A new report outlining the socio-economic benefit of bus travel and demonstrating how these benefits can be further enhanced via the provision of concrete guided busways has been published by Britpave, the infrastructure industry group.
The figures speak for themselves. Bus commuters generate £64 billion in output annually, and 33% of city centre visitors made their most recent trip by bus – more than any other mode of transport including the car. Best-used bus services in urban areas reduce carbon emissions from road transport by up to 75%.
However, the report ‘The Benefits of Concrete Guided Busways’ points out that the potential of bus travel is being stifled by increased congestion. Bus journey times in the West Midlands have increased by 8% over the last seven years. In Oxford, which has one of the UK’s highest level of bus usage, bus speeds have fallen to below 10mph. Furthermore, the forecasted 55% increase in traffic by 2040 could see bus passenger numbers drop by 14% every year putting the future of the bus sector under threat.
Britpave believes that the solution is the guided busway that segregate buses from other road traffic, thereby removing the problems of traffic congestion, obstruction from parked vehicles and the use of bus lanes by unauthorised vehicles. This allows the operation of regular bus services that have more reliable and faster journey times, making taking the bus a more attractive travel option.
Concrete guided busways are relatively simple to construct and are cheap in comparison with light rail systems. They typically consist of two 180mm high concrete kerbs set 260mm apart on a concrete roadway. Once in the guideway, the bus is guided by two lateral guide wheels connected to the bus steering mechanism. On leaving the busway, the kerbs terminate and release the guided wheels allowing the driver to resume steering.
A recent guided busway project is the Leigh to Ellenbrook guided busway in Greater Manchester. Latest figures from First Manchester, which runs the Vantage bus services on the busway, show that patronage of the busway has increased in 45,000 a week with a fifth of passengers having switched to the bus from their cars.
Steve Elliott
General Manager
Britpave
