New research backed by British Cycling’s policy adviser Chris Boardman says cycle tracks can help beat bus delays. In fact, where there are lots of cyclists, shared bus-cycle lanes can cause increased bus journey times and congestion. Building more separated cycle tracks could actually help reduce them.
In a study of buses and cycles travelling northbound on the shared bus lane across London Bridge in the morning rush hour, transport experts Dr Rachel Aldred of Westminster University, Phil Jones of Phil Jones Associates and Luke Best of Multimodal found buses travelling at 20 mph experienced an 18 per cent increase - or around 30 seconds per mile - in journey time compared to if there were no cyclists present. Most causes of delay on the bridge involved buses waiting behind a cyclist, before stopping at a bus stop.
The section of London Bridge in question has one narrow 3 metre-wide shared bus lane and two general traffic lanes. It is used by more than 2,000 vehicles in morning peak hour flow – over half of which are cycles.
As cycling journeys in London continue to rocket - cycling now carries as many people as the Docklands Light Railway and taxis combined – the research team is calling for more dedicated cycle tracks to keep buses running to time. They say the tracks will bring additional benefits, as mixing with buses can be frightening for would-be cyclists, with near misses a daily experience. Cyclists would prefer separated cycle tracks even to wide bus lanes with 20 mph speed limits. Bus drivers, often under time pressure, are also stressed by having to mix with large numbers of cyclists.
But the researchers warn against banning cyclists from bus lanes as it would cause a deterioration in safety and a reduction in cycling, leading to more car use and congestion.
Rachel said: “Our model shows cyclists in shared bus lanes can already cause significant delays to buses. These delays are likely to become even longer if London’s cycling demographic becomes more diverse, because cyclist speeds will decline. So providing separate cycle tracks can benefit both cyclists and bus passengers. Rather than setting cyclists against buses, we can prioritise both as sustainable modes of transport, compared to private cars which are an inefficient use of city space.”
Phil added: “London’s Cycle Superhighways have received much criticism for their adverse effect on traffic flow and congestion. Just a few weeks ago Tory peer Lord Blencathra said the lanes had caused ‘unprecedented congestion’. Creating separate space for cycling away from buses on key routes would bring significant bus journey benefits in the capital.”
Chris Boardman, who has recently been appointed as Greater Manchester cycling and walking commissioner, added: “Everyone wants their own space when travelling whether you are walking, cycling, or taking the bus. This research shows that providing protected space for cycling, as well as improving safety, actually makes it more efficient for public transport. Separating bus and cycle infrastructure is common sense but now we have the evidence to show it makes things better for all road users.”
The research has been published in a paper called Cyclists in Shared Bus Lanes: could there be unrecognised impacts on bus journey times? It was supported by The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport through a Seed Corn Grant with additional support from Transport for London, but the research reflects the authors' opinions and not those of the funders. The study was carried out using PTV VISSIM - a microscopic multi-modal traffic flow simulation software package that provides the ability to accurately model road user behaviour.