon The Traffic Signs Regulations and
General Directions 2002 and is correct at the time of publishing It is essential that
the latest version of this and the Traffic Signs Manual is referred to in order to
ensure that schemes are developed in accordance with current regulations
With-flow bus lanes
With-flow bus lanes where buses travel in the same
direction as the traffic in the adjacent lane is the most
common bus priority measure A with-flow bus lane is
normally placed on the near side of the road
The diagram on the next page shows a layout (without
pedestrian crossings) for a with-flow lane reserved for
buses and cycles showing both the signing and the
road markings
Signing
If a with-flow bus lane which is also used by pedal cycles and can be used by taxis is located
ahead the sign to diagram 958 should be used varied as appropriate (ie to include or not ldquotaxirdquo) It
is located 30 metres in advance of the taper when the 85th percentile approach speed does not
exceed 30mph and 45 metres when this speed exceeds 30mph The sign needs to be sited so it
is clearly visible from 30 metres for the lower speed and 45 metres for higher speeds
The sign to diagram 959 should be used in conjunction with the road marking lsquoBUS LANErsquo The sign
should appear at the commencement of the bus lane and at intervals not exceeding 300 metres
along uninterrupted lengths of the lane It is also used after each junction that the bus lane breaks
for
If there is a junction ahead where the left hand lane is dedicated to buses only and left turning
vehicles need to use the lane then the sign to diagram 877 should be used On primary routes the
background colour of the sign should be varied to green with white symbols and borders
For the end of a bus lane the sign shown to diagram 964 should be used
Diagram 962 should be placed on side roads from which traffic may emerge The arrow indicates
which direction the bus lane is flowing When there are bus lanes in both directions the arrow is
removed and ldquolanerdquo varied to ldquolanesrdquo
The bus symbol may be varied to the local bus symbol on all signs with blue background
Road markings
Bus lanes are separated from the main carriageway by a marking to diagram 1049 The width of
these markings is either 250 or 300mm depending on the site conditions The start of the bus lane
is marked with diagram 1010 at the same width as 1049 and laid at a taper no sharper than 110
The road marking lsquoBUS LANErsquo to diagram 1048 should appear at the commencement of the bus
lane and at intervals not exceeding 300 metres along uninterrupted lengths of the lane It should
also be used where the bus lane continues after a junction
The deflection arrows to diagram 1014 should be placed at two positions (15m and 30m) upstream
of the taper
When the bus lane passes a junction with a major left turn into a side road the boundary line of the
bus lane should be replaced with a broken line to diagram 1010 This should commence 30m in
advance of the junction The broken line should be accompanied by the advisory direction arrow
(diagram 1050) varied to show a left turn
At other junctions the boundary line (diagram 1049) marking should be terminated approximately
10m before the junction and recommence beyond the junction in combination with a marking to
diagram 1010
Contra-flow bus lanes
Contra-flow bus lanes allow buses to travel against the main direction of traffic flow
Cyclists may be allowed to use contra-flow bus lanes If cyclists are allowed to use a particular
contra-flow bus lane then the cycle symbol must be shown on both the appropriate signs and the
lane markings
The figure here shows an example of a contra-flow layout showing both the signing and lane
markings for buses only
Signing
On the approach to a contra-flow bus lane the sign to diagram 877 should be used to advise all
other vehicles that there is no entry to the bus lane ahead
The start of a contra-flow lane is signed by using the sign to diagram 953 (with or without a cycle
symbol as appropriate) and diagram 9532 These signs are repeated after every break in the bus
lane and at junctions
The sign to diagram 960 should be located so that it can be viewed by traffic travelling in the
opposite direction to the contra-flow bus lane This is also repeated at every break in the bus lane
for junctions A white cycle symbol may be added below the bus symbol and the downward
pointing arrow moved across to the right (see DfT working drawing P960) The bus symbol may be
varied to the local bus symbol on all signs with a blue background
Advance information should always be given to traffic entering from side roads using the sign to
