Bus lanes are coming to Chch

[cooneyr]

Those in Chch or who travel to regularly may have seen billboards, newspaper adds, article in Our Christchurch etc about bus priority and this is the website (www.buspriority.co.nz). Flyers and other info will be available from the City Council service centres and Civi building plus other locations from September.

Motorcyclists are allowed to use the lanes which is good news (they are Bus Lanes not Bus Only Lanes). By the end of the year you will be zipping past stationary cars on Papanui Rd and Main North Road during peak times though you will have to interact appropriately with buses and cycles. I suggest you all learn the rules from the website - they are pretty simple. While this is good for motorcyclists I'm also posting this so that as many as possible are aware of the rules so please pass the web link onto your friends, family etc. There are some reasonable fines if people don’t obey the rules. Page with the rules (http://www.ccc.govt.nz/BusPriority/HowItWorks/).

The Papanui/Main North Road route works are due to kick off next week all going well. My name and number is on the website (not hard to figure out which one) along with people from the City Council so if you have any questions about bus priority, give me a ring.

Cheers R

[humphrt]

Mint that'll make the commute easier.

(after reading rules) does that mean that the we can use them all the time and cagers can use them during off peak hours?

[SMOKEU]

First I've heard of these so called 'bus lanes'

[cooneyr]

Mint that'll make the commute easier.

(after reading rules) does that mean that the we can use them all the time and cagers can use them during off peak hours?

"Outside operational hours, the bus lanes revert to on-street parking spaces with cycle lanes alongside in some locations." See this page (http://www.ccc.govt.nz/BusPriority/Measures/).


First I've heard of these so called 'bus lanes'

if you live on one of the roads where these are planed there was consultation in late 2007 about these. Currently there is all the marketing etc underway - keep an eye out.

Cheers R

[Silage]

Well done that man if you had anything to do with getting these up and running.

When I first saw the ads I was tempted to come to work the long way (Hornby - Ilam) just to use the lanes. Are there any plans for the Main South Rd?

[ukusa]

By the end of the year you will be zipping past stationary cars on Papanui Rd and Main North Road during peak times though you will have to interact appropriately with buses and cycles.

All good until the tosspot in the car decides (without looking) to pull into the bus lane suddenly to turn left

[boomer]

what next.. elektrickery??!

[AllanB]

what next.. elektrickery??!

Nah - the Norf Island is taking all dat from us Southern cousins. We still hiding in de woods piles masta.

[klingon]

Yay for bus lanes! I love using them in Auckland when I have to travel during rush hour. Yes, some ignorant drivers will continue to be a danger to bikes & motorbikes, but (as usual) we just have to keep an eye out for everyone else.

The main one I find is people pulling out from driveways etc on the left. Because they are looking for a BUS in the bus lane they seem to be even more blind to bikes & motorbikes (if that's possible).

cooneyr, I can't see anywhere on the website that clarifies the use of the 'B' priority signal at traffic lights. Some people here in Auckland still seem to think that applies to buses only and get quite tetchy when motorbikes use it. It might be worth spelling out that any vehicle that can legally use the Bus/Bike lanes can also use the priority signal and leave the traffic lights ahead of other traffic.

[RC1]

i hear there going to put a corner there too :whistle:

[cooneyr]

Well done that man if you had anything to do with getting these up and running.

When I first saw the ads I was tempted to come to work the long way (Hornby - Ilam) just to use the lanes. Are there any plans for the Main South Rd?

I'm looking after the State Highway sections and the design and construction phases. The investigation and earlier phases were before I got involved. Main South Road bus priority lanes will be in the first half of next year all going well - got to get the design work done yet, investigation work is already done.


All good until the tosspot in the car decides (without looking) to pull into the bus lane suddenly to turn left

As always don't assume anything and take care.


Yay for bus lanes! I love using them in Auckland when I have to travel during rush hour. Yes, some ignorant drivers will continue to be a danger to bikes & motorbikes, but (as usual) we just have to keep an eye out for everyone else.

The main one I find is people pulling out from driveways etc on the left. Because they are looking for a BUS in the bus lane they seem to be even more blind to bikes & motorbikes (if that's possible).

cooneyr, I can't see anywhere on the website that clarifies the use of the 'B' priority signal at traffic lights. Some people here in Auckland still seem to think that applies to buses only and get quite tetchy when motorbikes use it. It might be worth spelling out that any vehicle that can legally use the Bus/Bike lanes can also use the priority signal and leave the traffic lights ahead of other traffic.

