the guide as a PDF file - Transport for Greater Manchester

Transcription

Quality Bus Corridors in Greater Manchester
Best Practice
Guidelines
3
Quality Bus Corridors in Greater Manchester Best Practice Guidelines
Foreword
GMPTE is constantly seeking new ways to
improve bus services, so that they offer a real
alternative to car use. Around 85% of all public
transport journeys in Greater Manchester are
made by bus, so we have spent a lot of time
and money improving the network through
introducing Quality Bus Corridors (QBCs).
At the end of the current QBC programme,
we will have invested £88 million in 172 miles
of corridors, which are now delivering real
benefits to bus passengers and operators plus
drivers and cyclists.
QBCs are not just about bus lanes. They
include a wide range of work designed to
improve the total journey experience for bus
passengers, from the accessibility of bus stops
and the quality of the waiting environment
to the condition of the bus and the journey
itself. They also provide benefits for cyclists
and pedestrians, as well as delivering
improvements that reduce congestion.
These best practice guidelines are based
on years of work by GMPTE and its partners
– including the 10 Greater Manchester district
councils and bus operators – in the planning,
design, development and evaluation of QBCs.
I hope you will find these guidelines useful
as we continue to improve bus services
throughout Greater Manchester.
Councillor Roger Jones
Chair, Greater Manchester
Passenger Transport Authority
Endorsements
“Quality Bus Corridors are an essential
component in our drive to improve the delivery
of reliable services to our passengers.”
Mark Threapleton. Chair, Greater
Manchester Bus Operators Group
“The Association of Greater Manchester
Authorities commends these best practise
guidelines for use across the Quality Bus
Corridor network of Greater Manchester and for
fostering of good practice throughout the UK.”
Gary Pickering, Association of Greater
Manchester Authorities
The Quality Bus Corridor is a principal
component of the Greater Manchester
Integrated Transport Strategy. It is the
way forward if we are to be effective in
reducing car borne travel. The successful
delivery of any QBC programme requires
close collaboration across the professional
disciplines within the Conurbation.
Mike Thompson. Chair, Greater Manchester Association
of District Engineers.
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Contents
Page
7 Executive summary
11 What is a Quality Bus Corridor?
11 How are QBC routes identified?
12 What do QBCs seek to achieve?
14
15
16
18
Working in partnership
How are QBC routes developed?
How do we know where the problems are?
What types of measure are used on QBCs?
24
26
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28
29
How do bus stops get improved?
What do QBCs do for cyclists?
What do QBCs do for pedestrians?
What do QBCs do for traders?
What do QBCs do for the environment?
30
32
34
34
34
35
36
How are QBC measures prioritised?
How do we engage the public?
How is success measured?
Whole route data
Local scheme data
Data requirements
Reporting results
38 How are QBCs funded?
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41
42
What has been achieved so far in Greater Manchester?
What is the future of QBCs in Greater Manchester?
The partners
7
Executive summary
• A Quality Bus Corridor (QBC) is an
important bus route which has been
improved to increase bus use and improve
conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.
• There are currently 24 QBC routes
throughout Greater Manchester. The
network that has been formed is extensive,
covering 176 miles and passing through all
10 Districts.
• A QBC is about improving the whole
journey experience – this means that the
bus stops are high-quality; buses are
provided with sufficient priority to improve
punctuality and journey times; passengers
can access stops safely; and cyclists are
provided with new and improved facilities.
• QBC improvements also benefit general
traffic by more effectively managing flows
and reducing congestion in busy areas.
• The main objective of QBCs is to
encourage more people to use the bus.
By increasing numbers of bus passengers
and encouraging people to leave their
cars at home, congestion levels decrease,
pollution levels are reduced and larger
numbers of people can move between
places in shorter periods of time.
• All bus stops on QBCs are reviewed to
make sure they are in the best place.
They are also provided with high-quality
paving; boarding platforms; new flag signs
and posts; passenger information and;
where possible, new or improved shelters.
In addition, all QBC stops have clearway
restrictions to prevent inconsiderate
parking and loading from blocking bus
access.
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• QBCs improve provision for cyclists.
Cyclists obtain benefits from the
introduction of bus lanes and cycle lanes.
At signal junctions advanced cycle stop
lines are provided and cycle parking areas
are provided in busy shopping areas, or
near transport interchanges.
• The provision of new pedestrian crossings,
particularly at traffic signals, can create
more delays on QBC routes. The need for
pedestrian measures should therefore be
carefully balanced against benefits gained
from bus priority measures on other
sections of a route.
• QBCs raise the standard of provision for
pedestrians. Where possible, controlled
or uncontrolled crossing points are
provided close to stops and at major
junctions. Disabled users and the elderly
are considered through the introduction of
tactile paving; audible signals at crossing
points and; ensuring that traffic signal
crossing times allow for all users.
• Traders can benefit in a number of
ways from QBCs. Experience in Greater
Manchester has shown that, following
delivery of extensive QBC measures,
there is a distinct rise in the number of
pedestrians passing local shops. This
means more passing customers, which
can only be good for business.
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• QBCs have also provided better shortterm parking and loading facilities
for customers and traders, as well as
providing new and safer pedestrian
crossings, cycle facilities and secure cycle
parking.
• QBCs benefit the environment as large
numbers of people on a fully occupied bus
could replace dozens of car-based trips.
Also, QBC improvements within District
Centres and at busy junctions help to
keep traffic moving, reducing queues and
improving air quality.
• A QBC is implemented as a series of
separate schemes, all of which eventually
join to form part of the whole corridor
strategy and, when joined together, deliver
a whole-route treatment.
• Effective consultation is key to successful
QBC delivery, and bus priority schemes
can be particularly controversial during
consultations, especially where bus lanes
are planned on major routes.
• Consultations with local Councillors,
District Officers, and the public should
therefore explain the strategic benefits
of the QBC for the whole corridor and
bus route, as well as the benefits that
local people would gain from individual
schemes.
10
• Passenger increases are possibly the most
important indicator,as trends in numbers
of users will show how successful QBC
routes and networks have been. Other
indicators include improvements in
reliability along with reductions in journey
times.
• A great deal has been achieved on Greater
Manchester’s QBC network since 2000.