diagram 962 along with diagram 609 At the junction of side roads the sign to diagram 606 is used
If buses are exempt from the left only turn then both diagram 609 and diagram 606 are
supplemented with a sign to diagram 954 9542 or 9543
At pedestrian crossing places lsquoBUS LANE LOOK LEFT LOOK RIGHTrsquo signs to diagram 963
should be used These are pedestrian signs and therefore face the footways
Road markings
The road markings for a contra-flow lane reserved for buses are shown here
The bus lane is separated from the rest of the carriageway by the continuous line prescribed in
diagram 1049 The marking should be discontinued where it passes traffic islands and angled to
guide vehicles from each direction to pass the obstruction
At junctions on the near side of the road the bus lane should be discontinued However a broken
line is not necessary on the approach to a junction since there will be no left turning traffic except
possibly buses
Bus lane markings (either diagram 10481 or 1048) together with direction arrows to diagram 1038
should appear at both ends of the lane so that they can be read by drivers approaching the contra-
flow lane
The direction of possible traffic movements at the end of a bus lane is indicated by diagram 1050
Coloured road surfaces
Bus lanes may be surfaced in coloured material in order to emphasise their presence and
discourage encroachment by other vehicles However coloured surfacing has no legal
significance it is the prescribed traffic signs and road markings which establish the legal status of a
bus lane
Bus lanes at pedestrian crossings
Not all authorities seem to be aware that bus lane markings are not permitted within the controlled
area of a pedestrian crossing A bus lane must be terminated at the start of the ziz-zags and may
pick up again at the end of the zig-zags on the far side of the crossing If the road surface is
coloured for the bus lane this may be continued through the controlled area (marked with zigshy
zags) If a coloured surface has been used for a bus lane this may be continued through the
controlled area (although not through the crossing itself)
24 hour Bus Lanes
For most 24 hour bus lanes the signs to diagrams 958 and 959 do not require time plates The
time plates are only used where a 24 hour bus lane is not far from another lane that shows times of
operation less than 24 hours
Bus gates
Bus gates restrict entry at one end of a street to buses only The entrance to a bus gate should be
marked with diagram 10483 BUS ONLY or 10484 BUS AND (cycle symbol) ONLY (permitted
varient is of 10484 is to include ldquoTaxirdquo)
Waiting and loading restrictions
The order creating a bus lane will prohibit waiting during its operational hours Yellow lines are
necessary only if the waiting restrictions cover some period when the bus lane is not in operation
Loading and unloading is permitted unless it is specifically prohibited in which case kerb marks and
corresponding upright signs are required
Common problems and mistakes in bus priority signing
A common mistake is to put a cycle symbol in the marking for a with-flow bus lane This is unlawful
as diagram 10481 may only be used in contra-flow lanes in order to indicate those where cyclists
are admitted
Cyclists are always allowed to use with-flow bus lanes as indicated on diagram 958 959 It is
considered to be dangerous to keep them outside between buses and other traffic
If a bus lane is placed on the right hand side of the road or anywhere other than the near side of the
road signs will require special authorisation
Prohibited combinations of plates with no entry sign
The combination of the no entry sign (diagram 616) with
any of the plates to diagrams 9543 9546 or 9547 as
shown here is prohibited in the Regulations (TSRGD
2002) and must not be used
References LTN1 97 Keeping Buses Moving (ISBN 0-11-551914-9) TSO 1997
The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 SI 2002 No 3113 TSO 2002
Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 5 TSO 2003
Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 3 TSO 1986
Bus Priority
1204
Bibliography
11
Bus Priority
11
0903
Astrop AJ Balcombe RJ and Daugherty GG (1997 not published)
The Performance of Bus Priority Measures in Brighton PRTT02497
Transport Research Laboratory Crowthorne
Astrop AJ and Balcombe RJ (1995)
Performance of Bus Priority Measures in Shepherds Bush TRL140
Transport Research Laboratory Crowthorne
Balcombe R and York I (1999)
Bus Priority Monitoring and Evaluation TRL Annual Research Review 1998
pp 18 - 23 Transport Research Laboratory Crowthorne
Bowen GT (1997)
Bus Priority in SCOOT TRL Report 255 Transport Research Laboratory