Actually the B aspect (signals) applies to buses only not the bus lane. See the Road User Rules page here (http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2004/0427/latest/DLM303066.html). This is a bit of a problem for our design and we have included cycle aspects as well. There is no signal for motorcyclists or for bus lanes i.e. all users of bus lanes. Techncally motorcyclists are not allowed to proceed when the B aspect is displayed....


i hear there going to put a corner there too :whistle:

Huh??

Cheers R

[humphrt]

Actually the B aspect (signals) applies to buses only not the bus lane. See the Road User Rules page here. This is a bit of a problem for our design and we have included cycle aspects as well. There is no signal for motorcyclists or for bus lanes i.e. all users of bus lanes. Techncally motorcyclists are not allowed to proceed when the B aspect is displayed....


So does this mean that if we are in front of a bus at the lights then we should just ignore the tooting and wait for the solid green light??? No offence but it sounds a bit stupid.

[Molly]

Bit shit if you can't park outside your own house anymore.

[cooneyr]

So does this mean that if we are in front of a bus at the lights then we should just ignore the tooting and wait for the solid green light??? No offence but it sounds a bit stupid.

Has been noted by many closer to the road rules than myself. Unfortunatly a change to the road rules takes a signficiant ammount of time. The new cell phone rule i.e. not allowed to use when driving, has taken almost a year to get through.


Bit shit if you can't park outside your own house anymore.

All the lanes currently being built are part time - toward the CBD 7am to 9am and from the CBD 3pm to 6pm. Outside these hours the parking will be very close to it currently is.

Cheers R

[humphrt]

Has been noted by many closer to the road rules than myself. Unfortunatly a change to the road rules takes a signficiant ammount of time. The new cell phone rule i.e. not allowed to use when driving, has taken almost a year to get through.


Fair nuff. Not much can be done bout that. Hooray for dictatorships :yes:

[dmc]

Guess there will be alot of traffic on all the side streets, the residents are going to love that.

I just hope if the bus drivers get their own lane the won't f%$kn pull out in front of me anymore!! How many of them seem to think that turning the indicator on means immediately pull out regardless of a car being next to them I don't know.

[mikeey01]

I would have expected some thought had gone into this firstly, but alas - clearly none!

Second largest city in NZ, three of the busiest, congested, maxed out single carriage way roads out of the CBD heading north and our council puts bus lanes in before making it a dual carriage way for all or at least dual for the morning heading into town and dual heading out of town in the afternoon?
This is almost as good as the trial done last year: getting the buses to stop in the middle of the road like they use to in Hills road in two places and hold up all the traffic.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is a Crown entity established on 1 August 2008,
bringing together the functions of Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand
to provide an integrated approach to transport planning, funding and delivery.

So what part of this crazy all for the bus lane idea is to provide an integrated approach to transport delivery?

[usa-vtwin]

I hope they dont paint them lanes that hideous green colour as they do in Auckland!! Its sooooooooooo tacky/messy looking. Looks like sprayed on imitation grass.

[cooneyr]

Guess there will be alot of traffic on all the side streets, the residents are going to love that.

I just hope if the bus drivers get their own lane the won't f%$kn pull out in front of me anymore!! How many of them seem to think that turning the indicator on means immediately pull out regardless of a car being next to them I don't know.

Bus lanes will have minimal effect on amount of traffic using the side streets as rat runs. The whole point of bus lanes is that the buses have their own dedicated lanes so they don’t need to pull out into traffic. Obviously where there are no lanes they will have to continue to have to merge with traffic.


I would have expected some thought had gone into this firstly, but alas - clearly none!

Second largest city in NZ, three of the busiest, congested, maxed out single carriage way roads out of the CBD heading north and our council puts bus lanes in before making it a dual carriage way for all or at least dual for the morning heading into town and dual heading out of town in the afternoon?
This is almost as good as the trial done last year: getting the buses to stop in the middle of the road like they use to in Hills road in two places and hold up all the traffic.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is a Crown entity established on 1 August 2008,
bringing together the functions of Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand
to provide an integrated approach to transport planning, funding and delivery.

