What's the Point of this then??

[Smiler.]

Have I missed something?

[Crow555]

Isn't that technically a tram? I really can't see the reason why the driver shouldn't need to steer.

[jbi]

if the bus was electric and had a pantograph I could see the point... but I cant

[thinfourth2]

So the buggering things aren't holding up traffic

You can't see the upside

[Cupramax]

Smiler. said:

Have I missed something?

Apart from the complete lack of traffic holding it up you mean?

[jbi]

why not just go the whole hog and build a road?

[Zippee]

That is the biggest waste of time and money ever to be spent in Cambs!

[trashbat]

Judging from the first pic, it's built on a former railway line. Aside from a free route for buses, the obvious advantage would be that you don't even need a full road surface - because you've limited the users, you only need those two concrete planks all the way.

[Jayho]

jbi said:

why not just go the whole hog and build a road?

So everyone can use it? Think the idea is so that public transport can be more convenient for the users by not having traffic and actually being on time for once. Would encourage more people to use public transport if it works.

[jbi]

Jayho said:

jbi said:

why not just go the whole hog and build a road?

So everyone can use it? Think the idea is so that public transport can be more convenient for the users by not having traffic and actually being on time for once. Would encourage more people to use public transport if it works.

If they build these things everywhere will that mean the end of bus lanes?

If so than I wholeheartedly approve of it.

I hear there are quite a few disused railway lines snaking all over the country

[Mr2Mike]

What happens when one of the buses inevitably breaks down?

Wonder if cyclists will want to use these bus lanes?

[jbi]

Mr2Mike said:

What happens when one of the buses inevitably breaks down?

you have 60+ "willing volunteers" on-board to help you get to the next "station"

[Mr2Mike]

jbi said:

you have 60+ "willing volunteers" on-board to help you get to the next "station"

The bus may not be moveable. If it was on a road, the passengers would disembark and wait for the next bus; that doesn't seem to be an option here. A recovery truck would presumably have to reverse all the way down the "track" from the far end.

[insanojackson]

Is it so the design of the road/track prevents other vehicles from using it as they would not be wide enough?

[jbi]

insanojackson said:

Is it so the design of the road/track prevents other vehicles from using it as they would not be wide enough?

since the width of your average modern car is quickly approaching that of a bus... I would say it won't be a deterrent for very long

[8vFTW]

There has been one of these in the centre of Bradford for a few years now. At first I struggled to see the point, but as mentioned above at least you don't get stuck behind them, until they get to the end of the track and have to pull back into the road anyway! It's not a full road surface either so a bit of cost saving there but there are some cases, particularly the Bradford one where it seems like the whole thing was just a huge waste of money when considered in contrast to the benefits offered by such a system.

[anonymous-user]

Seems like a good idea, a separate track for large vehicles to transport people along, they could even have a few of them together in a kind of "train"...

..yes, we could call them "trains", that would work wouldn't it

[jbi]

I suspect personally the bus will be cheaper though, due to lack of signalling, electricity and track infrastructure.

Just a few concrete strips and your off.

Knowing us Brits though we will find a way to make it more expensive than laying down a track.

[littleandy0410]

It's a guided bus route. The one in Cambs (which in true British style is massively over budget and massively delayed) follows the old disused railway line into Cambridge. There is a cycle lane running alongside it, so that on the 4 days a year when it isn't flooded, people can cycle into Cambridge.

So far, the most use it has served was as a getaway lane for a village post office robbery.

ETA: And when it does finally get up and running, I'm expecting delays to the service to be inevitable, due to shopping trolley/stolen dumped car/fly tipping etc.

Edited by littleandy0410 on Friday 5th August 13:13

[hesnotthemessiah]

My Mum lives in Adelaide where they have had one of these type of things for years. it's called the O-Bahn Busway, I think it came from a German idea as a way of connecting villages and towns by bus that were quite far apart quicker than travelling on normal roads. It works really well over there as the distances between suburbs and the centre are much greater.