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Bus lanes

  • 25-10-2014 10:40pm
    #1
    Sunnyisland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,562 ✭✭✭✭


    Dident know where to put this in motors or transport so I put it here :-)

    The majority of bus lanes in Liverpool are to be scrapped after a year-long trial without them.

    Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson introduced the trial in September 2013, saying bus lanes "simply don't work".

    Bus operator Stagecoach said it was an "irresponsible" move which ignored the needs of "thousands of bus passengers".

    Councillors also approved moves to study the possibility of "red routes" to deal more severely with "indiscriminate street parking".

    Bus companies feel they (and their passengers) are being overlooked in favour of motorists. The Green Party does not think the evidence for scrapping the bus lanes is really there
    The report, which included data from researchers who travelled as bus passengers, said bus lanes only offered "marginal benefits" along all three corridors.

    It found buses were slowed down by on-street parking rather than other vehicles on the road.
    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-29754046


    So people do you think bus lanes are a good move and do the job in getting there passengers there faster or if they were scraped as in liverpool traffic would move much more smoothly and faster.

    Don't know what to think myself, some of the bus lanes in Dublin anyway seem ridiculous and no need for there 24hr exclusions.


Comments

  • #2
    Irish Steve
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 6,522 Mod ✭✭✭✭Irish Steve


    I'd be delighted to see some of the Dublin Bus lanes scrapped, it would reduce my blood pressure massively, as some gobsh**te uses the bus lane to pass a line of cars that are legally not using the bus lane.

    Red lanes would be more effective in some parts, and if the buses had a layby to use for loading/unloading, the total traffic flow would be significantly improved, the dwell time delay caused now is massive.

    Shore, if it was easy, everybody would be doin it.😁



  • #3
    Ruu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,622 ✭✭✭Ruu


    Moved from AH by request.


  • #4
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    Irish Steve wrote: »
    I'd be delighted to see some of the Dublin Bus lanes scrapped, it would reduce my blood pressure massively, as some gobsh**te uses the bus lane to pass a line of cars that are legally not using the bus lane.

    Red lanes would be more effective in some parts, and if the buses had a layby to use for loading/unloading, the total traffic flow would be significantly improved, the dwell time delay caused now is massive.
    I'd be more in favour of cameras onnapl business in areas where they are abused. The revenue will be a decent earner.


  • #5
    visual
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,267 ✭✭✭visual


    24hr bus lanes and yet to see 24hr buses


  • #6
    biko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,220 ✭✭✭✭biko


    I don't see a reason to scrap bus lanes in any city in Ireland (more towns and cities than Dublin has bus lanes) but I suppose a time system would be good. Most lanes never allow cars around here.


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  • #7
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    I think that bus lanes should only be allowed when there are sufficient buses using them to justify their use by faciltating more bus drivers than the total of motorists that are inconvenienced. There seems little to justify closing off half the carriageway for a bus every 15 minutes or so.


  • #8
    visual
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,267 ✭✭✭visual


    The reason for bus lane is to restrict the road for motorists and encourage motorist to use public transport.

    It about time some numpty realised that the car is primarily means of transport and extra lane could move a high volume of cars. Instead of restricting it to buses who move far few people


  • #9
    cormie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,838 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Let commercial vehicles use them too. It will unclog the other lanes and at the same time achieve the same goal of encouraging people to use public transport. Public transport obviously isn't an option for carrying a few cubic metres of work/economy supportive goods.


  • #10
    Del2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,031 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    cormie wrote: »
    Let commercial vehicles use them too. It will unclog the other lanes and at the same time achieve the same goal of encouraging people to use public transport. Public transport obviously isn't an option for carrying a few cubic metres of work/economy supportive goods.

    Bus lanes are already getting blocked by taxis and cyclists we should be restricting access to anything bar buses, and 2 wheels, not allowing more vehicles in.

    There should be a corresponding increase in buses and if it doesn't work out, increasing public transport usage with decreased travel time, after a trial period it should be removed, it was built they didn't come so try somewhere else.


  • #11
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    Taxis are Public Transport and fill the same role as buses. At least the lanes get some use with a few taxis in them. If we are going to keep the bus lanes we need to weed out the underused ones and make sure that surviving ones have an intensive service on them. otherwise hundreds of road users are being held up for the sake of a few dozen bus passengers.


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  • #12
    Urethra Franklin
    Registered Users Posts: 38 ✭Urethra Franklin


    visual wrote: »
    24hr bus lanes and yet to see 24hr buses

    24h lanes are hard shoulders that now allow buses to use them. You didn't lose any driving space to them and they wouldn't be suitable as a main driving lane as there would then be no hard shoulder.