However, there is a great deal more to be
done to deliver a world-class bus network
and to protect bus journey times and
reliability in future years.
• Greater Manchester Authorities have
developed a future transport strategy for
the City Region. Rail and Metrolink will
play an important role in this strategy,
but buses will need to carry much of the
additional demand for the forseeable
future.
• We need to raise the profile of the bus and
help it to become the mode of choice for
Greater Manchester, enabling it to offer a
real alternative to the private car.
• The main challenge is delivery, i.e. getting
measures on the ground that deliver an
excellent bus-based public transport
system.
• QBC routes need to be assessed to
understand whether the corridor
objectives have been met and to assess
whether a scheme has been successful.
Performance indicators are used for this
purpose.
To reach this point will involve a great deal
of partnership working, high levels of
inward investment, and the commitment
and drive of all those involved in delivering
bus priority.
11
What is a Quality Bus
Corridor?
How are QBC routes
identified?
A Quality Bus Corridor, or QBC, is an
important bus route that is improved to
increase bus use and improve conditions for
pedestrians and cyclists.
Complex transport models have been
created for Greater Manchester that provide
information on where people want to go, and
where they started their journeys.
Improvements on QBCs are designed to
improve the whole travelling experience i.e.
when passengers are pedestrians trying
to access bus stops; when and how those
passengers buy their tickets; the information
that they are provided regarding routes,
arrival times and services; the comfort,
security, accessibility and convenience of bus
stops; the time that passengers spend waiting
at stops and; getting to the destination itself,
including the journey time and the variability
of that journey time.
The models provide information on “modal
spilt”, i.e:
A Quality Bus Corridor is therefore the
“finished product”, i.e. a route that has been
improved so that:
• The bus stops are high-quality;
• Buses are provided with sufficient priority
to guarantee their journey times and
reliability;
• Passengers can access stops safely and
efficiently; and
• Cyclists are able to travel in safety and
can secure their bikes at the end of their
journey.
The level of comfort on buses, driver
politeness, driving standards and passenger
consideration are also elements of the
travelling experience. These issues are
addressed through encouraging operators to
invest cost savings that they would gain from
QBC efficiency savings into improvements in
their services.
• The numbers of people travelling by
different methods along a given route;
• The distance they have travelled; and
• The relative speed, cost and convenience
of their chosen mode.
These transport models are used to calculate
the numbers of passengers moving from one
area to another, as well as the potential for
new passengers to use buses by transferring
from their private cars.
Much information can be gained from an
understanding of the popularity of bus routes
through detailed surveys of bus journey times,
numbers of services on individual routes, and
numbers of passengers. Consultation with local
highway authorities and bus operators is also
essential to identify the most important routes.
There are currently 24 QBC routes throughout
Greater Manchester. The network that has
been formed is extensive, covering 176 miles
and passing through all 10 Districts.
These QBC routes are strategically important
for movement within and between Districts,
and to facilitate access to Manchester’s
commercial centre. QBCs are not therefore
solely “local” improvement projects, but part
of a wider County-wide network, delivery of
which is essential for continued economic
growth and prosperity.
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What do QBCs seek to
achieve?
The main objective of QBCs is to encourage
more people to use the bus. By increasing
bus use, congestion levels decrease,
pollution levels are reduced and larger
numbers of people can move between places
in shorter periods of time.
• Individual cars travelling on Manchester’s
roads carry on average around 1.2 people.
• A bus carrying 50 passengers takes up
around twice the area of car.
• A bus therefore accommodates up to 25
travellers in the same road space.
To put this another way, a queue of around 40
vehicles provides the same people carrying
capacity as a single bus with 50 people on it.
There is simply not enough space on Greater
Manchester’s roads to accommodate all
transport demands through use of the private
car. Buses are more effective at moving large
numbers of people.
The only logical solution as we move into the
future is to supply and maintain a regular,
reliable and comfortable public transport
network. We must therefore provide buses
with priority over private cars to ensure that
people can rely on them to get them to where
they want to go.
Quality Bus Corridors seek to make bus
journey times more competitive with the car,
as well as reducing variability of bus journey
times to improve the reliability of services.
By improving the efficiency of a route, bus
operators are better able to plan their
services to ensure that they arrive on time
and in good time. This means that they are
less likely to have to use additional buses on
a route to keep to their timetable, and can use
these additional buses to increase frequency.
Bus priority measures might include:
• bus lanes;
• bus gates / pre-signals; and
• improved waiting facilities.
These measures help to improve bus journey
times and reduce their variability.
QBCs can therefore save operators money,
and these savings can be used to buy new
high-quality buses with greater capacity, or
to provide easy access buses for disabled and
elderly users.
Passenger comfort is also important at bus
stops and stations. QBCs provide a way in
which stops and interchange points can be
improved to not only make bus stops more
attractive, but also to make boarding the
bus easier and more comfortable by raising
kerbs, providing new shelters and improving
passenger information.
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However, QBCs also seek to make the
travelling experience better for those on foot
or on bicycles by:
• improving pedestrian and cycle crossings;
and
• providing new or improved cycling facilities
such as:
• cycle paths;
• cycle lanes;
• special advanced stop lines at traffic signals; and
• cycle parking racks.
At Parrswood on the A34, a major
facility was upgraded as part of the
QBC programme to improve the way it
operates for buses, as well as improve
the waiting environment for passengers.
A QBC therefore seeks to introduce a higher
level of public transport service with a
strong emphasis on increasing bus use and
protecting vulnerable road users. In addition,
QBCs can provide general traffic management
improvements that will have benefits for all
network users, which could include:
• Improved footpaths and street lighting;
• Better management of parking and
loading, including parking/loading bays to
remove traffic from the roadway;
• Measures to improve all traffic flow,
including new and improved sets of traffic
signals, road widening to accommodate
more traffic lanes or adjustments to the
way in which existing signals work;
• Traffic calming to reduce impacts on
parallel routes, and side road “entry
treatments”, which highlight the change
from main roads to residential side
streets; and
• Road signing and road marking changes
to improve the way in which the route
operates.
It is an approach that provides high quality bus
facilities along with route improvements to
benefit all users.
