How do bus lanes reduce traffic?

The basic mechanism by which bus lanes can reduce congestion is by making bus services more attractive and bringing about a mode shift from car use. Delays to other traffic are often minimised by stopping the bus lane short of busy junctions (the main constraint on capacity in cities).

How do bus lanes help?

Separating buses from other vehicles in dedicated lanes protects them from traffic congestion and delays and improves the reliability of services. The smoother driving also saves fuel and makes buses a more appealing mode of travel during peak hours. Dedicated bus lanes are highly visible and typically marked out.

Are bus only lanes effective?

Peak-only bus lanes provide a large boost to transit capacity at critical times, substantially improving both reliability and transit travel times on streets where congestion at peak causes transit delays.

What are bus priority measures?

Bus priority measures aim to reduce journey times and improve the reliability of bus services. They include: segregation; traffic management; traffic signal control; and bus stop improvements. Bus priority measures are particularly effective wherever bus journey times and reliability are affected by traffic congestion.

What are bus priority lanes?

Bus lanes give priority to buses, cutting down on journey times where roads are congested with other traffic and increasing the reliability of buses.

What is the purpose of a bus lane?

A bus lane is a lane restricted to buses on certain days and times, and generally used to speed up public transport that would be otherwise held up by traffic congestion. Bus lanes are shown by road markings and signs that indicate which (if any) other vehicles are permitted to use the bus lane.

How should a bus lane be marked?

Bus lanes have a solid or dashed white line, with a sign that shows the specific type of bus lane. The dashed white lines show the start and end of the lanes, with a solid white line running between them. These marks aren’t to be crossed when the bus lane is in operation.

How wide does a bus lane need to be?

3 m wide
The bus lane, which should be at least 3 m wide (4.0 to 4.25 m if cyclists are admitted), is separated from the rest of the carriageway by a continuous line to diagram 1049. The width of the line will be 250 or 300 mm depending upon site conditions, particularly the width of road available.

How do I check a bus lane?

Look out for the bus lane sign and thick white line on the carriageway. The sign will tell you which vehicles can use the bus lane and the hours of operation. Anyone can use the bus lane outside the hours of operation but please do be aware that bus lane times can vary along a stretch of road.

How do bus lane times work?

Bus lane signs show the times when they operate. Most bus lanes operate at peak times only (typically 7.30am to 9.30am or 3.30pm to 6.00pm on Monday to Friday). Outside the hours of operation the lanes can be used by all traffic. The solid white line defines the edge of the bus lane.

Do I get points for driving in a bus lane?

It’s a civil matter rather than a criminal offence, so it’s unlikely to involve points on your driving licence and therefore shouldn’t impact your car insurance either. But it means that incorrectly using a bus lane can be as needlessly expensive for you as belting past a speed camera or parking illegally.

What is the status of BMTC’s ‘bus priority lane’ project in Orr?

You’ve probably heard about BMTC’s ‘bus priority lane’ pilot project in ORR (Outer Ring Road) by now. Officials are working full-time to set up infrastructure for the project, and are conducting test runs.

When will the bus priority lane project be launched?

The bus priority lane project is set to be launched on November 1st. The left lane will be dedicated to buses. Ambulances will be allowed. They are contemplating whether to allow other high-occupancy vehicles in the same lane; decision not yet made.

How many new bus services are being started in Bangalore?

Starting November 1st, the left lane in the main carriageway between Silk Board and KR Puram will be dedicated for BMTC buses, separated physically by steel bollards. Forty five new bus services will be started exclusively for this corridor.

How many buses will ply in Orr corridor?

The ORR corridor already has many buses – almost 10 percent of all BMTC buses, covering 6596 trips, ply here daily. They will add around 45 buses exclusively for this corridor. These buses will only ply between Silk Board and KR Puram. Currently, the average occupancy rate of buses is around 65 percent in this corridor.