News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Buses

[SBD]

15% of all metro Adelaide jobs are in the CBD. Has been the rough case for a few years or more now.

I would say that well under 85% of public transport routes are set out for cross suburban travel. Of course there is little current demand because the people who might use it all use cars out of necessity.

[PeFe]

Look at these cool new Paris bus stops !! Something Adelaide could well emulate in the CBD....







These photos come from the ever interesting Jarrett Walker transport blog

http://humantransit.org/

[metro]

Adelaide doesnt do 'cool' or 'new' very well with public transport signage. The yellow poles will never be changed, the transport department think they're so great that they're at all train and tram stops as well.

[Nathan]

Adelaide doesnt do 'cool' or 'new' very well with public transport signage. The yellow poles will never be changed, the transport department think they're so great that they're at all train and tram stops as well.

Not saying ours are good, but "cool" and "new" aren't generally important qualities of an effective signage system - particularly for transport. There might be a secondary benefit of instilling some pride amongst riders, but clear information is by far the primary purpose.

[rubberman]

That style of stop was used in Prague in the 1950s.

They now use a format similar to Adelaide for bus and tram stops, with a few electronic boards here and there. Mostly on new and refurbished lines.

[Norman]

New bus lanes trial on Anzac Highway to move traffic more quickly during morning peak hour

Lauren Novak, Political Reporter, Sunday Mail (SA)
January 7, 2017 9:00pm

NEW bus lanes will be trialled on a congested stretch of Anzac Highway to move traffic more quickly during the morning peak hour.

Known as “set back” bus lanes, they will allow buses to effectively leap frog cars in between key intersections.

The lanes will be introduced on two sections of Anzac Highway — a 270m stretch between South Rd and the traffic lights at Leader St and a 560m stretch up to the Greenhill Rd intersection.

Buses will have priority travelling between intersections but the bus lanes will end before the intersection to allow all vehicles to line up at the traffic lights.

Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan said the system was different to existing bus lanes or traffic lights which gave buses priority, because it focused on allowing buses to overtake cars in between intersections.

The distance between the end of the bus lanes and the intersection is yet to be finalised.

The trial will run for six months from late January, between 7am and 10am on weekdays.

Lanes will be painted with the time and days that the bus priority applies.

Bicycle lane times will be extended to match the bus lane times and clearway signage will be removed.

There are 17 bus routes that travel along that section of Anzac Highway, mostly bringing passengers in from the southern suburbs.

Mr Mullighan said the number of vehicles on the state’s roads had grown by almost a third since 2000, leading to worsening congestion.

This had slowed travel times on key routes by an average 13 per cent, he said.

“Initiatives such as set back bus lanes make public transport more attractive to commuters and we want to encourage as many people as possible to take the bus, train or tram,” Mr Mullighan said.

However, he warned that the success of the new model “will depend on motorists adapting to the new conditions by utilising all of the lanes available at the ... intersections”.

RAA senior manager road safety Charles Mountain said the proposed trial appeared to be a suitable solution for that section of Anzac Highway.

"Motorists will just have to get used to the fact that they can’t drive on the kerbside lane, although a lot of people choose not to drive in the kerbside lane anyway, unless they’re turning left, because at the moment they get stopped behind buses stopping to pick up passengers,” he said.

Mr Mountain said the time frame for the lanes — from 7am to 10am — also covered the fact that the morning peak period was spreading as congestion worsened.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... f41d922431

I can't really picture how this will work, but it will be interesting nonetheless.

[adelaide transport]

We need more bus lanes,especially on major roads like Goodwood Road, Unley Road,North East Road,Prospect and Main North Roads.

[Patrick_27]

We need more bus lanes,especially on major roads like Goodwood Road, Unley Road,North East Road,Prospect and Main North Roads.

Have you ever considered that buses will inevitably cause congestion? Tell me how you would effectively put bus lanes down Goodwood Road or Prospect Road?

[rubberman]

We need more bus lanes,especially on major roads like Goodwood Road, Unley Road,North East Road,Prospect and Main North Roads.

Have you ever considered that buses will inevitably cause congestion? Tell me how you would effectively put bus lanes down Goodwood Road or Prospect Road?

Or tram lanes for that matter. I await the Government's proposals with bated breath.

Actually, the biggest things the Government could do for the buses are to convert to all door loading and to allow buses to run on the tramlines.