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Working in partnership
The quality of a bus journey relies just
as much on the standard of the service,
which includes the level of comfort, driver
politeness, driving standards and passenger
consideration. Operator involvement is
therefore crucial to the success of a QBC.
They set out a series of obligations that bus
operator’s agree to adhere to, such as:
Without investment in improving buses and
driver training, the physical improvements
introduced on a route would be eroded by
the poor service image created by buses with
difficult access and dated internal layouts.
• passenger comfort levels; and
A successful QBC therefore relies on partnership
working, creating close ties and regular working
contact between operators, planners and traffic
engineers. Working groups and regular liaison
should therefore be arranged at the outset
of a QBCs development, and should continue
throughout the corridor’s development.
Operators are commercially minded and can
appreciate how the cost savings that they gain
from QBC efficiency savings could be used to
enhance their fleets and encourage increased
patronage.
It is therefore important to plan physical
improvements in partnership with operators
so that their own investment plans are
programmed to coincide with physical route
improvements.
Statutory Quality Partnership Schemes
provide a mechanism for formalising
partnership arrangements. These are made
under the Transport Act 2000 and can help
to deliver a true partnership between bus
operators and highway authorities to improve
the quality of bus services operating within a
defined Scheme area.
• standards of bus cleanliness;
• improved driver training;
• Minimum standards of fleet emissions;
• low-floor access etc.
In return, bus operators are permitted to use
bus priority facilities and stopping places within
a Scheme area, which the highway authority
provides and maintains to agreed standards.
It is also possible to develop voluntary
agreements between highway and planning
authorities and one or more operators to
guarantee a level of service in conjunction with
an agreed programme of route improvements.
Greater Manchester authorities are working
closely with the Government to ensure
that the 2007 Local Transport Bill provides
a firm basis for partnership agreements
across all aspects of the bus journey.
Another form of partnership is a Punctuality
Improvement Plan, or PIP, for a specific
service route. A PIP is a plan agreed between
an operator and a local highway authority. The
operator agrees to deliver a package of agreed
service improvements on a route that suffers
from reliability problems in conjunction with
local authority commitments to make agreed
physical improvements.
Greater Manchester is committed to building
upon the partnership foundations established
through the QBC programme.
15
How are QBC routes
developed?
The first stage in developing a QBC is to
produce a “Whole Route Implementation
Plan”, or WRIP. A WRIP comprises a small
scale plan of the corridor along with a table
that breaks the route down into sections
and prioritises the problems experienced by
buses and other road users.
Potential improvement options are shown in
outline on the plan and are described within
an accompanying table. Options are identified
through a combination of:
• site inspections by traffic engineers and
planners;
• analysis of corridor survey data; and
• consultation with local Councils and bus
operators.
Extract from Whole Route Implementation Plan
When developing a WRIP for a QBC, measures
should be identified on an “end to end” basis,
i.e. measures that would improve the whole
route and travelling experience, as opposed to
a series of individual “hotspot” schemes.
A WRIP is not a fixed plan for the corridor.
It is a guide to highlight the issues on the
route and describe proposed improvements
to address those issues. The WRIP should
be updated and reviewed as new ideas are
brought forward and costs and benefits are
confirmed.
Once a WRIP has been developed and
agreed in principle, individual projects are
developed to a higher level of detail. Localised
consultations and development work will then
be needed to develop schemes that fit with the
corridor strategy, as well as delivering local
benefits.
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How do we know where the
problems are?
Problems are identified in a variety of ways.
However, travelling on the bus during the
busiest times is by far the most important
method of understanding where the bus is
delayed on the corridor and where problems
are experienced when passengers board and
alight.
Discussions with bus operators and regular
drivers on the corridor can provide extensive
detailed knowledge of the problems along a
route.
Bus drivers can also provide valuable
insights into operational problems such
as stops being obstructed by parking
and loading, high passenger numbers at
certain times of day and variability of traffic
conditions.
Local highway authorities are also key
sources of information. District officers
often have an in-depth understanding of
the corridors that pass through their areas,
particularly major routes with high-frequency
bus services. They can provide information on:
• past proposals for the route;
• problems relating to traffic signal
operation;
• peak time congestion areas;
• construction issues that need to be
considered (such as bridge structures that
form pinch points);
• local schools / hospitals / retail areas that
impact on the route; and
• many other issues that can help in the
design of the QBC.
Other important consultees include the Police
and other emergency services. Contacts
within these organisations can provide
information on enforcement issues and the
importance of the route for their operations,
as well as stating where they consider the
problem areas to be, and their likely causes.
Analysis of average journey time data
provides a useful method for reviewing the
whole route and confirming the information
gained from consultations.
It should be presented as a graph of journey
time against distance, showing average bus
journey times during peaks and inter-peaks,
with and without bus stop dwell times. This
provides a useful insight into where buses are
delayed and which highway improvements
could help to reduce journey times.
Detailed analysis of average junction delays
and bus stop dwell times can also provide an
invaluable insight into where the bus suffers
the worst delays and hence where remedial
measures could have the greatest benefits
Many routes vary significantly in the amount
of congestion experienced. This could be
due to poor weather conditions, intermittent
problems with parking and loading
obstructions, or specific problems such as
market days, sporting events etc.
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Surveys have shown that bus reliability
and journey times are the key issues that
concern users. The time passengers spend
waiting at stops and the confidence that
they have in their arrival time is key to the
success of a bus service.
A passenger needs to be confident that they
can catch a bus at a certain time, and that
they will arrive at their final destination on
time. Lack of confidence in arrival time means
they must allow for journey time variations by
catching an earlier bus. This does not provide
user confidence and enhances the perception
of a poor “second class” service. Journey
time variability should therefore be measured
and reported in order to understand where
problems lie, and where successes are being
gained.
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What types of measures are
used on QBCs?
In order to develop a QBC within the
constraints of a busy road corridor,
techniques must be adopted which will
clearly define the road space set aside for
buses, as well as treating lengths of the
corridors where narrow road widths prevent
the use of bus lanes.
Techniques therefore need to be innovative
and flexible, providing a “toolkit” of traffic
management measures, which may be
adapted for the specific traffic situations and
types of road encountered.
QBC improvements can also deliver
benefits for all traffic by easing congestion
and improving traffic flow.
