Forth Road Bridge bus lane 'would cause more delays'

Published on Wednesday 3 March 2010 09:15

BUSES between Edinburgh and Fife face slower journey times despite plans to make the existing Forth road bridge a dedicated "public transport corridor", campaigners have claimed.

Queensferry and District Community Council said inadequate bus priority measures either side of the Forth meant buses would face the same delays as now.

And the community council said proposed bus slip roads between the existing bridge and the A90 at South Queensferry would actually increase journey times for buses.

In a submission to the Scottish Parliament's transport committee, it said: "The proposed scheme will require buses to travel through two sets of traffic signals southbound and six sets of signals northbound on lower-speed roads than those currently used."

It claimed that for most of the day, buses would be far quicker using the new crossing because it would offer higher running speeds and avoid buses being stopped at traffic signals.

It also warned of a threat to bus services, well-used by South Queensferry residents, which are currently available from bus stops at the Forth Road Bridge.

The Evening News revealed earlier this year that the existing bridge was set to become "the world's most expensive bus lane", with 112 million due to be spent on it for an estimated 300 vehicles a day once it becomes a public transport corridor. But if the community council is right, the slower journey times could mean even fewer buses on the existing bridge. Its submission said express buses currently connected directly between the Forth Road Bridge and the A90 via the Echline junction underpass, a dual three-lane carriageway with a 50mph speed limit.

But it said under the proposed scheme, all southbound buses would have to operate via the Echline junction slip roads, even if they were not stopping at the Forth Road Bridge bus stops.

It continued: "Northbound, buses will leave the A90 via a new bus slip road up to the B800 (old A8000], the access to which will be through a signal-controlled junction. Buses will then travel along the 30mph B800 to Ferrymuir where a signal controlled crossroads is planned. Continuing up the 30mph Ferrymuir Road, buses will meet two pedestrian crossings and two sets of traffic signals on the Echline junction before proceeding on to the Forth Road Bridge via the existing on-slip.

"With six sets of traffic signals to negotiate, this route will result in a considerably longer journey time than the present route and will provide no incentive for operators to use the public transport corridor."

Transport Scotland said new signals being installed were intended to give buses priority over general traffic.

Giving evidence to the transport committee last month, Frazer Henderson of Transport Scotland said: "The reason why we are taking forward the infrastructure is that it should improve journey times and the bus experience for users, particularly during rush hour."