Transport for NSW

Bus Priority
Infrastructure
Planning Toolbox

MAY 2021 | Version 0.1

You are here Contents 2

1. Introduction 6
1.1 Purpose  6

1.2 Objectives, outcomes and benefits 6

2. The challenge: balancing road space demand 10

3. The opportunity: attractive, reliable, safe and

faster bus services 14
3.1 Overview 14

3.2 Principles 14

4. Bus priority guidance 18

4.1 Overview 18

4.2 Decision-making process and bus priority types 19

4.3 Additional considerations 55

1. Introduction
Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 5
1. Introduction
1.1 Purpose 1.2 Objectives, outcomes
and benefits
This Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox
(the Toolbox) provides strategic planning guidance Application of the Toolbox aims to:
on bus priority infrastructure that improves the
• Enable reliable and congestion-free all-day
overall travel time and reliability outcomes for bus
frequent bus services for our customers
customers, particularly on the Rapid Bus Network.
The document provides advice on effective bus • Identify and incorporate bus priority that is
priority infrastructure to suit different road and safe and fit-for-purpose for present and future
street and land use contexts, including schematic networks through engagement and co-design
layout examples. This document’s application contributes to the six
outcomes from Future Transport 2056: customer-
The Toolbox is part of the Movement and Place
focused; successful places; a strong economy;
tools that supports the Practitioner’s Guide to
safety and performance; accessible services; and
Movement and Place and informs decision-making
sustainable. These six outcomes are achieved through
when allocating or reallocating road space for
bus priority’s ability to deliver the following benefits:
bus customers. The Toolbox recognises that bus
customers are also walking customers and are an • Improved bus reliability and journey times
important part of bus planning. for customers

This document provides strategic planning • Increased bus patronage

guidance on: • Reduced bus operating costs

• Bus priority infrastructure planning to improve the • Improved bus priority planning and design that
overall travel time and reliability of bus services is safely aligned with a road and street’s desired
Movement significance and Place intensity
• Bus priority strategic/concept designs, including
example schematic layouts to inform the • Optimised use of existing assets through
planning process road space reallocation instead of new
capital investment
• Bus priority placement within the road and street
network and its relationship to bus stops and the • Improved customer satisfaction with faster end-to-
street environments. end journey, supporting the 30-minute city vision
with improved connections in urban areas
The Toolbox informs practitioners involved in the
early planning stage for bus priority infrastructure on • Safety for all road and street users, including
dedicated road space to enable fast, frequent and people getting on and off buses.
reliable bus services.

This document does not set out the strategic

need for bus priority in a particular location; that
is the function of a city/region’s bus strategy
which identifies Frequent and Rapid Bus Network
requiring bus priority and the rationale behind it.
This document also does not guide detailed design,
community engagement or delivery.

The application of the guidance document within the

bus project life cycle is shown in Figure 1.

6 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

 Strategic need

Problem identification

Bus priority
Identify potential bus
infrastructure priority solutions
planning toolbox

Strategic/concept design

Detailed design

Community engagement

Environmental engagement

Detailed design finalisation

Scheme delivery

Figure 1. Positioning of the Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Guide within the bus priority planning,
design and delivery life cycle

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 7

 2. The challenge:
balancing road space demand
Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 9
2. The challenge: balancing road space
demand
Planning for bus priority is important to improve Furthermore, a typical segregated or exclusive bus
bus reliability and operational efficiency on right-of-way (e.g. a busway or transitway) offers high
existing and planned corridors for bus customers. carrying capacity, averaging over 15,000 passengers
Journey time and reliability savings from bus per hour during peak periods, depending on the
priority implementation combined with bus service service frequency and bus passenger capacity.
improvements have translated to direct patronage Balancing demands for road space is key in ensuring
gains in Australian cities.1 2 the network focuses on moving people rather
than vehicles.

Table 1 summarises various challenges related to

1 Currie, G., & Sarvi, M. (2012). New Model for Secondary Benefits bus priority. Careful consideration of the challenges
of Transit Priority. Transportation Research Record, 2276(1),
63–71. is important in identifying suitable bus priority
2 Austroads (2017) Prioritising On-Road Public Transport, Sydney: infrastructure.
Austroads Ltd

Table 1: Key challenges associated with bus priority.

Challenge Explanation

1. Balancing competing demands for road space • Lack of clear guidance on how and when road
space can be prioritised for buses over other modes
of transport
• Potential localised delays to general traffic due to
reallocation of a general traffic lane for bus priority
• Significant land acquisition and utility relocation
costs to widen roads to provide for bus priority

2. Integration with land use • Need to ensure the bus priority’s layout and
location complement the desired place intensity of
a road or street

3. Integration with other transport modes • Need to ensure the bus priority’s layout and
location facilitate movements between modes and
services (e.g. walking and cycling access, transfers
to rail, light rail, bus, ferry, etc.)