The following list of measures is not designed
to be exhaustive or prescriptive, but does
give an indication of the overall approach that
should be adopted:
Bus Lanes
Bus lanes are ultimately the most effective
form of on-road bus priority, providing
dedicated lanes that allow buses to by-pass
queues of traffic. Bus lanes ensure that road
space is reserved for buses into the future, so
that as traffic levels rise, they are still able to
avoid traffic queues and maintain their journey
times.
They also provide benefits for cyclists and
taxis delivering both journey time savings and
road safety benefits.
Over 17 miles of bus lanes have been
provided throughout Greater Manchester.
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Bus gate at Rusholme
Manchester City Council is now enforcing
bus lanes to prevent their abuse. Extending
enforcement to the whole County is important
if the benefits of bus lanes are to be
maintained.
Examples of pre-signals can be seen
within Rusholme District Centre and on
Rochdale Road in Royton, Oldham.
Careful consideration should be given to
the hours of bus lane’s operation to ensure
continuity for motorists and maximum
benefits for buses.
Bus Gates or Pre-Signals
Pre-signals give control to buses approaching
traffic signals or District Centres by stopping
general traffic at a red signal whilst allowing
buses to continue on the nearside.
Pre-signals are particularly useful where
buses may need to move to offside lanes to
turn right at a junction, or where a bus lane
ends and buses would struggle to re-enter the
general traffic lane.
Bus gates involve the use of short lengths
of bus only roads to allow buses to bypass general traffic routes, and so gain
an advantage over other traffic. They are
sometimes controlled by pre-signals, or
dedicated bus only signals.
20
Bus Ways
These are sections of road that are specifically
built for bus use only. Existing lengths of road
can also become bus ways by banning general
traffic except for buses.
Bus ways provide queue by-passes and shortcuts through busy areas. They often deliver
very good journey time benefits with minimal
disruption to other traffic.
Two good examples of newly constructed
sections of bus way in Greater Manchester
can be seen at Portwood roundabout and
Travis Brow in Stockport.
Bus ways can also form part of Bus Rapid
Transit schemes, or BRT. This is a concept
whereby a dedicated route is constructed for
buses, often on old railway lines or through
brown field sites.
QBCs can strongly support and enhance BRT
networks, potentially providing the on-street
bus priority where off-street BRT routes join
the road network.
BRT Vehicle
In Greater Manchester, a BRT route is
currently being developed between LeighSalford and Manchester and further
expansion of Manchester’s BRT network is
being considered for the future.
Virtual Bus Lanes
Virtual bus lanes are lengths of the QBC
on which no bus lanes can be provided, but
where bus lanes can be delivered on both
approaches to the length of road in question.
Queues are held back on approaches and can
be by-passed where bus lanes are provided,
therefore delays for buses are minimised.
A good example of a virtual bus lane can
be seen in Withington District Centre in
South Manchester.
21
Traffic signals
All QBCs should be subject to a traffic signal
review, which would assess the following:
• Suitability of the method of control to
provide benefits for buses and enhance
safety and convenience for pedestrians;
• Level of bus priority available on the
approach to the junction and included
within the method of control;
• Provision of control systems such as
SCOOT or MOVA that can provide priority
to bus services as well as reducing
congestion levels for all traffic;
• Provision and siting of detection equipment
for priority purposes; and
A SCOOT-based QBC scheme in Hazel
Grove, Stockport has reduced bus and
car journey times by 3 minutes, a 30%
reduction in delays.
Traffic management
It may not be possible, or practical, to provide
direct bus priority measures on a section of
route, but general improvements to traffic
management layouts will improve traffic
flows and behaviour and reduce delays for all
vehicles, including buses.
Designers should consider all aspects of
traffic management along a route.
• Traffic signal timings to provide bus priority.
Traffic signals can take a central role in
any corridor traffic management strategy.
Through traffic signals, traffic on the main
and side roads can be controlled for the
benefit of buses.
QBCs should also seek to introduce traffic light
pre-emption at signals. This is where buses
are provided with satellite location equipment
that can communicate with approaching sets of
signals to request more green time, ensuring
that late running buses pass through in
minimum time. In conjunction with a network
control system such as SCOOT, traffic light
pre-emption can be a very useful method of
providing “invisible” priority to buses whilst
minimising disruption to general traffic.
General improvements to consider might
include:
• Improved lane layouts and signing at
junctions;
• Improved road marking at roundabouts;
and
• Banning turning movements to prevent
delays on the bus route caused by vehicles
waiting to turn right.
22
The effect on side roads should also be
considered. Measures that may restrict flows
on the QBC could cause diversion to other
routes. It is important that designers are
aware of this fact and introduce measures
that mitigate the effects. This will involve
consideration of possible ‘diversion’ routes.
To avoid traffic moving on to unsuitable roads,
measures that dissuade inappropriate use
should be considered, including:
• Traffic Calming;
• Entry Treatments;
• Closure of side roads; and
• Banned turning movements.
Waiting and loading
Parked and loading vehicles can create
obstructions that reduce a road’s efficiency.
Buses suffer more from inconsiderate
parking than other traffic because
they tend to be in the left hand lane of
two lane roads, and with their limited
manoeuvrability they require more space
to pull out and pass a parked vehicle.
General improvements to the flow and control
of a route can be gained from a review of
existing waiting and loading activity and
restrictions on a corridor. Better control of
kerb space can provide benefits to all traffic.
A corridor approach should therefore seek to
improve the layout of parking and loading to
address the following:
• Parking on approach to bus stops;
• Parking at bus stops (24 hour clearways
are recommended on all QBCs);
• Loading requirements;
• Disabled Parking;
• Short term parking; and
• Residents parking.
Designers should look to provide dedicated
spaces that set aside kerbside space for the
needs identified above. This would mean
making full use of parking and loading controls
with clearly marked areas for loading, disabled
users and parking.
Restrictions should be introduced with
consistency in their times of operation,
providing clear guidance to drivers over
where they can park or load, and for how long.
23
Use of parking bays indented into pavements
should be considered where space permits,
as this provides for the existing parking
and loading needs of frontages whilst also
removing vehicles from the roadway. Marking
of on-street parking places with white lines
(where permitted under Traffic Regulations)
can also help to regulate and control parking
through busy areas.