  • #13
    Cienciano
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,310 ✭✭✭✭Cienciano


    Urethra Franklin wrote: »
    24h lanes are hard shoulders that now allow buses to use them. You didn't lose any driving space to them and they wouldn't be suitable as a main driving lane as there would then be no hard shoulder.

    Sure most roads in Dublin city have no hard shoulder anyway


  • #14
    Alias G
    Registered Users Posts: 792 ✭✭✭Alias G


    visual wrote: »
    24hr bus lanes and yet to see 24hr buses

    Aircoach?, Taxis?, not to mention 100s of private operators. Its not like you are going to get stuck in a jam at the times you're complaining about anyway.


  • #15
    Jimmy Bottles
    Registered Users Posts: 349 ✭✭Jimmy Bottles


    Only during the week I saw a bus come out of Black Ash car park in Cork and then merging into the driving lane and not use the bus lane.

    What the hell is the point of these lanes if the bus drivers won't use them ? :confused:


  • #16
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Urethra Franklin wrote: »
    24h lanes are hard shoulders that now allow buses to use them. You didn't lose any driving space to them and they wouldn't be suitable as a main driving lane as there would then be no hard shoulder.

    Where did you get this from?

    Some of the 24hr lanes I know were definitely not hard shoulders previously.


  • #17
    Victor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78,489 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    realies wrote: »
    Don't know what to think myself, some of the bus lanes in Dublin anyway seem ridiculous and no need for there 24hr exclusions.
    How often is a road so busy at 4am that you need to use what was a hard shoulder?

    If there is some event or other, then there are likely to be buses.


  • #18
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    Depends how busy it is, they are only of use when the traffic is chocca....and if they weren't there, there would be less traffic congestion


  • #19
    Del2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,031 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    corktina wrote: »
    Taxis are Public Transport and fill the same role as buses. At least the lanes get some use with a few taxis in them. If we are going to keep the bus lanes we need to weed out the underused ones and make sure that surviving ones have an intensive service on them. otherwise hundreds of road users are being held up for the sake of a few dozen bus passengers.

    The problem with taxis is that they abuse it so they should loose it. They are only allowed in with a fare on board or on the way to a fare, they completely abuse the travelling to a fare so get rid of that exemption as it's impossible to police.


  • #20
    SpaceTime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,088 ✭✭✭SpaceTime


    They need to operate primarily at peak hours and the signage needs to be vastly improved.

    This little bilingual sign with hours displayed in a very hard to read format results in people not using them when they are open.

    One of the most important bus lanes in Cork City along McCurtain Street has cars parked in it at peak time even though it's supposed to be a clearway. The result is traffic backed up for miles and delays in the bus system.

    No enforcement down here compared to Dublin.

    I think they should allow busses to just take pictures with a dash cam.

    If someone is parked blocking a bus lane... Automatic fine in the post. That'd resolve the issues without taking up Garda resources.


  • #21
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    Del2005 wrote: »
    The problem with taxis is that they abuse it so they should loose it. They are only allowed in with a fare on board or on the way to a fare, they completely abuse the travelling to a fare so get rid of that exemption as it's impossible to police.

    An empty taxi returning rapidly to the City Centre means more taxis available. I can't see too many empty cabs travelling in the direction of the main flow somehow.


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  • #22
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    corktina wrote: »
    Taxis are Public Transport and fill the same role as buses.

    I disagree, they fill the same role as a car for those that aren't driving their own or don't drive. If the same people drove themselves there wouldn't be any increase in traffic. If 100 people got off the bus and took cars instead it would. Taxis, for the most part are a luxury. Most people using them to get in and out of dubkin most likely do so because they don't want to use the bus or train.


  • #23
    Jimmy Bottles
    Registered Users Posts: 349 ✭✭Jimmy Bottles


    A taxi is a private form of transport which can be hired by individuals. Has very little to do with public transport.


  • #24
    Sunnyisland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,562 ✭✭✭✭Sunnyisland


    Victor wrote: »
    How often is a road so busy at 4am that you need to use what was a hard shoulder?

    If there is some event or other, then there are likely to be buses.

    I am talking about Sunday's, Saturday evening, bank holidays, there are quite a few out near Adamstown direction which IMO tgere is no need for them restrictions, also chapeizod as I just came that way, and traffic built up in the single lane while right beside it there is an empty bus lane.