Crowthorne
Bus Priority and Traffic Unit (1999)
Bus Priority Measures Annual Review 1999 DETR
CENTRO (1994)
Bus Priority Monitoring Report Appraisal Section CENTRO Birmingham
Cleveland County Council (1995)
Bus Priority Measures in Central Middlesborough ndash Effects of the New
Traffic Arrangements Department of Environment Development and
Transportation Cleveland County Council
Cloke J and Hopkin J (TRL) Hounsell NB and Lyons G (Southampton
University) (2000)
Monitoring and Evaluation of the ENTRANCE Project in Hampshire ndash
Summary Report TRL Report 415 Transport Research Laboratory Crowthorne
2000
Commission for Integrated Transport (2002)
Public Attitudes to Transport in England A survey
carried out by MORI
Daugherty GG and Balcombe RJ (1999)
Leeds Guided Busway Study TRL410 Transport
Research Laboratory Crowthorne
Bibliography
Daugherty GG Balcombe RJ and Astrop AJ (1999)
A Comparative Assessment of Major Bus Priority Schemes in Great Britain TRL Report 409
Transport Research Laboratory Crowthorne
DETR (March 2003)
Traffic Advisory Leaflet 503 Public Transport Priority Traffic Advisory Unit
DETR (April 2001)
Traffic Advisory Leaflet 601 Bus Priority Traffic Advisory Unit
DETR (December 2000)
Traffic Advisory Leaflet 800 Bus Priority in SCOOT Traffic Advisory Unit
DETR (1999)
From Workhorse to Thoroughbred A Better Role for Bus Travel DETR
DETR (April 1997)
Traffic Advisory Leaflet 497 Rising Bollards Traffic Advisory Unit
DETR (January 1997)
Local Transport Note 197 Keeping Buses Moving A Guide to Traffic Management to Assist
Buses in Urban Areas The Stationery Office
English Historic Towns Forum (May 2000)
Bus-based Park and Ride English Historic Towns Forum
Gardner K and Cobain P (1997)
Bus Priorities A Solution to Urban Congestion lsquoTransportrsquo Proceedings of the Institution of
Civil Engineers v123 n4 November 1997 pp 205 - 212
Gardener K and Metzger D (1997)
Uxbridge Road bus priority demonstration project Proceedings of Seminar K (Traffic
Management and Road Safety) 25th PTRC European Transport Forum pp 63 - 74
Greater London Authority (June 2001)
Improving Londonrsquos Bus Services An Assembly investigation into the quality and
performance of Londonrsquos Buses GLA
Hounsell NB and McLeod F et al (2000)
Headway-based bus priority in London using AVL ndash First results 10th International Conference
ndash Road Transport Information amp Control 4 ndash 6 April 2000 pp 205 ndash 208
Hounsell NB and McLeod F et al (1996)
PROMPT Field Trial and simulation results of bus priority in SCOOT 8th International
Conference (IEE) on Road Traffic Monitoring and Control 1996 pp 90 ndash 94
Hounsell NB and McDonald M (1985 ndash 93)
Evaluation of Bus Lanes CR87 Transport Research Laboratory Crowthorne
Institution of Highways and Transportation (1997)
Transport in the Urban Environment Institution of Highways and Transportation
Chapter 24 Measures to Assist Public Transport pp 329 ndash 348
JMP Consultants Ltd (2000)
London Bus Priority Network South West Sector Bus Priority Study Route 93 Monitoring
Study Final Report London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames
JMP Consultants Ltd (1999)
London Bus Priority Network South West Sector Bus Priority Study Route 65 Monitoring
Study London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames
King GN (London Transport Buses) (1998)
Roads as ldquopeople moversrdquo The Real Case for Bus Priority Traffic Management and Safety
Proceedings of seminars J and K at the European Transport Conference 1998 vol p 428
London Bus Initiative Partnership (2000)
London Bus Initiative ndash Framework Document London Bus Initiative Partnership
London Bus Initiative Partnership (2000)
Bus Priority Literature Review London Bus Initiative Partnership
London Bus Initiative Partnership (2000)
Bus Stop Layouts for Low Floor Bus Accessibility Transport for London
London Bus Initiative Partnership (2000)
Bus Stop Layouts for Articulated Buses Transport for London
Oakes JAJ Thellmann AM and Kelly IT (1994)
Innovative Bus Priority Measures PTRC 22nd Summer Annual Meeting Seminar J 1994 pp
301 - 312
Seaman D and Heggie N (1999)
Comparative Evaluation of Greenways and Bus Priority Lanes Traffic Management Safety
and Intelligent Transport Systems Proceedings of Seminar D at the AET European Transport
Conference 1999 Vol P432 0115 ndash 32
TEN (1998)
Bus Priority and Traffic Management Television Education Network Session Guide TEN
The TAS Partnership (2001)
Quality Bus Partnership Good Practice Guide DETR ndash The TAS Partnership
Transport for London (2001)
Bus Lane Enforcement Transport for London
TRL Limited (2002)