Safety and Security
QBC designs should take account of the
accident record along each corridor and
seek to reduce the number of accidents by
introducing site or route-specific remedial
measures.
Designers should be aware of existing
accident issues and planned remedial
measures should be integrated into QBC
improvements.
Safety audits should be undertaken on major
schemes proposed along QBCs.
CCTV should be considered for District Centre
areas close to major stops, or in bus shelters.
Personal security could also be improved
through the use of emergency help lines
at major stops. Where appropriate, street
lighting should be reviewed, and consideration
given to removing areas of thick undergrowth
near stops.
24
How do bus stops get
improved?
The bus stop is the basic interface between
the passenger and the bus. Each bus stop
should be treated as a “mini-station”,
providing a convenient and easy to use
facility for the passenger.
The ideal bus stop will achieve the following:
• Provide weather protection;
• Provide a clean, pleasant and secure
waiting environment;
• Provide information on services;
• Allow easy access to and from the stop for
buses and passengers; and
• Allow easy access for the passenger to and
from the vehicle.
At the end of the current programme of
QBC works over 2000 stops will have been
upgraded in Greater Manchester.
At the WRIP development stage designers
should initially define all bus stop locations
and establish their degree of usage. QBC bus
stop design guidelines have been produced
by the GMPTE and these should be used to
provide plans for upgrading all stops on QBCs
to achieve the following:
• High-quality paving and boarding
“platforms” at stops to aid level access;
• Where possible, new/upgraded shelters at
all stops;
• New bus stop poles and flag signs; and
• Passenger information boards.
In addition, all QBC bus stops should have 24
hour clearway restrictions to prevent parking
and loading, and hence obstruction.
Retail frontages, educational facilities or
employment centres can cause excessive
levels of on-street parking on nearby streets,
including QBC routes. On such routes, bus
stops are often obstructed by parked vehicles,
which prevent buses from reaching the kerb.
Passengers are therefore forced to cross
between parked cars to reach the bus.
Obstruction can also occur where stops lie
between servicing areas and loading bays
within District Centres. It may not be practical
or possible to prohibit parking and/or loading
in such areas.
All bus stops should be reviewed to establish
whether they meet passenger needs.
Consideration might be given to the use
of “bus boarders”, where the footpath is
built-out past the width of parked cars,
allowing direct access from the extended
kerb to the bus door.
25
Bus boarders can, and have, been
controversial when used in the County, as
buses stopped at these boarders prevent
traffic from flowing past while passengers
board or alight. However, it is important to
understand that it is often the case that buses
stop in the road on the outside of parked
vehicles before the boarder is put in place,
therefore the boarder does nothing to change
the situation other than to prevent passengers
from having to walk in the road to reach the
bus.
It is therefore better for the bus to be
positioned at a boarder so that it can pick
up and set down passengers safely and
conveniently and then pull off without being
delayed.
Bus stop in Chorlton before QBC measures were
introduced.
26
What do QBCs do for cyclists?
QBCs improve provision for cyclists. Cyclists
will obtain benefits from the introduction of
bus lanes, and designers need to be aware
of the need for wider bus lanes to assist
buses in overtaking cyclists. When looking
at signal junctions, advanced cycle stop lines
should be provided with approach cycle lanes
wherever practical.
Consideration should also be given to existing
cycle routes and, where these cross QBCs,
cycle crossings should be provided, especially
at large cycle trip generators. It may in some
cases be preferable to provide for cyclists
along parallel routes to the QBC corridor and
support should be provided to these routes,
such as in signing.
In certain key locations, QBC improvements
can also include new or improved cycle
parking facilities.
What do QBCs do for
pedestrians?
QBCs raise the standard of provision for
pedestrians. Taking a whole trip approach; at
each end of the bus journey passengers will
need to walk to and from their destination.
Controlled or uncontrolled crossing points
should be provided close to stops and at major
junctions. Disabled people and the elderly
should be considered through introduction of
tactile paving and audible signals at crossing
points.
27
Improvements to pedestrian
facilities in Didsbury
Over 200 new signalised crossings have
been introduced on the QBC network in
Greater Manchester.
However, the provision of new pedestrian
crossings, particularly at traffic signals, can
create further traffic delays on a QBC route.
The need for pedestrian measures should
therefore be carefully balanced against
dedicated bus priority that can be delivered
elsewhere on the route.
Pedestrian refuge in
Didsbury district centre
This is a particular issue that has arisen
within Greater Manchester, as Districts see
the provision of new pedestrian facilities as
being essential to complement QBC schemes,
especially where new or improved traffic
signals are required.
It is indeed important to provide for
pedestrians, and many major schemes would
not proceed unless careful consideration
were given to needs of vulnerable road users.
However, signalised pedestrian facilities
create additional delays on the roads, and
do not therefore provide any journey time or
reliability benefits for buses. Indeed, in many
cases they create an increase in journey times
and introduce greater variability.
Designers of QBC projects should seek to
enhance pedestrian facilities whilst ensuring
that any journey time disbenefits for
buses are balanced by specific bus priority
measures elsewhere on the corridor.
28
What do QBCs do for traders?
Trader’s can benefit in a number of ways
from QBCs. Often major bus routes pass
through the heart of District Centres, taking
many customers to and from shopping
centres. Improvements in the speed, comfort
and convenience of bus travel encourage
more people to travel by bus, and in so doing
increase numbers of shoppers. Travel by bus
is also a more convenient and sustainable
way of reaching District Centre areas.
Experience in Chorlton District Centre
in Manchester has shown that, following
delivery of extensive QBC measures
including new bus stops, bus only turns,
bus lanes, pedestrian crossings and
improved parking provision, there was a
distinct rise in the number of pedestrians
passing local shops.
Greater pedestrian numbers translates to
greater numbers of passing customers, which
can only be good for business.
QBCs can provide:
• better short-term parking arrangements;
• loading facilities for traders;
• new and safer pedestrian crossings;
• cycle facilities; and
• secure cycle parking.
These improvements go alongside measures
specifically for the bus and help all road
users, providing a better and more accessible
shopping environment, which encourages
increased trade.
