CAN GUIDED BUS SCHEMES LEAD THE WAY IN THE DRIVE TOWARDS QUALITY PUBLIC TRANSPORT

With limited prospects for funding rail-based public transport systems, more and more local authorities are seeking more affordable alternatives. This article examines the arguments for and against guided buses, and reviews experience to date in the UK. Guided bus is being seen increasingly as a potential method of achieving the benefits of light rail at a fraction of their cost. The only two systems yet operating in the UK are in Ipswich and Leeds, although several other cities are considering systems. The Ipswich project began as Superoute 66 in January 1995, and uses Kerb Guided Bus (KGB) technology, where each bus is fitted with a pair of guide wheels that run laterally along concrete kerbs. The Leeds Guided Bus Project aims to: (1) enable buses to bypass congestion at sections approaching junctions, on routes to and from the city centre; (2) improve reliability and punctuality; (3) reduce journey times, especially at the peak; and (4) make bus travel more attractive. Ridership has already risen by about 50% on the first Leeds SuperBus route, and includes many former car users. Even opponents of guided bus admit that it is better-suited to lower-density corridors, and that it can be introduced incrementally as congestion worsens or funds become available.