Do we need more Bus Lanes?

[Buzz Killington]

Just a thought, given the extension of the Barry Drive bus lane..

Once completed, we'll have this one, plus the Flemington/Federal and Yarra/Adelaide ones, as well as a few Priority Traffic Light lanes for buses.

What other areas could benefit? And should the one on Yarra/Adelaide be reverted back from a T2 to just a buslane? I was on a northbound intertown the other day and it kept to the right hand traffic lane the whole way because there were a number of slow moving cars using the T2. (half of which had just one driver..)

[Barry Drive]

What I would like to see:

(1) traffic light priority at Barry Drive/Belconnen Way/Fairfax St - not just a 'B' signal, but a T-way style sensor in the lane which will activate to allow the buses to continue along Barry Drive without slowing down.

(2) a one-lane busway along the middle of Northbourne Ave (a lane in the median, not a contra lane as some misguided people are suggesting). Set it up as a tidal flow: southbound in the AM peak, northbound in the PM peak with limited stops (perhaps just at Macarthur Ave and Antill St) also with T-way style traffic lights.

(3) Once the current Gungahlin Dr/Caswell Dr/Glenloch Interchange roadworks are complete, revert Adelaide Av/Yarra Glen to a bus lane and extend the southbound section to Melrose Dr.

[Barry Drive]

One more thought: William Slim Dr and Gundaroo Dr is planned as a dual-carriageway. Instead of duplicating the road, build the extra carriageway as a busway, complete with bus-activated priority traffic lights where necessary. Then you can have an express service between Belconnen and Gungahlin.

[smitho]

What other areas could benefit? And should the one on Yarra/Adelaide be reverted back from a T2 to just a buslane? I was on a northbound intertown the other day and it kept to the right hand traffic lane the whole way because there were a number of slow moving cars using the T2. (half of which had just one driver..)

Sadly, I've had to do that in peak hours too. The other issue is the unsafe and illegal use of the T2 lane as an overtaking lane by motorists and other private road users.

[belcodriver]

Haven't had the slow moving car in the bus lane on Adelaide Avenue for a while thankfully but it's a real pain. I'm amazed at how they can ignore me 3m behind them flashing the high beams and honking the horn while traffic in the normal lane goes past us.

[Bus 400]

Haven't had the slow moving car in the bus lane on Adelaide Avenue for a while thankfully but it's a real pain. I'm amazed at how they can ignore me 3m behind them flashing the high beams and honking the horn while traffic in the normal lane goes past us.

I've seen a few buses overtake slow cars in the Adelaide Ave T2 & as they re-enter the T2 lane the rear of the bus is close to the front of the car.

I have wondered if the Belconnen Way Bus Lane could start where Haydon Drive becomes 3 lanes at the Belconnen Way intersection & continue right through to the intersection of Barry Drive & the ANU entrance road lights. With a 'B' light to let buses get across. This could also cut out the need for all buses to go into the right hand lane after the last stop on Barry Drive. A walkway up & over Barry Drive at the Clunes Ross Street lights & a cement wall in between the bus lane & normal lanes near this intersection could mean buses could continue through this intersection without stopping. Thus making the morning peak hour trip to the City even quicker then cars lined up behind each other. To discourage cars from trying to short cut in the bus lane to avoid stopping at the lights those bus lane cameras that Sydney has could be used.