Cross city routes ~ speculation and suggestions

[MW]

Personally I don't think cross city routes will work, even with the bus lanes. As if there is one issue at one terminus, or one side of the route, then the other side will be screwed.

It will if the infrastructure is there meaning bus lanes, more junctions like Small Heath highway which stops all traffic when a bus approaches etc.

Metrobus in Bristol is a good example of this. 

[fleetline6477]

Omg a bus lane on the Aston expressway heard it all now.

There is a bus lane for the last setion of the M32 into Bristol, it is in the right hand lane, in effect creating a third lane. This avoids vehicles leaving and joining at the last junction needing to navigate across the bus lanes. 

[Stu]

It will if the infrastructure is there meaning bus lanes, more junctions like Small Heath highway which stops all traffic when a bus approaches etc.

Metrobus in Bristol is a good example of this.

It also needs the bus lanes to be rigorously enforced.

While travelling home on the diverted 2 this evening, I noticed that the new bus lane along Moseley Road seemed to be utterly pointless, due to parked cars, and a huge number of cars trying to exit that new car park, as well as other cars overtaking dangerously on the wrong side of the road cutting into traffic so they could get into Montpellier Road.

[MW]

It also needs the bus lanes to be rigorously enforced.

While travelling home on the diverted 2 this evening, I noticed that the new bus lane along Moseley Road seemed to be utterly pointless, due to parked cars, and a huge number of cars trying to exit that new car park, as well as other cars overtaking dangerously on the wrong side of the road cutting into traffic so they could get into Montpellier Road.

Yup - nobody gives a damn in the city anymore. Anywhere within the Outer Circle is a risk.

Hall Green parade bus lane is also a car park now. 

Overall, driving standards in Birmingham have massively declined over the last 5-10 years. 

I see it more as I'm a Coach driver these days, driving in different cities. When returning to Birmingham, that descent from the M6 J6 onto Aston Expressway and beyond, I dread. Even on the motorway as you approach the Birmingham area (between say J4 and J10) you notice a decline in driving standards. The attitude is 'not giving a damn, because why should you?'

I don't know what the solution is. Enforcement but at the risk of over enforcement.  

[monkeyjoe]

They seem to get it right in certain parts of london with camera enforcement, a start for brum to switch them on and everybody knowing they work. 

[GoldenSquid]

They seem to get it right in certain parts of london with camera enforcement, a start for brum to switch them on and everybody knowing they work.

One thing Birmingham needs to copy from London is yellow box cameras. When driving the 94/95 at peak times, its horrible going across the A47/A4540 junction with so many cars blocking the junction.

[BBS]

The small heath highway is also known for taxi drivers and youth to use when they like rather than buses actually using it 

[monkeyjoe]

One thing Birmingham needs to copy from London is yellow box cameras. When driving the 94/95 at peak times, its horrible going across the A47/A4540 junction with so many cars blocking the junction.

Got a fine in ealing for literally being in a box less than 10 secs, what is holding them back with sorting traffic technology out here ?.

[the trainbasher]

Got a fine in ealing for literally being in a box less than 10 secs, what is holding them back with sorting traffic technology out here ?.

It depends on if Brum CC have powers to issue PCNs for PCN Code 31J.

West Midlands Police will still be able to enforce moving traffic contraventions

[Tony]

It depends on if Brum CC have powers to issue PCNs for PCN Code 31J.

West Midlands Police will still be able to enforce moving traffic contraventions

They were in the process of getting the powers way back in 2022. Don't know if they were ever granted
Councils gives loud warning to anyone who drives in yellow box - Birmingham Live (birminghammail.co.uk)

[JosephR]

If the outer circle was split in half to protect reliability, how will connecting two whole bus routes comprised into one differ?

[Stu]

If the outer circle was split in half to protect reliability, how will connecting two whole bus routes comprised into one differ?

The Outer Circle suffers due to a lack of bus priority measures along its whole route.

Granted it does interact with a couple of bus lanes, such as the one on Harborne High Street but only very briefly, as well as the bus lane on Alcester Road South in Kings Heath, but even that is unhelpful as it is often difficult to turn right from Addison Road due to cars blocking the box junction.

This is why millions of pounds are being spent on bus priority measures along the routes being proposed for merger.

[GoldenSquid]

one thing I've noticed, since washwood heath road has got bus lanes, the yellow boxes in the bus stops have extended - kinda similar to the old bendy bus length on tyburn road (67 route)

[Mike K]

one thing I've noticed, since washwood heath road has got bus lanes, the yellow boxes in the bus stops have extended - kinda similar to the old bendy bus length on tyburn road (67 route)

Getting them ready for when the new cross-city routes are running with three buses in a row 

[BusDriverBosh]

It depends on if Brum CC have powers to issue PCNs for PCN Code 31J.

West Midlands Police will still be able to enforce moving traffic contraventions

There's talks of Northfield/Bell Lane junction being a camera yellow box junction. That would help massively as they don't care