Bus Journey Times in Cities: A Growing Concern
Bus services in cities are facing a critical issue: the impact of congestion on journey times. This problem is particularly evident in Edinburgh, where the Number 38 bus service, which connects a college, retail park, and two hospitals, is experiencing longer travel times.
The Scottish bus industry has raised concerns about the growing number of vehicles on the road, congestion during peak hours, and the lack of priority measures for buses. As a result, bus services are becoming less attractive to passengers.
Industry data reveals that the average speed of a bus in Scotland has dropped from 14.9 mph to 11.3 mph in just two years. This decline is attributed to rising traffic volumes, reduced speed limits, and the introduction of cycle lanes.
Lothian Buses' 38 service, which traverses eight major roads in Edinburgh, is one of the most affected by congestion. Shop worker and regular passenger Nico Reverie highlights the frustration caused by delays, emphasizing the need to account for extra time to avoid being late.
Research commissioned by the trade body CPT Scotland indicates a significant increase in running times for the Number 38 service over the last two decades. This is partly due to rising traffic volumes and reduced speed limits. The frequency of the 38 has been reduced to accommodate the same number of vehicles, a decision that passenger Francis Boyle, 65, finds concerning, especially given the service's coverage of two major hospitals.
The CPT study suggests that operators across Scotland are struggling to maintain consistent service levels due to congestion. This challenge is exacerbated by the long-term trend of declining bus usage. Paul White, director of CPT Scotland, warns that traffic-bound buses face longer journey times, increased operational costs, and reduced attractiveness, potentially leading to fewer passengers, service cuts, or higher fares.
To address this issue, local authorities and operators are exploring priority measures such as bus lanes, bus gates, and traffic light priority. Paul White points to the success of controversial bus gates in Aberdeen, where journey times improved by up to 18.8%, and passenger numbers increased.
The CPT study also proposes a solution to increase bus speeds in congested urban areas, which could add 11.3 million extra journeys annually and reduce operators' costs by 38%. In the long term, the use of Artificial Intelligence to analyze real-time and historical data and prioritize buses will also play a crucial role in reducing delays.
Despite being widely regarded as one of the UK's best bus operators, Lothian Buses faces the challenges of congestion. Willie Hamilton, the firm's operations director, attributes the significant increase in roadworks to his biggest headache. He emphasizes the impact of congestion on bus journeys, highlighting that a delay affecting one bus could disrupt the travel plans of up to 129 people.
To combat this issue, Lothian Buses is focusing on implementing priority measures at busy junctions, which can significantly reduce journey times for passengers.