Bus Priority Measures Update 2000 ndash 2002 TRL Information Centre Current topics in transport
no 193 Transport Research Laboratory Crowthorne
TRL University of Southampton and University of Portsmouth (1999)
Monitoring and Evaluation of a Public Transport Priority Scheme in Southampton TRL413
Transport Research Laboratory Crowthorne 1999
WS Atkins (East Anglia 1997)
A1309 Milton Road Bus Lanes ndash Before and After Survey Study Final report Cambridgeshire
County Council
Wu J and Hounsell NB (1998)
Bus Priority Using Pre-Signals Transportation Research (Southampton Institute) Part A
York I (1999)
The Potential of Bus Priority RRTT13299 Transport Research Laboratory Crowthorne
York I (1998)
Comparison of Bus Service Improvements PRTT04998 Transport Research Laboratory
Crowthorne
Bus Priority
1204
Glossary
12
Bus Priority
12
0903
Glossary
Expression Explanation
ASTRID database ASTRID - Automatic SCOOT TRaffic Information Database The ASTRID database system has been developed to use information from SCOOT (see below) to provide a historical background of traffic conditions The system continuously monitors and stores traffic conditions for later retrieval and analysis The system can also act as a reference against which to compare current traffic conditions
Attitudinal survey Survey of attitudes perceptions and views in this context concerning opinions on bus priority measures
Automatic Traffic Count An automated counting device that counts the (ATC) number of vehicles that pass throughover a sensor
planted in or near a road
Automatic Vehicle Location Automatic Vehicle Location is the next step up from SVD
(AVL) (see below) and allows operators to be able to locate individual buses within the fleet Combined with a two-way system of communication AVL technology can relay emergency and status information to individual vehicles andor their control centres contributing to better management and deployment of vehicles
Bus advance area The area between the bus pre-signal (see below) and the main junction
Bus bays Area of carriageway created by realigning the kerb
Bus boarders An extension of the footway into the carriageway in the vicinity of a bus stop Enables the bus to easily access the kerb and pick updrop off passengers at locations where there is a high demand from other vehicles for kerb side access
Bus gate Bus gates are located at the point(s) of access to bus only lanes The purpose of these is to ensure the compliance of other vehicle users Bus gates can be traffic signals actuated by the buses or physical barriers surmountable only by buses for example rising bollards Bus gates could also be signs such as lsquoNo Entry Except Local Busesrsquo
Bus lane An area of carriageway reserved using a Traffic Regulation Order (or a Traffic Management Order in London) for the use of buses and other permitted vehicles where indicated
Bus lane setback The distance between the end of the bus lane and a downstream junction
Bus pre-signals Traffic signals at the end of a bus lane that allow buses to enter the bus advance area in front of other traffic
Bus priority Bus priority measures cover a number of techniques and schemes that are concerned with improving bus operation with the aim of improving service reliability andor reducing bus journey times
Bus signal aspects A traffic signal aspect that specifically applies to buses which is a bus symbol
Bus stop cage Road markings indicating the area on the carriageway used by buses to approach stop and exit at bus stops to allow safe boarding and alighting by passengers
Bus stop clearway A regime that prohibits stopping within a bus cage by vehicles other than buses during set times (eg at any time or 700am - midnight Monday - Saturday) Since the introduction of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 these no longer need to be made under a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) although existing ones made under a TRO are still valid
Contra-flow bus lane Buses in this bus lane travel in the opposite direction to traffic in adjacent lanes
Countdown Dot matrix display installed at bus stops to provide customers with real time information (see below) regarding bus arrivals
Cycle time The time taken to complete a unique series of signal stages
Drop kerbs Sections of kerbline provided at the same level as the carriageway allowing mobility impaired pedestrians access between the footway and the carriageway
Dwell time Time that a bus spends stationary at a stop
Footprint An intelligent vehicle detector which is laid in the road surface This is a passive detection method since the technology doesnrsquot rely on vehicle based communication PRISM can recognise different vehicle types from their signal as they pass over the inductive loop