29
What do QBCs do for the
environment?
The cost savings that operators gain
from QBC efficiency savings can be used
to enhance their fleets and encourage
increased patronage. QBCs can therefore
improve air quality through encouraging
newer and cleaner buses.
Greater Manchester has experienced average
patronage increases of 14% on its QBC
networks. This equates to higher loadings
on individual vehicles, which increases their
environmental efficiency.
Buses on QBC routes now carry twice the
passenger loadings of non-QBC routes,
effectively halving their climate change gas
emissions. When compared to other modes
of transport, QBCs produce climate change
gas emissions comparable to electric and
diesel rail services and produce 40% less
emissions than the private car.
Bus use reduces the numbers of vehicles
needed to carry people over the same distance
and hence reduces emissions. The greater the
passenger numbers that can be encouraged to
use the bus, the more these benefits increase.
Sustainability and people carrying capacity
are therefore key elements in determining
the importance of the bus and in delivering
associated environmental benefits.
30
How are QBC measures
prioritised?
Once an outline list of proposed schemes
has been developed, along with budget
cost estimates and projections of scheme
benefits, it is necessary to decide which
should be taken forward, and in which
priority order they should be delivered.
GMPTE have previously used a prioritisation
model that looks at a number of key indicators
to decide:
• Where buses suffer the worst delay;
• Where journey time reliability is
particularly poor;
• What the frontage environment is like
– hospitals / retail centres etc;
• Where bus frequencies and passenger
numbers are at their highest;
• What journey time benefits passengers
would gain;
There is also a need to ensure continuity
on a route to achieve the “end to end”
benefits that QBCs seek to deliver. Scheme
prioritisation should therefore firstly take
account of the relative priority of each
route in terms of the degree to which
core services are delayed by congestion,
or suffer from service unreliability.
Passenger loading levels and bus
frequencies on the whole route should also
inform this route prioritisation process.
At an individual scheme level, the method of
prioritisation varies depending on the types
of projects being considered, and the degree
to which they have been developed. However,
prioritisation should be broadly based on the
following factors:
• The predicted journey time benefits;
• What facility improvements would be
provided;
• Predicted passenger journey time savings
(i.e. linked to service frequency and
occupancy);
• What costs/benefits would be obtained
from the proposals; and
• Benefits to vulnerable road users; and
• What pedestrians and cyclists would gain
from the proposals.
These factors were compared to rank the
relative priority of proposed schemes for
the SEMMMS QBC network, and proved to
be a very useful method of allocating limited
funding to high-benefit projects.
A prioritisation system is necessary to
objectively assess whether individual schemes
merit funding, and if so, in what order they
should be delivered.
• Scheme deliverability.
31
The impact of measures on general traffic
should also be taken into account, including:
• impact on congestion;
• impact on parking and loading
arrangements; and
• restrictions to traffic movement.
However, these must be carefully balanced
against the strategic benefits of a bus priority
scheme. When considering congestion
impacts in particular, consideration should be
given to how many more people could travel
along a corridor in a shorter period of time if
more people transferred to using the bus.
Maintaining a “neutral” impact on traffic flow
may not always be possible where bus priority
is implemented, but the benefits in terms of
people moving capacity and efficiency could
outweigh any disbenefits to private car users.
Whatever prioritisation system is adopted,
schemes can only be prioritised in close
consultation with Districts and bus operators,
who are best placed to set out where they
consider the main problem areas to lie and
where they consider the greatest benefits
could be gained. It is therefore strongly
recommended that any prioritisation model
be validated and checked against advice from
stakeholders to ensure that it agrees with
what corridor partners are saying about the
key issues on the QBC route.
32
How do we engage the public?
Effective consultation is key to successful
QBC delivery. The type and extent of
consultation depends on the nature of the
proposals.
For the Greater Manchester QBC
networks, comprehensive information
and updates are provided through
leaflets, exhibitions, audio CDs, telephone
information lines and dedicated websites.
• Stage 3 Consultation commences once the
results of the Stage 2 consultation have
been analysed and actions on proposed
changes or points of contention have been
agreed. This consultation should inform
local people as to:
• what the results of Stage 2 have been;
• what changes have been made to the proposals;
• the details of the final scheme; and
It is recommended that consultation for larger
projects be undertaken in 3 distinct stages:
• information on the delivery programme.
• Stage 1 Consultation involves asking local
people and transport users:
For major projects, a further Stage 4
consultation may be appropriate to tell people
what has been achieved, and what remains
to be done. This could also be used to obtain
feedback from transport users, residents and
traders on whether the scheme has achieved
its goals.
• what they would most like to see done to improve their area: and
• what they consider to be the most important elements of an
improvement scheme.
By incorporating these elements into a
developing scheme, projects can often
proceed more smoothly and with fewer
objections than would a scheme that is
perceived to be designed and presented to
the public as a fait accompli.
• Stage 2 Consultation commences at the
point where a scheme proposal has been
drafted and is ready to go to out to the
public for comment. It should state the
Stage 1 consultation results and clearly
relate the proposals to those results –
what is proposed to address the problems
that local people have identified?
Bus priority schemes can be particularly
controversial during consultations, especially
where bus lanes are planned on major routes.
Attitudes to bus priority differ depending on
individual’s views.
Many people are regular car users, and
many may never use a bus out of choice.
Objections to bus priority schemes are
therefore common, particularly where
they affect road capacity, parking and
loading.
There are likely to be compromises required
where bus priority measures require road
space that reduces parking provision, but the
final decision on whether to proceed with a
scheme is made by local politicians.
33
Experience in Greater Manchester has shown
the importance of engaging senior officers,
local Ward Members and Executive Members
at an early stage.
Briefings with senior officers and
Members should be held at the outset
of the corridor development process to
explain the strategic importance of QBCs
and the benefits that they can deliver for
all road users.
When developing large individual projects,
special Member’s briefing packs have been
produced to describe the aims and objectives
and to clearly set out the scheme impacts.
QBC consultation has developed greatly over
the life of the network programmes and has
been enhanced by the use of traffic simulation
modelling, which can provide 3-D moving
images of schemes showing how traffic would
be impacted by proposals such as bus lanes
or traffic signal changes.