So what part of this crazy all for the bus lane idea is to provide an integrated approach to transport delivery?

Four laning a road is a mamoth undertaking and is extremly politiacal as it requireds a lot of private property and upsets a lot of people. Gary Moore got elected (partly) on the basis of him stopping four laning of Cranford St. This being said sometimes it has to be done, it just takes time to get through the various processes.

Bus lanes are not the same as the bus boarders on Hills Rd. There is a lot of miss perception about Hills road out there but this is not the forum to explain that. Bus lanes are an additional dedicated lane for buses, motorcycles and cycles. There will be minimal impact on the traffic flow, however buses, motorcycles and cycles will be able to get close to the head of the queues of traffic rather than having to sit at the back and work their way to the signals as per car drivers.

This is good integrated planning as it allows existing users to continue to do their thing and congest the road network and buses, motorcycles and cycles will be able to avoid some of the congestion. The lanes make better use of the existing road space (with minor modifications). Is parking really an efficient use of road space when most have off street parking and using that space for travel would be much more efficient. Get out of your car and onto a bus or cycle or ride your motorbike and everybody will win through less congestion and improved travel times for all (less cars = less congestion and bus lanes = shorter bus travel times).


I hope they dont paint them lanes that hideous green colour as they do in Auckland!! Its sooooooooooo tacky/messy looking. Looks like sprayed on imitation grass.

Yep the green surfacing is coming. Not sure which product was used in Auckland however I suspect they used an older product that can look a bit manky after time. We are using a green version of the shiny red coloured surfacing that has started to appear in cycle lanes around Chch. This holds its colour much better and stays cleaner. The coloured surfacing is the most effective way of making it obvious to all that the lane is a bus lane not just another traffic lane. As a car driver you will be fined for using the lanes inappropriately. Car drivers can use them for the minimum distance necessary to turn into a side street etc. As per Auckland if a car driver travels along one to get past a queue when turning into a side street you will be fined and also if you park in one during operational hours you will be fined and towed.

This is pretty simple really - the lanes will be an improvement for bus users, motorcyclists and cyclists with minimal impact on other road users/neighbours. Care will be required as everybody learns how the new system works. Be proactive and read the rules page (http://www.ccc.govt.nz/BusPriority/HowItWorks/). Yes the lanes are not a silver bullet but they will be an improvement on what is there now.

Cheers R

[Badjelly]

This is pretty simple really - the lanes will be an improvement for bus users, motorcyclists and cyclists with minimal impact on other road users/neighbours. Care will be required as everybody learns how the new system works. Be proactive and read the rules page (http://www.ccc.govt.nz/BusPriority/HowItWorks/). Yes the lanes are not a silver bullet but they will be an improvement on what is there now.

Cheery bugger aren't you? Don't you know that KB is for bitching and moaning about stuff?

[klingon]

I can't believe bikers are moaning about getting priority lanes! :pinch:

They are a great idea and much safer than lane splitting. Just a shame we have to share them with buses, but better than not having them at all! :yes:

[sondela]

Cheery bugger aren't you? Don't you know that KB is for bitching and moaning about stuff?

Good on you cooneyr, your replies are clear, simple, and yes.. cheery! I love it! :D

Just please tell me the bus lane paint won't make us fall off in the rain..

[cooneyr]

Cheery bugger aren't you? Don't you know that KB is for bitching and moaning about stuff?

Nothing good ever happens in the world - didn't you know that :msn-wink:


I can't believe bikers are moaning about getting priority lanes! :pinch:

They are a great idea and much safer than lane splitting. Just a shame we have to share them with buses, but better than not having them at all! :yes:

Thanks for the positive voice from somebody who has experience with them. They are a new thing for Chch (we have some very short sections around the square that are totally abused) so most are not sure what to make of them yet.


Good on you cooneyr, your replies are clear, simple, and yes.. cheery! I love it! :D

Just please tell me the bus lane paint won't make us fall off in the rain..

As with any project, explaining what is intended/happening is a big, sometimes awkward task. I hope that people are getting the info they need.

Re the green, it is a epoxy resin as a "glue" and finely crushed coloured glass spread on top product. The glass is not like normal window glass in that it is not super sharp edged but it is pretty aggressive. It has a much better skid resistance rating than paint or the older coloured surfacing product and the lab testing results I've seen suggest it has a skid resistance rating about the same as or slightly better than normal chip seal (tar seal in the old speak) or asphalt (also known as hot mix).