Guided bus A bus that travels on its own dedicated carriageway or track which lsquoguidesrsquo the steering of the bus
Headway The interval between consecutive buses travelling on a route
Hot spots Sites where major delay is experienced on the bus network
Inductive loops A cable embedded in the highway used to record the presence or passage of a vehicle on or across that section of the highway
Intergreen
LINSIG
Location beacons
London Bus Priority Network
Manual classified traffic counts
Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation (MOVA)
Park and ride
Passenger Transport
Executives (PTEs)
Person trip miles
Phase
Priority vehicle lane
Prism
Time period between traffic signal stages in which no vehicles or pedestrians receive a green aspect
Computer programme used to design traffic signal stages and their sequence and duration at an isolated signal
Roadside infrastructure which detects the presence of buses as they pass a defined location Used in conjunction with real time information systems
The 33 local authorities in London together with London Transport the Department for Transport and the Government Office for London are developing a London wide Bus Priority Network with the aim of improving reliability travel times and the convenience of bus services The London Bus Priority Network consists of about 540 miles of routes and its development and implementation is being coordinated by the London Borough of Bromley
Manual counts are undertaken by an operative located near the road with a manual hand held counting device or video recording equipment
Allows flexible control of traffic signals at isolated junctions
Park and ride is a system where cars are parked in a car park outside the town centre and access is provided to the town centre by a frequent dedicated bus service operating between the park and ride facility and locations within the town The purpose of this parking strategy is to alleviate traffic congestion on roads in and around the town centre
Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs) are the professional and executive
arms of the six metropolitan Passenger Transport Authorities (PTAs) They are responsible for implementing the policies set down by their PTAs both on their own initiative (using public money raised by the PTAs from a levy on local tax payers) and in partnership with others
Also known as passenger miles this measure indicates distances undertaken by passengers on different modes of transport
Traffic movement(s) which is controlled by a single signal aspect This can include pedestrians cycles or general traffic
An area of carriageway reserved using a Traffic Regulation Order for the use of buses bicycles goods vehicles and taxis
An intelligent vehicle detector which is laid in the road surface This is a passive detection method since the technology doesnrsquot rely on vehicle based communication PRISM can recognise different vehicle types from their signal as they pass over the inductive loop
PROMPT
Quality Bus Partnerships
Rat running
Real time information
Red Route
Rising bollards
Saturation flow
SCOOT
Stage
Stakeholder
Statutory undertakers
Selective Vehicle Detection (SVD)
Acronym for EC Drive 2 Project lsquoPRiority and infOrMatics in Public Transportrsquo which developed the active bus priority facility now available within SCOOT (see below) The term is now used as a reference to this facility particularly in London
A partnership between local highways authorities and bus operators designed to improve the quality and reliability of the bus services
Rat running is the term used to describe traffic that uses alternative often residential routes to avoid congested roads to get to their destination This leads to a build up of often fast moving traffic on roads ill equipped to accommodate commuter traffic and can be hazardous and unpleasant for residents
A system providing information as it occurs Increasingly used to provide up to date information at bus stops on the expected arrival time of a particular bus
Red Routes have been introduced in London (now called Transport for London Road Network or TLRN) One of the primary aims is eliminating illegal or inappropriate parking on bus routes through the implementation of double red lines improved signage of existing car parks better provision for parking and for loading and unloading in addition to better enforcement of parking restrictions
Rising bollards are a type of bus gate that prohibit access for other vehicles to bus only lanes
The maximum rate of traffic discharge from a continuous queue at a stopline
