4.7 Bus

4.7.1

Plain English Version

Buses could make more trips to and from the city centre but the drawbacks of this are that they could cause traffic problems, they are not always on time (or people think they are not always on time), they are not always comfortable and generally have a bad image. We should see the Big City Plan as the chance to improve the quality and image of bus travel in Birmingham.

Original Document

Buses have the potential to carry a greater proportion of trips to and from the city centre but suffer from various drawbacks in terms of increasing patronage, such as congestion, actual or perceived reliability, levels of comfort, and poor image generally. The Big City Plan initiative should be seen as the opportunity to pursue a transformation in the quality and indeed dignity of bus travel in Birmingham.

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4.7.2

Plain English Version

We could change the existing bus network serving Birmingham city centre to give a better service to passengers and cut the impact of buses on the street environment. To do this we would gradually put bus priority measures (such as bus lanes) on the routes that go into and out of the city centre, we would have very good bus shelters, facilities and information, we would make waiting for a bus better and generally improve the look of the streets. This would be the very least we would to.

Original Document

One approach would be to reconfigure the existing bus network serving Birmingham city centre to provide a more efficient service to passengers and reduce the impact of buses on the street environment. This approach envisages the progressive installation of bus priority measures on radial routes. ‘Showcase’ standard bus shelters, facilities and information, improving the quality of the waiting experience and overall public realm of the streets. This should be regarded as a ‘do-minimum’ level of bus service enhancement.

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4.7.3

Plain English Version

We could also change the routes of buses around the city core and stop them going down Corporation Street. The aim would be to cut traffic and the effect on the environment, while making sure that people are just as likely or more likely to use them. Buses would use a circuit of streets on the edge of the city core and serve groups of bus stops at places (either on or off-street) that are close for people to walk into the city core. It will take a lot of effort to make the bus stops and waiting areas as nice as possible, while we would need better pedestrian connections and signposting/maps to make up for the buses not stopping right in the city core, which would be better for pedestrians and improve the whole outside area.

Original Document

In addition to the above improvements, it would be possible to re-route buses around the city core and exclude them from Corporation Street. The aim would be to reduce bus congestion and environmental impact whilst maintaining and improving their attractiveness. Buses would use a circuit of streets on the edge of the core and serve clusters of stops at sites – on or off-street – that are well located for walking into the core itself. Significant effort will be required to make the stop/waiting areas as attractive as possible, while improved pedestrian connections and wayfinding measures would be needed to offset the loss of direct access into the core, which would be more pedestrian friendly and have an improved public realm throughout.

1 comment


4.7.4

Plain English Version

Birmingham can also make bus travel in the city centre better, make more people want to use it, improve what people think of it and set a new standard for town travel. One idea is to look for good partnerships. Another is to encourage better vehicles and physical facilities, computer systems and customer facilities to develop one of the best public transport systems in Europe (the ‘Birmingham Bus’ idea). To do this, we could work with vehicle makers, universities, product designers and others, especially those based in the region.

Original Document

In addition to the options identified above, Birmingham can take the opportunity represented by the Big City Plan to launch an initiative to transform the quality, attractiveness and dignity of bus travel in the city and set a new benchmark for urban transit. One approach is the pursuit of quality partnerships. Another is to encourage further improvements in hardware and software and customer facilities to develop a truly leading European public transport brand (the ‘Birmingham Bus’ concept). This could be pursued with participation from vehicle manufacturers, educational establishments, product designers and others, especially those based in the region.

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