Cheers R

[sondela]

Great, thank you for that. Confidence in what your tyres are going to be doing in the rain helps keep ones' concentration on other things..like cars and buses..

[Mikkel]

By the end of the year you will be zipping past stationary cars on Papanui Rd and Main North Road during peak times...

In other words, business as usual - and not just on those two roads either.

[thepom]

well put cooney,I travel that route to the airport so it will be very helpful,I did,nt know anything about all this so thanks for the informative heads up..:rockon:

[PrincessBandit]

what next.. elektrickery??!

Hell, I was going to say "traffic lights"?

[cooneyr]

In other words, business as usual - and not just on those two roads either.

Yer but now you don't have to worry about the legalities of zipping past cars. Then again fellas riding black motards like you don't pay much regard to the law do ya;):whistle:

Cheers R

[cooneyr]

Well work has started, holes are being dug. All sorts of fun and games from my end but we are moving forward. Education marketing is about to kick of soon as well.

Cheers R

[Muppet]

Those in Chch or who travel to regularly may have seen billboards, newspaper adds, article in Our Christchurch etc about bus priority and this is the website (www.buspriority.co.nz). Flyers and other info will be available from the City Council service centres and Civi building plus other locations from September.

Motorcyclists are allowed to use the lanes which is good news (they are Bus Lanes not Bus Only Lanes). By the end of the year you will be zipping past stationary cars on Papanui Rd and Main North Road during peak times though you will have to interact appropriately with buses and cycles. I suggest you all learn the rules from the website - they are pretty simple. While this is good for motorcyclists I'm also posting this so that as many as possible are aware of the rules so please pass the web link onto your friends, family etc. There are some reasonable fines if people don’t obey the rules. Page with the rules (http://www.ccc.govt.nz/BusPriority/HowItWorks/).

The Papanui/Main North Road route works are due to kick off next week all going well. My name and number is on the website (not hard to figure out which one) along with people from the City Council so if you have any questions about bus priority, give me a ring.

Cheers R

If you trust drivers in Christchurch enough to be "zipping past stationary cars on Papanui Rd and Main North Road during peak times" then good luck to you. I for one, will be crawling along assuming that at any moment one of them will pull out and run me down:2guns:

[Creeping Death]

Soooo...when they gonna let us park on footpaths....:blink:

[Muppet]

Soooo...when they gonna let us park on footpaths....:blink:

Like in central Melbourne? Can't see that happening fella, too many wowsers would object!

[Creeping Death]

Like in central Melbourne? Can't see that happening fella, too many wowsers would object!

You are dead right on the Melbourne thing mate.I was there back in 91 for the Phillip Island GP and spent 3 days in Melbourne and could'nt believe bikes could park on the footpath!18 years ago and it NEVER impeded anyone!As long as bikes are on an angle I see no problem?

[cooneyr]

Soooo...when they gonna let us park on footpaths....:blink:

Completely outside the scope of this project. That would require council to change their parking piolicy. Actually go and have a look at the CCC Parking Strategy (http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Strategies/ParkingStrategy/index.asp) and see what it has to say. I'm personally not an advocate for this given the narrow footpaths we have around Chch (think about the implications of parking on the footpath along Colombo St).

Cheers R

[bikemike]

"As a motorist, you are allowed to travel up to 50 metres in a bus lane if you need to turn into a side street or driveway."

That's quite a ways down the road in the wrong lane! Why would a vehicle need any more than 10 or 20 metres in a 50k zone to take a left... to prevent them cutting in too severely....

I think it's a good idea to have these lanes, for buses and they have the visibility and bulk to make it clear what's going on.

For slower moving cycles, probably safer than being in the main flow so long as the lane gives 1 metre for the cycle, 1.5 passing room, then the width for the bus...

However, for PTWs doing the limit or thereabouts, riding on the left of vehicles that may take 0 to 50 metres to take that left gives me the willies. Not sure if that's a good thing for motorcycles etc.... yet.