SCOOT is a tool for managing and controlling traffic signals in urban areas It is an adaptive system that responds automatically to fluctuations in traffic flow through the use of on-street detectors embedded in the road Bus SCOOT is a facility incorporated into SCOOT to give priority to buses
Part of the traffic signal cycle during which a particular set of phases receives green
Stakeholders can be defined as individuals or organisations that have invested resources whether they be financial or personal inputs ie time and experience into a project Examples of stakeholders in bus priority projects are bus operators local highway authorities bus passengers local resident groups and local businesses (involvement dependent on specific measure)
Public utility companies covering gas water electricity and telephone etc such as Transco British Telecom NTL
Enables buses to be detected separately from other vehicles through the use of fitted transponders thus allowing them priority at signal controlled junctions
TIRIS
TIRIS transponders
Traffic calming
Traffic management
Transponders
Transport Area Quadrant Approach
TRANSYT
Variable Message Signs (VMS)
Wayfarer
With-flow bus lane
Texas Instruments Registration and Identification System (TIRIS) is a radio frequency identification (RFID) system based on low frequency FM transmission techniques The three major parts of the system are the transponder antenna and reader This approach has good resistance to broadband noise whilst being very cost effective to implement
At the core of the TIRIS system is a small transponder or tag in the buses To interrogate the tag a reader in the road sends out a radio signal to the transponder via an antenna The transponder then returns a signal that carries the data that it is storing The messages produced by this system have been integrated into the SCOOT UTC system
Measures employed to reduce excessive speeds on roads with a poor safety record
Traffic management is concerned with maximising the efficiency of existing transport systems Measures utilised to fulfil this aim are varied but generally tend to avoid reliance on new road building schemes Measures applicable fall in to a variety of categories and these include physical measures (eg traffic calming) legal or regulatory measures (eg bus-only lanes) technical measures (eg intelligent transport systems) financial measures (eg road-use pricing) and social measures (eg car sharing)
Electrical devices fitted to buses to transmit vehicle specification information to local beacons
In the context of this series of leaflets the Transport Area Quadrant refers to bus corridors encompassing a wider service area and including improving aspects of the built environment that encourage and facilitate bus travel such as improved walking routes to bus stops etc
TRAffic Network StudY Tool is a traffic signal analysis computer programme for traffic signal networks
Matrix displays providing drivers with mandatory andor advisory information at the roadside relating to situations ahead or in the immediate vicinity
Electronic ticketing machines on buses providing operating data at a route level
Buses in this lane travel in the same direction as traffic in adjacent lanes
List of Acronyms
Acronym Expression
ALG Association of London Government
ATC Automatic Traffic Counts
ATCO Association of Transport Coordinating Officers
ASTRID Automatic SCOOT TRaffic Information Database
AVL Automatic Vehicle Location
CBI Confederation of British Industry
CCTV Closed Circuit Television
CO Carbon Monoxide
CO Carbon Dioxide 2
CPT Confederation of Passenger Transport UK
DfT Department for Transport
DPE Decriminalised Parking Enforcement
DPTAC Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee
DVLA Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
ETM Electronic Ticket Machine
FPN Fixed Penalty Notice
GOL Government Office for London
GPS Global Positioning Systems
JIMs Joint Inspection Meetings
LBI BusPlus London Bus Initiative
LBPN London Bus Priority Network
LTP Local Transport Plan
MOVA Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation
NO 2
Nitrogen Dioxide
ODPM Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
PCN Penalty Charge Notice
PROMPT PRiority and InfOrMatics in Public Transport
PTA Public Transport Authority
PTE Passenger Transport Executive
QWR (+) Quality Whole Route (Plus)
SCOOT Split Cycle Offset Optimisation Technique
SPRINT Selective Priority Network Technique
SVD Selective Vehicle Detection
TfL Transport for London
TMO Traffic Management Order
TRANSYT TRaffic Network StudY Tool
TRO Traffic Regulation Order
TRL Transport Research Laboratory
