NEW DIMENSIONS IN CITYBUS DESIGN

This article presents the author's 'New Bus' concept, which combines innovative approaches to the design of buses, busways, and bus routes in cities. The new busway design would match the new vehicle designs, so that the combined system would genuinely improve on existing road and rail solutions. Bus systems would use a mixture of dedicated and guided ways in city centres, while maintaining their unique flexibility in the suburbs. This mixed-mode configuration could deliver an unrivalled service, but requires a more integrated approach than traditional bus operations. Busway layouts should be planned to curtail free car access where required, for example at junctions, in central busways, and at kerbside bus stations or stops. The system would improve on existing busways and guided bus installations, but at less installation cost than for rail. Bus service operation would be primarily driver-controlled, and bus overtaking could be incorporated easily. The New Bus primary system would be based on standard bus construction and passive civil engineering infrastructure. Electronic control and information systems would be confined to the secondary system. Typical bus lengths would be 8.5m (minibus), 11.5m (standard bus), and 18.0m (articulated bus). The system would be introduced gradually, in successive stages. For the covering abstract see IRRD 881545.

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  • Corporate Authors:

    STERLING PUBLICATIONS LTD

    55A NORTH WHARF ROAD
    LONDON,   United Kingdom  W2 1XR
  • Authors:
    • PONSFORD, A
  • Publication Date: 1996

Language

  • English

Media Info

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00725411
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
  • Files: ITRD
  • Created Date: Sep 26 1996 12:00AM