4. Bus priority remains effective and consistent • Traffic flows and behaviours change over time
• Insufficient priority delivered, partly delivered,
driver behaviour or traffic growth not forecast or
anticipated in strategic plans

5. Public/ stakeholder feedback • Strong focus on the impacts of parking loss or

reduced traffic capacity; desire to keep the impacts
minimal or net-zero
• Limited focus on bus customer benefits
• Consultation focuses on affected landowners
but comments from bus customers are
seldom captured

10 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

Challenge Explanation

6. Long implementation timeframes • Progressing a bus priority proposal from idea to

implementation requires a significant amount of
planning, design, consultation and compliance with
existing regulatory processes, inhibiting the ability
to be proactive or to respond to challenges quickly
• Consultative and compliance requirements inhibit
the agile implementation of trial bus lanes that
could deliver immediate reliability and journey
time benefits

7. Limited road space • Minimum standard of bus priority design can

impede efficient bus operations e.g. bus lanes
that are too short to allow for extensive priority
for buses, inability for buses to get into bus lanes
due to congestion, bus lanes that are too narrow
or indented bus stops that require merging into a
general traffic lane
• Fragmented bus priority implementation leads to
sub-optimal outcomes for the whole network
• In some cases, limited road space can result in
insufficient bus stop and waiting area capacity

8. Traffic signal priority issues • Congestion on intersection approaches prevents

buses from accessing signal priority
• Bus detecting signal priority such as Public
Transport Information and Priority System (PTIPS)
and Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System
(SCATS) are not widely available

9. Compliance and enforcement • Lack of enforcement (camera or police) against

vehicles driving or parked in a bus lane
• Lack of enforcement normalises non-compliant
driver behaviour

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 11

3. The opportunity:
attractive, reliable, safe
and faster bus services
Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 13
3. The opportunity: attractive, reliable,
safe and faster bus services
3.1 Overview 3.2 Principles
Future Transport 2056’s customer outcomes for Accordingly, there is an opportunity to target bus
Greater Sydney and Regional NSW reveal values priority planning to deliver on the Future Transport
that are important to improving the bus customer 2056 customer outcomes. Planning effective bus
experience: time; system and efficiency; reliability and priority in line with best practice principles can
convenience. deliver the stated customer benefits to support
customer demand and future growth. Bus priority
Achieving these outcomes are most likely to
planning principles to address the customer
encourage our customers to shift to buses or use bus
experience include:
travel more often. Bus priority provision has a material
effect on all of these values because allocating road 1. Provide attractive bus services with priority over
space priority for buses over general traffic: cars to encourage mode shift

• Reduces journey times and improves convenience 2. Enable reliable services by avoiding congestions
for customers 3. Enable faster services by providing shorter
• Increases bus schedule reliability for passenger alternative routes for buses
reassurance 4. Safely integrate with surrounding land uses and
• Allows for more efficient bus operations as the desired Movement significance and Place
more passenger capacity can be delivered with intensity along a route
fewer buses. Each principle is explained further on the next page.

Figure 2. B-Line’s extensive bus priority infrastructure has improved its service reliability. As of February 2021, B-Line has the highest
bus patronage in Greater Sydney

14 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

3.2.1 Provide attractive bus services 3.2.3 Enable faster services by providing
with priority over cars to encourage shorter alternative routes for buses
mode shift
Bus priority can reduce travel times and save both
Attractive bus services that improve customer operating and capital costs by enabling buses to
experience deliver fast and reliable journey times for perform the service in less time. Direct bus links can
customers. This can be achieved through allocating be achieved by identifying opportunities for buses
road space and traffic signal priority for buses over to bypass congestion or shorten the length of a bus
cars for all-day frequent routes so that more buses route compared to the general traffic route. It can
can run faster, carry a greater number of passengers also be achieved through well-positioned layovers
and provide a discernible travel time saving. In that support efficient bus operations and reduce out-
particular, bus priority to drive this mode shift needs of-service times at the start and end of a bus route.
to consider:

