The
Fastway service will benefit from lengths of dedicated bus lanes
and several sections of bus guideways. While bus lanes have been
used for many years in some more built up cities and provide buses
with a dedicated lane so that traffic queues can be bypassed, the
benefits are greatly reduced through misuse by unauthorised vehicles
and by illegal parking.
The Fastway
scheme includes several sections of guideway, with a combined length
of approximately 2.5km out of a total route length of 24km.
Guideways provide
an effective means for buses to bypass traffic queues, without causing
delay to other traffic. Most importantly, they have physical features
that effectively prevent unauthorised use by other road traffic.
A guideway comprises a purpose built track formed of two running
strips with raised kerbs and a drainage media in between. A guidewheel
mounted on the steering mechanism of the bus runs along the face
of the kerb, guiding the bus on its journey and resulting in a quieter,
smoother and faster journey.
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