Bus Priority Guidelines

November 2003

Introduction
Bus priority is the allocation of road space or
traffic signal time that gives buses an
advantage compared to usual operating
conditions. For example, a carefully located bus
lane allows buses to overtake queued traffic.
Likewise a green signal extension can be used
to prolong the green time to enable a bus, once
it is detected, to clear an intersection.
Increasing general road capacity such as adding
through, right or left turn lanes at intersections,
or adding another lane to the road should not be
considered as bus priority measures. While
capacity improvements do deliver benefits to
most road users, including buses, it is unlikely
these benefits will be maintained into the
future. As congestion increases, the benefits
initially provided to buses will be eroded.

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In late 2004, it is expected that Austroads will

publish the Guide to Traffic Engineering
Practice, Part 16 On-Road Public Transport.
Until this is available, guidelines written by
other jurisdictions can be used to obtain
additional information on bus priority principles
and design. One such document is Bus Priority
Measures: Principles and Design being drafted
by the Western Australian Department for
Planning and Infrastructure.

The Western Australian document provides an

overview of a number of methods of allocating
road space and signal time to provide priority
for buses. The information is short and concise,
and conveys the general principles for a variety
of priority techniques. A copy of this draft
document can be obtained from the Road Based
Public Transport Section at VicRoads. Readers
are encouraged to review these techniques to
identify measures appropriate to their situation.

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The Road Based Public Transport Section at

VicRoads is collating information on past
projects into a database. Over time, this will
provide a history of bus priority projects, their
costs and their benefits.
A common problem for buses in built up areas is
that they are often delayed by queues of traffic,
particularly during peak hours. Useful bus
priority measures are required that can be
retrofitted to existing roads and are acceptable
in the trade-off between stakeholders. The
following sections outline particular measures
that are useful in these situations.

Bus Priority Guidelines

Bus lanes
Bus lanes separate buses from other traffic,
enabling them to avoid traffic congestion. Bus
lanes can be provided in kerbside, median or
centre lanes. At some locations, a bus lane may
operate in the opposite direction to traffic
(contra-flow lane).
Kerbside bus lanes typically operate during
peak-periods and allow parking during nonpeak periods. On roads where there are no
clearways (figure 1a), space for the bus lane
can be created by prohibiting parking during
the peak period (figure 1b). However, on a road
where there are clearways, as shown in figure
2a, it is more difficult to find space. The peakperiod traffic lane could be removed and
replaced with a bus lane. To offset some of the
reduction in road capacity, a transit lane could
be provided instead of a bus lane. A transit lane
can be used by vehicles with more than one
occupant as well as buses. The level of service
for buses is less than a bus lane.

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Figure 1a: Before Bus Lane Cross-section

Alternatively, if adequate road width is available

general traffic capacity could be maintained by
providing a five-lane cross-section with a tidalflow central lane as shown in figure 2b.
At intersections, space may come from
converting an existing through traffic lane to a
bus lane, changing a left turn lane into a bus
lane but allow left turning traffic to use it. In
some cases, widening of the road may be possible.
Information on the required signs and linemarking for bus and transit lanes is illustrated
in VicRoads (2001) Traffic Engineering Manual
Volume 2, Signs and Markings, and Standards
Australia (2000) AS1742.12 Manual of Uniform
Traffic Control Devices, Part 12: Bus, Transit,
Tram, and Truck Lanes.

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Figure 1b: Parking prohibited during peak periods for a

peak period bus lane

Bus Priority Guidelines

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Figure 2a: Before Bus Lane Cross-section

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Figure 2b: Five lane cross-section to maintain general
traffic capacity

Bus Priority Guidelines

Set back bus lanes

The continuous bus lane previously described
can impact on the capacity of the road if the
number of lanes at the intersection for general
traffic is reduced. One method of delivering
bus priority but maintaining existing
intersection capacity is to set back the bus lane
from the intersection, and allow general traffic
and buses to use the approach lane.
The set back distance should be such that
buses can always get to the end of the green
time queue length and hence travel through
the intersection at the end of the green through
phase. Refer to figure 3. For example, if a lane
of 15 cars can on average travel through an
intersection during the green time, then a bus
lane could be provided to ensure that the bus
becomes the fifteenth vehicle. This ensures
that it gets through the intersection in one
signal phase.

On a road where it is difficult to prohibit car

parking along its entire length during peak
hours, a partial approach may be possible.
Figure 4 shows the use of a set back bus lane in
conjunction with a short midblock bus lane.
This allows buses to enter a bus lane, bypass
the rear of the stationary queue and have
priority up to the set back location.
Set back bus lanes are being widely used in
London UK, as part of the work being
undertaken by Transport for London and the
London Bus Initiative. A publication produced
by the London Bus Initiative Bus Lane and
Junctions: How Close Can You Get? (June
2002) provides detailed guidance on set back
bus lanes but in the London context. Many of
the principles discussed in these guidelines are
transferable to Australia. A copy of this
publication is available from the VicRoads Road
Based Public Transport Section.

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To determine the maximum set back distance,

it is necessary to consider the shortest green
signal time and calculate the number of
vehicles that can get through in this time. This
is straightforward if it is a through lane. If it is
a through and left lane, the number of left
turning vehicles, the volume of pedestrians,
and their impact on delaying the through traffic
will need to be taken into account. Whilst
theoretical calculations for the set back position
are possible, on-site observations should also be
undertaken.

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If through traffic is using the left hand lane,

adequate merging distance should be provided
before a new bus lane commences downstream
of the intersection.