DVDs were produced for major projects in
Didsbury District Centre and Fallowfield.
These showed 3-D simulations of the
QBC proposals and were accompanied by
a professionally recorded plain English
description of the project elements. The DVDs
were distributed widely in local libraries,
petrol stations and other major public places
as part of the consultation process. They
assisted greatly in clearly explaining the
scheme impacts.
Local residents, the travelling public and
key stakeholders should be informed of
the benefits that major projects can bring
using plain language leaflets containing
clear, unambiguous scheme plans with
accompanying feedback forms and
questionnaires. These should be distributed to
residents, visitors and public transport users
to ensure that the views of all those affected
can be sought and taken into account.
It is most important to make the public and
stakeholders aware of all the benefits that
a QBC scheme can deliver. This can range
from new and enhanced pedestrian crossings
to cycle lanes, cycle parking, cycle routes,
reduced congestion, improved parking, better
loading facilities and better management of
traffic.
Early engagement of key decision makers
combined with a staged and considered
public consultation process can greatly
ease the delivery of major schemes
and ensure that the full benefits of QBC
projects are delivered.
34
How is success measured?
It is important to assess whether bus priority
schemes have met their objectives, firstly to
ensure accountability and secondly to assess
whether a scheme has been successful, and
hence whether it might prove successful
elsewhere.
ensure like for like comparisons can be
made as time goes on, and that information
is presented in a way that will allow planners
to determine where problems lie, and hence
where improvement schemes are required.
• Local Scheme Data
Monitoring data should also be used to set
performance indicators for the corridor.
Performance indicators provide a way in which
the benefits of the scheme can be judged, as
well as identifying ways in which a scheme
might be adjusted to work better.
Whole route data
Local scheme data
This is used to define the performance of the
whole bus journey from the beginning to the
end of the QBC corridor. Planning for route
data collection should be undertaken at the
outset of the QBC development process,
and should be proportional to the size and
complexity of a route or individual scheme.
As a QBC route progresses, individual projects
will be identified and developed as part of
the wider corridor strategy. When developing
individual schemes along a route, such as
those passing through District Centres or at
key junctions, more localised monitoring may
be required to assess how that particular
scheme operates, and its local impacts.
There are two levels of monitoring data that
should be collected:
• Whole Route; and
Monitoring should also be an ongoing process
for the whole-route, as QBCs are developed
over a number years and it will be necessary
to judge the effectiveness of the measures
put in place as the development programme
moves forward.
As a minimum, route monitoring should be
undertaken yearly, but preferably more
often.
Initially, after a corridor has been identified,
it is important to ensure that the first set of
monitoring data is collected in a way that
can be repeated over future years. This will
Data will be required for such schemes to:
• help model the proposals;
• provide localised before and after data;
and
• to assist in monitoring local impacts, such
as traffic starting to use side roads, or
strategic re-routing causing decreases in
overall flow.
The requirement and detail required from
local data collection depends on the nature of
the scheme being developed.
35
Data requirements
There are various types of data that should be
collected to help the planning process. These
include:
1. Bus journey times, collected during peaks
and off-peaks by on-bus surveys from the
beginning to the end of the corridor. These
surveys should record time spent boarding
and alighting at bus stops, as well as the
time spent queuing to pass through traffic
signals or other delay points on the route.
2. Car journey times, collected through incar surveys, or potentially through other
data sources such as ITIS, which provides
speed monitoring information from a large
number of in-car vehicle surveys;
3. Bus occupancy information – how many
passengers use the core service, and other
corridor services? This information could
be obtained from operators, or through
on-bus surveys;
4. Boarding and alighting information
– how many passengers board and alight
from the bus at the various stops along
the corridor, and what is the average bus
occupancy at various times of day?
5. Bus punctuality and journey time
variability, collected at bus stops and
through comparison of journey time
surveys. How long do passengers spend
waiting at bus stops and how variable is
their total journey time?
6. Traffic Information – it will be necessary to
understand the numbers and types of vehicle
passing along, or joining, a QBC corridor
at different times of day. A combination of
traffic turning counts classified by vehicle
type, along with information from Automatic
Traffic Counters should therefore be
obtained. Where individual schemes are being
developed, it may be necessary to arrange for
more detailed traffic counts to be undertaken,
or for surveys to define where traffic is
moving to and from within a section of the
route, i.e. “origin and destination” surveys.
36
Reporting results
It is important to assess whether bus
priority schemes have met their objectives,
both to ensure accountability and to gauge
the success of individual measures.
Indicators should include:
• Passenger numbers, which is possibly the
most important indicator, as this provides
an indication of how successful the QBC
routes and networks have been;
• Punctuality at bus stops;
• Variability of journey times; and
Performance indicators are used for this
purpose. They provide a way in which the
benefits to bus users can be judged, as well as
identifying ways in which a scheme might be
adjusted to work better. This then helps in the
continuing development of bus priority.
• Changes in overall journey times.
All these indicators are important in
demonstrating whether a QBC has been
successful.
Interim performance reviews for QBC
routes in Greater Manchester have shown
that:
• There has been a steady rise in
passenger growth over the life of the
QBC programme;
• Reliability of services has steadily
improved;
• The “gap” between car and bus journey
times has reduced considerably;
• Congestion is still a problem at some
points on the routes, which has reduced
the end to end journey time benefits;
although
• Without QBC development, journey
times and reliability levels would be
significantly worse than they are at
present.
37
A full evaluation of the networks will be
completed in Summer 2008, after substantial
completion of the programme. An evaluation
report will be published to describe the
benefits gained. This report will consider the
performance of individual schemes, specific
corridors and the various networks in order to
answer questions such as:
• How much patronage growth should be
expected from QBC routes?
• What should be an acceptable level of
service punctuality on a QBC route?
• What journey time benefits could be
expected?
• What journey time and reliability benefits
can be gained from bus lanes?
• To what extent should QBCs improve bus
competitiveness with the private car?
• What level of journey time variability
should be expected on a QBC?
• How many traffic and vulnerable user
accidents might be prevented through
implementing QBC schemes?
This information will be used to develop
performance targets and prioritisation
indicators for future bus priority development
within Greater Manchester.
38
How are QBCs funded?
