On Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:45:53 -0800 (PST), Mizter T
wrote:

It is understandable, though, given the atrocious state of bus
infrastructure in Central London.

Would you care to expand on that point Neil?

Bus infrastructure in Central London needs to be improved to the
standard of other western European countries. Examples might be:-

1. Allowing the bus the option to overtake and turn at traffic lights
(this is one of the best features of Dutch and German bus lanes -
basically the bus gets its own signal so it can pass in the bus lane
then turn right (left) across traffic).

2. Giving the bus the right to change traffic lights in its favour.

3. Increasing the roadway quality of bus lanes.

4. Moving bus lanes out of the gutter into the middle of the road,
where they're not going to be flying half an inch past trees and
bumping down potholes, and they aren't going to have other traffic
turning left across them.

5. Taking out situations where other traffic can either unwittingly or
intentionally end up blocking the bus lane.

6. Removing known-problem zebra crossings and replacing with
signalised crossings. In the height of the peak, you'd cut 5 minutes
at least off a journey on the 15 if that crossing at St Pauls was to
be removed and replaced with a proper crossing.

7. Removing cyclists from bus lanes. This would be easiest done using
the "bus lanes up the middle of the road with stops at traffic lights"
approach, as you could have a cycle lane at the left, then a
general-traffic lane, then a bus lane. Cycles and buses are *very*
incompatible; one is very small, one very large, and one wants to move
quickly in between stops, whereas the other wants to continue at a
slower speed without stopping.

8. Making bus lanes wide enough. There are many places in London
where you can't get a bus in the width of the bus lane.

9. Better enforcement - having a wheel in the bus lane should be
considered an offence, as that's normally enough to delay the bus.

10. Barring turnings by other vehicles that cause serious delays to
buses.

The general principle would be that infrastructure should be such that
the bus should always be kept moving at or near the speed limit except
when it wishes to stop, and when it wishes to stop that it should do
so without obstructing other traffic. This is how good it is in the
Netherlands and much of Germany, and with all of it in place the bus
driver's lot would be improved no end, and that would no doubt improve
their standard of driving.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.