Bus Priority Guidelines

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Figure 3: Setback peak period bus lane with midblock bus

lane

Figure 4: Setback peak period bus lane with short

midblock bus lane

Bus Priority Guidelines

Short bus lanes at traffic signals

A short bus lane at traffic signals can be used in
conjunction with allowing buses to travel in, and
then proceed straight ahead from a left turn slip
lane. Buses receive an advantage as they can
join the free flowing left-turn traffic, avoid
queues in the adjacent lanes, and stop at the
bus stop at the stop line. Refer figure 5.
To avoid having to provide a bus lane on the
departure side of the intersection, a B traffic
signal lantern can be used to provide an early
start for buses or a separate bus phase at the
end of the green time.

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In addition to these treatments, it is important

to review the length of the left turn slip lane.
The optimum length is one that is longer than
the peak hour queue length, allowing buses to
bypass the entire queue. If this is not feasible,
the lane should then be longer than the
maximum green time queue length as this
allows buses to queue jump one green phase
length of general traffic. It should be noted that
if the left turn lane is shorter than the green
time queue length, there are still some benefits
for buses, particularly if there is a bus stop on
the slip lane traffic island. These three left
turn lane lengths are illustrated in figure 5.

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Figure 5: Short bus lane at signals in conjunction with left-turn slip lanes

Bus Priority Guidelines

Buses getting out of side streets

Local bus services operating on residential
streets need at some point on their route to
turn right from a local street onto an arterial
road. If the intersection is unsignalised, there
can be significant delays during peak hours,
waiting for a gap in the traffic on the arterial
road. This delay can be variable, and therefore
affect the reliability of the bus travel times.
This problem can also affect left-turning buses.

that a large vehicle such as a bus will cover

both loops at the same time, while a small
vehicle will not.
The optimum location for the pedestrian signals
on the main road is to the left of the bus wanting
to turn right from the side street as shown in
figure 6. If the pedestrian signals are located to
the right of the bus, then the bus may have
difficulty getting into the traffic queuing at the
signals. If this is the only feasible option, then
measures need to be taken to ensure that the
bus can turn right when these signals are red.
The pedestrian signal location is less important
if the bus is turning left.

Fully signalising the intersection may address

this problem. However this is a costly solution,
adds another set of signals to the main road,
and may lead to an increase in traffic using the
local street. Additional traffic may also erode
some of the benefits of the signals.
Alternatively, buses can be detected at the stop
line on the side road, and nearby pedestrian
crossing signals on the main road activated. This
provides a window of time for the bus to exit
the side road. To advise main road users of the
reason for a red signal, signs saying Bus On Side
Road May Activate Signals should be installed.

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The use of selective bus detection is possible,

equipping each bus with technology to
communicate with the traffic signal controller.
A low cost and reasonably effective alternative
is to use two pavement induction loops as
shown in figure 6. These work on the principle

This concept has been proven where the

pedestrian signals are up to 150 m from the
side street. For distances over 100 m,
consideration should be given to using a radio
link rather than cabling to the traffic signal
controller.

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The justification for installing pedestrian operated

signals to assist buses needs to account for
pedestrian demand at the site and the needs of
buses. If the warrants for the provision of
pedestrian operated signals (refer VicRoads
(1999), Traffic Engineering Manual Volume 1) are
not met, then a judgement needs to be made to
assess the total benefits provided by the signals.

Figure 6: Utilising pedestrian operated signals to assist buses exiting side streets

Bus Priority Guidelines

Traffic signal priority for buses

There are a number of traffic signal measures
that can be used to provide priority for buses at
intersections. However, to fully utilise many of
these measures, a system for detecting
approaching buses needs to be in place.
Detection and vehicle tracking systems are
being introduced to metropolitan Melbourne,
predominantly through the SmartBus program.
Information on the SmartBus Program can be
obtained from www.doi.vic.gov.au.
Rather than providing detailed guidance on
signal priority at this stage of the development
of these guidelines, it is proposed to refer
readers to the following two references.

Bus Priority Measures: Principles and

Design drafted by the Western Australian
Department for Planning and Infrastructure
includes general material on:
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Department of Infrastructure (2001) Tram

Improvement Tool Box.
Department of Planning and Infrastructure
- Western Australia (2003) Draft Bus Priority
Measures: Principles and Design.
London Bus Initiative (2000) Bus Lanes and
Junctions - How Close Can You Get?

VicRoads (2001) Traffic Engineering Manual

Volume 2, Signs and Markings.

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Draft Signal Priority Guidelines have been

prepared by VicRoads Road Based Public
Transport Section, and can be made available on
request. They outline a range of passive and
active signal priority measures for buses and
trams. Many of these measures can be used in
conjunction with some form of bus lane.

Austroads (2002) A Guide for Traffic

Engineers Road-Based Public Transport and
High Occupancy Vehicles.

Standards Australia (2000) AS1742.12 Manual

of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, Part 12: Bus,
Transit, Tram, and Truck Lanes.

Passive Signal Priority including reduced

cycle times, priority movement repetition
in the cycle, green priority weighting,
phasing design, signal linking for bus
progression, and diurnal phasing variation,
and
Active Signal Priority including green
extension, green early start, special phase,
phase suppression, priority phase
sequences, phase compensation, flexible
window stretching, and priority green and
B-lights.

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Further reading on bus priority

measures

For further information on road based

public transport design standards, please
contact:
Manager
Road Based Public Transport
VicRoads
60 Denmark Street
Kew Vic 3101
Tel: (03) 9854 2441
Fax: (03) 9854 2918

VicRoads Publication Number 01325

www.vicroads.vic.gov.au