[st00ji]

i find the bus lanes in auckland quite useful. the other side of traffic gets pretty messy with people using the median lane as a bit of a free for all area, whereas the auckland buses thunder along the bus lane rain, shine, congestion etc. so people tend to steer clear, just need to keep an eye out for driveways

the other one to watch for is when traffic is stopped, and some considerate motorist has left a gap so people turning right across the flow of traffic can get into a side street - its hard enough for motorists to spot bikes at the best of times, nevermind when their view is being blocked by a row of cars.

there are also very bored looking council type people with cameras filming the people using the buslanes now too, since they started this the cages have been even more careful about when they use bus lanes. its actually gotten to the point where most people will avoid the bus lane at all times, even if its outside normal hours of operation

[cooneyr]

....there are also very bored looking council type people with cameras filming the people using the buslanes now too, since they started this the cages have been even more careful about when they use bus lanes. its actually gotten to the point where most people will avoid the bus lane at all times, even if its outside normal hours of operation

Installing the lanes isn't cheep so to make sure they work they are being enforced. No point in having cars (parked or moving) filling them cause then the buses, cyclists and motorcyclists wont be going anywhere fast so why bother building them?

On a positive and warning note - the first sections of lane are scheduled to be open on Papanui Rd on Tuesday the 6th. This will be the sections between Innes Rd and Bealy Ave. The following sections will follow with week or so gaps depending on the weather - need to have dry roads to finish the markings and laying the green surfacing.

Oh and take it easy on the green surfacing for the first week or so. It will have so loose grit on it till it gets swept off - just like new chip seal (tar seal in the old speak).

Cheers R

[Muppet]

You are dead right on the Melbourne thing mate.I was there back in 91 for the Phillip Island GP and spent 3 days in Melbourne and could'nt believe bikes could park on the footpath!18 years ago and it NEVER impeded anyone!As long as bikes are on an angle I see no problem?

Sorry about late reply, yes there were so many bikes on the footpath, there was almost no need to go to Elizabeth Street to look at the shops! I went there for the MotoGP too, twice in fact. Will go again, piece of piss to organise on the net. World class event.

[cooneyr]

I've been watching the traffic since the bus lanes opened (I am an engineer!) on Tuesday and there are a few bikes and scooters that are not using them, instead choosing to staying general traffic lanes and wait in the queue. Spread the word to all you know that bikes and scooters are allowed to use the lanes!

The enforcement guys should know this (I've made sure their managers do) and if car drivers/cyclists/bus driver give you grief tell them to ring the Council or NZTA. Phone numbers are on the Bus Priority Web Page (http://www.buspriority.co.nz/).

Cheers R

[imdying]

You can't blame them too much... they're pretty all over the place, they probably (not unreasonably) think that they're safer staying in the traffic flow.

[sondela]

I used the bus lane!! I did.. and lived to tell the tale too :D Ppl in cars looked at me oddly tho.. not that that's unsual..

[Muppet]

I've been watching the traffic since the bus lanes opened (I am an engineer!) on Tuesday and there are a few bikes and scooters that are not using them, instead choosing to staying general traffic lanes and wait in the queue. Spread the word to all you know that bikes and scooters are allowed to use the lanes!

The enforcement guys should know this (I've made sure their managers do) and if car drivers/cyclists/bus driver give you grief tell them to ring the Council or NZTA. Phone numbers are on the Bus Priority Web Page (http://www.buspriority.co.nz/).

Cheers R

Thanks for that, can I add that 'we' should take it easy in doing so, I saw an old trout flying up the bus lane this afternoon missing my (car) mirror by millimetres, she wasn't slowing for anyone. Still, it was quite funny to watch her try and force her way back into the traffic lane at Merivale, the punters weren't having none of it!!

[Muppet]

I used the bus lane!! I did.. and lived to tell the tale too :D Ppl in cars looked at me oddly tho.. not that that's unsual..

If you were on your 999 they were probably admiring the exhaust note! Or 'Cor wish that was me on that Duke'

[sondela]

nah exhaust is way too quiet.. going to fix that! ;)

[Muppet]

nah exhaust is way too quiet.. going to fix that! ;)

Yes well looking at the exchange rate you might get yourself a bargain if you get a pipe from U S and A. How does your 999 go? I rode a friends 848 last week, very nice, termignoni pipes sound gravvy!

[sondela]

999 goes like a rocket :D I rode a friends 848 last week too, niiice, but not as nice as mine...

[mikeey01]

It's still a joke, was then and is now (6 months on)
Muppets!