When the old MTT had all door loading in the old 600, 700, 800, 900 series buses, even though they carried more passengers, they needed fewer stops in the city. Why? Because buses were at the stops for a fraction of the time, so a single stop could serve more buses.

So, for example, in Grenfell Street in MTT times there were two stops. One near Wyatt St, and one near King William Street. There was far less weaving in and out of the traffic by buses, and far less time at each stop.

It's feasible to have all door loading. It's common European practice, and the trams do it here safely. I've witnessed a bendy bus in Ostrava arrive, load 140 people, and depart in under 40 seconds. Yep 140 people in a bendy bus.

Then, if on the North Terrace tram extension, buses could use the tram line, it would speed up the buses immensely, and also make it easier for cars and bikes by eliminating buses weaving in and out and stopping. The buses would have to be all door loading though. Again, buses and trams sharing stops is allowed in Europe, usually using kassel curbs at stops.

[[Shuz]]

Melbourne does all door loading too.

[Vee]

Great potential for innovation, manufacturing and SA jobs.

1. Low emission buses (manufactured in SA) and
2. autopods/autonomous vehicle manufacture (R&D)

Low carbon emission buses (diesel and electric)
Australian designed low emission buses, manufactured in Adelaide's northern suburbs - with interstate sales giving a boost to production and local jobs.

The first four environmentally efficient buses will be used in a trial as part of Adelaide's public transport network...
The State Manufacturing and Innovation Minister ...said dozens of buses would be manufactured for supply to other states.

The Government expressed hopes a further 50 jobs could be created as the new business grows, and says the venture already is working with about 20 local suppliers.

ABC News:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-11/l ... pe/8262398

Meanwhile, R and D continues on autonomous vehicles.

SA has a presence here with a collaboration between a UK firm and Flinders Uni at the Tonsley hub. Small pods could be useful in a range of facilities eg sprawling Uni campuses, tourism attractions, golf courses, airports, aged care etc.

"Pod zero" - a smaller, more flexible, zero emissions autonomous vehicle - for the L-SATS (Low-Speed Autonomous Transport System) sector.

Autonomous vehicle manufacturer opens its Adelaide base ..
..at the Flinders University presence within the world-class Tonsley Innovation District.

...

UK-based autonomous transport developer RDM Group will establish its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Adelaide. RDM is developing low-speed autonomous transport “pods” that can ferry individuals or small groups on via footpaths, within pedestrian precincts, streets or on private land without drivers.

Renew Economy:
http://reneweconomy.com.au/autonomous-v ... ase-95647/

[Kasey771]

We need more bus lanes,especially on major roads like Goodwood Road, Unley Road,North East Road,Prospect and Main North Roads.

Have you ever considered that buses will inevitably cause congestion? Tell me how you would effectively put bus lanes down Goodwood Road or Prospect Road?

Simple. remove on-street parking from major arterial roads. Reserving a what is effectively an area the width of a whole traffic lane just to park stationary vehicles is an extravagant waste. customers can park on the nearest side street and walk back to the main road or catch the bus.
The Stated emphasis of the Transport Department needs to change to keeping traffic moving. and moving the most people efficiently with the large amount of space we already devote to roads and single occupant cars .

[Vee]

Bikes on buses?

Melbourne has a much bigger, more complex public transport system. The State govt is considering changes when the PT buses contracts come up for renewal.

Melbourne's bus system set for overhaul as Government opens up contracts
One possible change is providing bike racks on buses. (Trial already in operation)

ABC News:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-16/m ... ul/8275196

FYI:
Found this information on the Victoria bike racks on buses trial.
https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/projects/bus ... -on-buses/

Interested to see the results of the trial.
Thoughts on this? Pros. Cons.

(Bikes on trains is another topic!)

[ChillyPhilly]

It should happen, especially on the Hills routes, like 864. Those buses are physically long and have the room for an external rack at the front and back.

[HeapsGood]

Does anyone do the car commute up Anzac Highway to the city? How much worse has the traffic gotten since the new bus lane?

Anyway I take the bus and it goes up Anzac Highway via the new bus lane.

Some drivers are completely ignoring the bus only lane, so perhaps it needs better marking.

Yesterday the bus driver laid on his horn for several seconds to a car cruising in the bus lane, pretty funny.