TSRGD The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002
UT(M)C Urban Traffic (Management) Control
VMS Variable Message Signs
Bus Priority
1204
Contacts
13
Bus Priority
13
0903
Arriva plc Admiral Way Doxford International Business Park Sunderland SR3 3XP
Tel 0191 520 4000 Fax 0191 520 4001 wwwarrivacouk
Association of London Government (ALG) 59frac12 Southwark Street London SE1 0AL
Tel 020 7934 9999 E-mail infoalggovuk wwwalggovuk
Association of Police Authorities Local Government House Smith Square London SW1P 3HZ
Tel 020 7664 3168 Fax 020 7664 3191 wwwapapoliceuk
Association of Transport Coordinating Officers (ATCO) 3 Pine Way Gloucester GL4 4AE
Tel 01492 411491 wwwatcoorguk
Contacts
Centro (West Midlands PTE) 16 Summer Lane Birmingham B19 3SD
Tel 0121 200 2787 wwwcentroorguk
Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Centre Point 103 New Oxford Street London WC1A 1DU
Tel 020 7395 8125 Fax 020 7379 0945 wwwcbiorguk
Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT) 5th Floor Romney House Tufton Street London SW1P 3RA
E-mail cfitdftgsigovuk wwwcfitgovuk
Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT) Imperial House 15 - 19 Kingsway London WC2B 6UN
Tel 020 7240 3131 Fax 020 7240 6565 E-mail cptcpt-ukorg wwwcpt-ukorg
CTC (UK national cyclist organisation) Cotterell House 69 Meadrow Godalming Surrey GU7 3HS
Tel 0870 873 0060 Fax 0870 873 0064 E-mail cyclingctcorguk wwwctcorguk
Department for Transport (DfT) Traffic Management Division 319 Great Minster House 76 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DR
Tel 020 7944 2599 Fax 020 7944 2211 E-mail busprioritydftgsigovuk wwwdftgovuk
Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) Zone 114 Great Minster House 76 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DR
Tel 020 7944 8011 Fax 020 7944 6998 E-mail dptacdftgsigovuk wwwdptacgovuk
First Group Plc 395 King Street Aberdeen AB24 5RP
Tel 01224 650100 Fax 01224 650140 wwwfirstgroupcom
Freight Transport Association Hermes House St Johnrsquos Road Tunbridge Wells Kent TN4 9UZ
Tel 01892 526171 Fax 01892 534989 wwwftacouk
Go-Ahead Group plc 3rd Floor 41 - 51 Grey Street Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6EE
Tel 0191 232 3123 Fax 0191 221 0315 wwwgo-aheadcom
Government Office for London (GoL) Riverwalk House 157 - 161 Millbank London SW1P 4RR
Tel 020 7217 3328 Fax 020 7217 3450 E-mail enquiriesgolgo-regionsgovuk wwwgo-londongovuk
GMPTE (Greater Manchester PTE) 9 Portland Street Piccadilly Gardens Manchester M60 1HX
Tel 0161 242 6000 E-mail publicitygmptegovuk wwwgmptecom
Highways Agency Romney House 43 Marsham Street London SW1P 3HW
Tel 08459 55 65 75 E-mail ha_infohighwaysgsigovuk wwwhighwaysgovuk
London Bus Initiative (LBI BusPlus) BusPlus Programme Customer Service Centre 4th Floor 172 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 9TN
Tel 020 7918 4300 E-mail enquiriesstreetmanagementorguk wwwtflgovukstreets bp_making_your_bus_service_bettershtml
London Transport Users Committee (LTUC) Clements House 14 - 18 Gresham Street London EC2V 7PR
Tel 020 7505 9000 Fax 020 7505 9003 wwwltucorguk
Merseytravel (Merseyside PTE) 24 Hatton Garden Liverpool L3 2AN
Tel 0151 227 5181 Fax 0151 236 2457 wwwmerseytravelgovuk
Metro (West Yorkshire PTE) Wellington House 40 - 50 Wellington Street Leeds LS1 2DE
Tel 0113 251 7272 wwwwymetrocom
Metroline Hygeia House 66 College Road Harrow Middlesex HA1 1BE
Tel 020 8218 8888 Fax 020 8218 8899 E-mail infometrolinecouk wwwmetrolinecouk
National Federation of Bus Users PO Box 320 Portsmouth PO5 3SD
Tel 023 9281 4493 Fax 023 9286 3080 E-mail enquiriesnfbuorg wwwnfbuorg
Nexus (Tyne and Wear PTE) Nexus House St Jamesrsquo Boulevard Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4AX
Tel 0191 203 3333 Fax 0191 203 3180 wwwnexusorguk
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) 26 Whitehall London SW1A 2WH
Tel 020 7944 4400 wwwodpmgovuk
Stagecoach Group 10 Dunkeld Road Perth PH1 5TW
Tel 01738 442111 Fax 01738 580407 wwwstagecoachplccom
Strathclyde Passenger Transport Consort House 12 West George Street Glasgow G2 1HN
Tel 0141 332 6811 E-mail webfeedbacksptcouk wwwstrathclyde-ptecouk
SYPTE (South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive) PO Box 801 Exchange Street Sheffield South Yorkshire S2 5YT
Tel 0114 221 1333 Fax 01226 772877 E-mail commentssyptecouk wwwsyptecouk
Bus Priority
1204
Audio visual
materials
14
- Bus Priority - The Way Ahead
- Overview
- Contents
- News
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- Newsletter 3
- Newsletter 2
- Newsletter 1
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- Strategic options
- Implementation amp delivery
- Maintaining the benefits