Between 1999 and 2008 there have been
3 existing QBC networks within Greater
Manchester, which are separated by the way
in which they evolved and were subsequently
funded:
TOPSLICE
Topslice funding comes from an annual
contribution from GMPTA and the 10 Districts
of Greater Manchester. The funds are taken as
a 25% “slice” off all Capital Programme funds
allocated annually to the 10 Districts. The
Capital Programme is a works programme
described within the Local Transport Plan,
which sets out what transport targets Greater
Manchester wishes to achieve, and how it
intends to do so.
The Topslice network evolved from a GMPTE
concept following consultations with the 10
Districts, bus operators and the Highways
Agency. Agreement to the Topslice concept
was obtained from these partners, and a
successful bid was made to the Department
for Transport for the annual funding to be
made available for a period of 8 years.
The amount of the settlement depends
on performance over the previous year in
reaching the transport targets that have been
set within the plan. The Capital Programme
settlement therefore varies each year, as does
the “top-slice” of this settlement that is ringfenced for QBC works. The total allocation for
the Topslice QBC network has been £55.5m
over the past 8 years. 2007/08 is the final
year that Topslice QBC funding will be made
available.
39
The South East Manchester Multi-Modal
Study (SEMMMS) was a central government
study commissioned to investigate transport
issues in South East Manchester. One of
the key proposals from SEMMMS was the
requirement for a Quality Bus Corridor
network to be developed and implemented
within South Manchester encompassing major
commuter routes.
GMPTE made a successful bid for funding to
develop and deliver these routes. This bid was
approved by the Department for Transport in
2002/03, and £23m was allocated to deliver
the QBC network over a 5 year period.
This network was identified during a multimodal study commissioned by the DfT to
review problems experienced between
Junctions 12 and 18 of the M60. A major
bid was submitted by the GMPTE in 2001 to
implement a network of Quality Bus Corridors
that are affected by the problems caused over
this section of the M60. This bid for £9.3m was
accepted by DfT, and the Northern Orbital
QBC network was subsequently planned and
delivered over a 4 year programme between
2002/03 and 2006/07.
40
What has been achieved so far
in Greater Manchester?
A Quality Bus Corridor Delivery Report
1999/00 to 2006/07 was published by GMPTE
in December 2006. This document provides
information on what has been delivered on the
QBC network to date.
A full evaluation report will be published
in Summer 2008 taking account of
ongoing schemes and projects that are in
development.
At the end of the current programme of
works, £88m will have been invested in
Greater Manchester’s QBC networks.
By the end of 2008 nearly 200 separate
schemes will have been delivered on a 176
mile network of QBC routes. These range from
traffic management improvements to traffic
signal upgrades, new signal control systems,
bus lane schemes and pedestrian and cycle
improvements.
In summary the following will have been
provided throughout the conurbation:
• over 20 miles of bus lanes;
• 14 miles of cycle lanes;
• 1600 on-street parking spaces;
• 250 traffic signal improvements;
• 30 new sets of signals;
• 185 new pedestrian crossings;
• 470 new pedestrian phases at traffic
signals; and
• 2000 bus stops improved to QBC
standards.
Interim evaluation results show that:
• punctuality has improved on QBC routes;
• there has been positive change in the
gap between car and bus journey times
indicating a general improvement in
competitiveness across the network; and
• there has been a reduction in levels of
injury accident occurrence in the location
of major QBC schemes, averaging 13%
savings for all accidents.
QBCs in Greater Manchester have also
contributed to a 14% rise in passenger
numbers, equating to 6.1 million additional
journeys.
The QBC network programmes have
therefore delivered significant benefits
across the conurbation, particularly in terms
of patronage increases and infrastructure
improvements.
41
What is the future of QBC in
Greater Manchester?
There are many areas where buses are still
delayed, and where further bus priority work
is needed.
It is essential to understand how Greater
Manchester’s road network will change over
the coming years. How much growth will
take place in the City Region’s population,
how many more jobs will be created in the
commercial centres, and how much more
commuter travel will therefore need to be
accommodated.
The Greater Manchester authorities have
developed a future transport strategy for the
City Region to address the critical relationship
between connectivity and economic growth.
Under this strategy Rail and Metrolink
networks will play an important role in
accommodating growth in demand, but
buses will remain the main public transport
provider for the County as they provide the
most convenient and extensive network,
linking residential areas and main routes to
businesses and retail centres. Buses must
therefore be relied on to carry much of the
additional demand in the region for the
foreseeable future.
A strategy is therefore being developed for
the next generation of bus priority, which will
operate to a higher standard still as part of a
multi-modal public transport network.
This will involve new challenges for all
partners. New delivery mechanisms and
partnership arrangements are therefore
being put in place to assist in meeting these
challenges effectively.
We need to raise the profile of the bus and
help it to become the mode of choice for
Greater Manchester, enabling it to offer a
real alternative to the private car.
To reach this point will take a great deal of
partnership working, high levels of inward
investment and the drive and commitment of
all those involved in delivering bus priority.
42
Partners
The success of the QBC programme is largely
due to the ongoing long-term partnership
working between the PTE/A, the ten Districts
and the bus operators. The QBC programme
has been implemented as part of the Integrate
Project by the following partner organisations:
Each partner has been instrumental in
supporting the QBC initiative and delivering
real improvements to help the transport
situation along the QBC corridors.
• Greater Manchester Passenger Transport
Authority & Executive
• Metropolitan Districts of Greater Manchester:
• Bolton MBC
• Bury MBC
• Manchester City Council
• Oldham MBC
• Rochdale MBC
• City of Salford
• Stockport MBC
• Tameside MBC
• Trafford MBC
• Wigan MBC
• Greater Manchester Urban Traffic Control Unit
• Greater Manchester Transport Unit
• Association of Greater Manchester
Bus Operators
• Highways Agency
• Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Urban
Traffic Control Unit
GREATER MANCHESTER
TRANSPORT UNIT
Association of Greater
Manchester Bus Operators
For more information on the Quality Bus
Corridor programme in Greater Manchester,
please contact:
GMPTE Customer Relations
email: [email protected]
Phone: 0161 244 1000

the guide as a PDF file - Transport for Greater Manchester

Transcription

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