  • #25
    Del2005
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,031 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    corktina wrote: »
    An empty taxi returning rapidly to the City Centre means more taxis available. I can't see too many empty cabs travelling in the direction of the main flow somehow.

    A taxi doesn't remove traffic from the roads buses do. All a taxi does is remove the need for more car parking in the city centre, as they just clog the roads when idle in the city centre.


  • #26
    SpaceTime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,088 ✭✭✭SpaceTime


    The only argument you can make for taxis as public transport is that they don't take up parking spaces. That's possibly useful at peak shopping times in cities like Cork where on street parking is very scarce.

    They're hired private transport.


  • #27
    Spook_ie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,896 ✭✭✭✭Spook_ie


    Del2005 wrote: »
    The problem with taxis is that they abuse it so they should loose it. They are only allowed in with a fare on board or on the way to a fare, they completely abuse the travelling to a fare so get rid of that exemption as it's impossible to police.

    It's not an exemption to use just when travelling to a fare, it's an exemption when plying for hire, think of the chaos if taxis were diving into the left when ever they thought there was a fare, indeed think of the chaos when 2 or more taxis go for the same fare, fastest down shift wins, laughable if it wouldn't be so serious.

    However, the mention of abuse does warrant some attention, but you tell me how you identify a genuine taxi driver plying for hire and someone who only taxis at the weekends and uses the buslanes to get to his normal job the rest of the time. My own personal thoughts is to remove the option of driving taxis when employed in other trades or professions. Easy enough to police via revenue returns seeing as you are requiredto hold a Tax Clearance Cert to hold an SPSV drivers license and a TCC to renew an SPSV vehicle license


  • #28
    NCD
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭NCD


    In Dublin the primary cause of Gridlock is Taxis they are like a out of control plague of locusts, Their behaviour in Bus lanes is disgraceful particularly around the Point and the north wall, Regrettably they have no respect for any other road users,


  • #29
    sogood
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,258 ✭✭✭sogood


    Jimmy Bottles wrote: »
    Only during the week I saw a bus come out of Black Ash car park in Cork and then merging into the driving lane and not use the bus lane.

    What the hell is the point of these lanes if the bus drivers won't use them ? :confused:

    Technically, a bus isn't supposed to use a bus lane unless it's actually "in service", so travelling empty to or from a drop/collection means it can't use the bus lanes. This is a personal bone of contention with me, as once I'm actually driving a bus, I'm "on the clock" with regards to the tachograph and so, as far as I'm concerned, I'm working.

    But that's another days work.

    Many bus lanes seem to be surplus to requirement, but I really appreciate them at the best of times. The amount of abuse is unreal though, with cars driving several hundred yards in a bus lane, with the left indicator on, then merging back into the traffic when it reaches the next junction.


  • #30
    Victor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78,489 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Ye might take a look at this page: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057313339
    Jimmy Bottles wrote: »
    A taxi is a private form of transport which can be hired by individuals. Has very little to do with public transport.
    The availability of taxis mean that more people can do without having or using a car (or a second car int he household), e.g. you can get the bus when shopping and if you have lots of shopping, you can use a taxi to get home. You can also use taxis for urgent trips or trips that aren't practical by bus.
    realies wrote: »
    I am talking about Sunday's, Saturday evening, bank holidays,
    At those times, extra (general) traffic lanes aren't needed.
    there are quite a few out near Adamstown direction which IMO tgere is no need for them restrictions,
    On the 6-lane roads, the bus lanes take the place of what would have been hard shoulders. On the 4-lane roads, bus lanes were put in from the start to avoid hte grief that would be involved in retro-fitting them.
    also chapeizod as I just came that way, and traffic built up in the single lane while right beside it there is an empty bus lane.
    On the bypass, the bus lanes were hard shoulders and there are buses through the night. Through the village, the main constraint is the bridge, the bus lanes have very little impact on traffic throughput.


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  • #31
    visual
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,267 ✭✭✭visual


    Nearly every bus lane ive seen put it took up a driving lane and ended up causing more congestion than it was meant to solve.

    The planners in local councils haven't a notion what impact it causes.

    Ristricing cars into citys and towns and extoring parking charges doesn't get people to use public transport and shop. Instead it causes unnecessary hardship and shops close up as everyone opts for shopping in retail parks and shopping centres.

    Bus lanes make it easier for buses but for more difficult for everyone else.

    Taxi just abuse it and if they do get a fare you can be sure they find a way to get stuck in traffic. Its why at rush hour the bus lane is full of empty taxies


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