Guided Busways

Post by **madhattie** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:47 pm

I have a mate of a mate who works on the council and reckons that his department have been given the go ahead (and funding) to plan five cross-city guided busways. I asked him which routes but he didn't know.

Is this going to be yet another BCC white elephant?!

stopblock · Post by **stopblock** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:42 pm

I think you already know the answer to that.

horace · Post by **horace** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:00 pm

Another BCC pointless dream. Guided bus ways to me are somewhat pointless. Even if the bus is on a guided section it still needs a driver, so where is the gain over a traditional bus lane. At least on a bus lane the driver can steer around any obstruction that is encountered. The driver would hell of a job doing that on a guided busway. They would have to be very careful where they place them other wise i can see the odd oil drum, burnt out car etc. being dumped by the more unruly of society. Of course they could fence them of like lockleaze bridge, but of course we know how long that fencing lasted. Probably the only way to protect them would be in a solid concrete tube. Now there another dream BCC can have an Overground Underground.

AndyK · Post by **AndyK** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:52 am

horace wrote:Another BCC pointless dream. Guided bus ways to me are somewhat pointless. Even if the bus is on a guided section it still needs a driver, so where is the gain over a traditional bus lane.

All I can think of is that a narrower width is required for a guided way because no margin is required for side-to-side movement of the vehicle. This makes it possible to run buses on the alignments of former railways with less reconstruction that would be needed for a conventional road.

I believe one is being constructed on the bed of the Cambridge-St Ives line, and I would have though it would be best to see the results of that before embarking on any further ones.

bristolian · Post by **bristolian** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:39 am

AndyK wrote:
horace wrote:Another BCC pointless dream. Guided bus ways to me are somewhat pointless. Even if the bus is on a guided section it still needs a driver, so where is the gain over a traditional bus lane.
All I can think of is that a narrower width is required for a guided way because no margin is required for side-to-side movement of the vehicle. This makes it possible to run buses on the alignments of former railways with less reconstruction that would be needed for a conventional road.

I believe one is being constructed on the bed of the Cambridge-St Ives line, and I would have though it would be best to see the results of that before embarking on any further ones.

I live in St. Ives, there is so much local opposition to this project around here. It only got the go-ahead on the strength of a casting-vote by a councillor from South Cambs council, who will not even use the buses...

Very Best Wishes,
Bob.