• Provision along planned key bus corridors in 3.2.4 Safely integrate with surrounding
advance of desired future demand land uses and the desired Movement
significance and Place intensity
• Road space reallocation for bus priority before
road widening and land acquisition – in some along a route
cases, parking loss is unavoidable and the Safe bus priority considers the surrounding
Movement & Place framework and Road User environment’s conditions with respect to traffic
Space Allocation policy should be used to ensure a speed, people and traffic volumes and the
balanced approach predominant land uses, while considering how it
• Bus operations support with suitably located bus may influence the desired Movement significance
layovers to allow for more efficient end-to-end and Place intensity. Bus priority measures can be
services by reducing the time spent running empty adaptable to safely integrate a road or street’s
buses before and after a service planned Movement and Place functions by, for
• Focusing on moving more people reliably and example, adapting speed limits and road space
efficiently by ensuring consistent bus priority allocation for bus priority to local conditions. Bus
measures as well as wayfinding, stop and priority measures must ensure people have safe and
fleet provisions prioritised access at pedestrian crossings and to/from
• Getting it right the first time – avoid adopting less bus stops and interchanges.
effective bus priority measures that make it hard to
change in the future.

3.2.2 Enable reliable services by avoiding

congestions

Bus priority that avoids congested traffic conditions

enables more consistent travel times and hence
reliable journeys for customers. Congestion avoidance
can be achieved through bus priority that spans
the length of a bus route to the greatest extent
possible so that buses are not affected by congestion
pinch points.

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 15

4. Bus priority
guidance
Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 17
4. Bus priority guidance
4.1 Overview
Bus priority that aligns with the principles in Section Bus priority implementation ranges on a spectrum
3.2 will enable attractive, reliable, safe and faster bus from only adopting measures when there are no
services. Given the range of bus priority measures congestion impacts on general traffic to an approach
available, this section provides guidance on where that prioritises the needs of bus users and operations
and when different types of bus priority can be over car traffic.
applied, taking into account factors such as:
To date, bus priority provision in NSW has
• Movement and Place classification represented all parts of this spectrum. Providing bus
• Bus network hierarchy priority through the lens of minimising impacts on
general traffic may lead to undesirable outcomes
• Road environment
such as not having sufficiently extensive bus priority
Many factors can affect the effectiveness and for the all-day frequent bus network or costly land
efficiency of bus priority and bus customers’ travel acquisitions to provide an extra lane for bus priority
experience, such as: instead of reallocating existing road space. On the
• Bus priority’s location: Bus priority measures other hand, there are examples of high-quality bus
located along corridors with key bus services that priority in NSW, e.g. the Northwest Transitway, the M2
carry large numbers of passengers will produce bus lanes and full-time bus lanes in Sydney CBD.
the greatest journey time and reliability benefits Given the breadth of bus priority approaches in
for customers. Equally, bus priority that targets NSW, the guidance provided in this section positions
frequent bus corridors with known congestion itself towards the ‘high priority’ end of the spectrum,
issues will deliver efficiency gains recognising the spatial efficiencies of reallocating
• Continuity: It is more desirable to have road space to move large numbers of passengers by
continuous bus priority rather than priority at bus and the Future Transport 2056 objectives.
discrete locations; the longer the bus priority
The bus priority planning guidance is presented in
along a corridor, the greater the reliability and
the following pages below under a five-step decision-
efficiency benefits
making process.
• Space: Design elements such as bus lane
width affect the effectiveness of a chosen bus
priority measure
• Enforcement: Enforcement also affects the
effectiveness of certain bus priority solutions that
reserve a right-of-way for buses
• Walking and cycling access: Safe, easy and
unobstructed access to and from the stops is
critical in ensuring a smooth end-to-end journey

18 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

4.2 Decision-making process and bus priority types

Step 2
Identify bus network hierarchy
Liaise with Transport for NSW to identify
current and future planned bus services along
the subject street or road segment. This will
include determining the appropriate bus network
hierarchy (Rapid, Frequent, Local and/or
On-demand routes) to be accommodated
following an existing Bus Network Strategy that
Step 1 may apply to the area or region.
Assess the site
Collect Movement
and Place data on the
site and decide on the
desired site environment
under the Movement
Step 3
and Place classification, Identify and evaluate bus
or reference an existing priority type
plan or strategy Identify an appropriate bus priority type based
that contains this on the desired Movement and Place classification
information. from Step 1, and the bus network hierarchy
applicable from Step 2.

Step 4
Select specific bus priority design
Select a specific design for the selected bus priority type from Step 2 based on
the available road width.

Step 5
Evaluate the preliminary bus priority design
Review the selected preliminary bus priority design chosen and evaluate whether
the outcomes reached would meet customer needs, improve efficiency, increase
safety and support surrounding land uses.

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 19

Step 1 – Assess the site

This step involves assessing the road or street being volume, bus frequency/volume, pedestrian
considered for bus priority under the Practitioner’s volumes, bus passenger movements, interchange
Guide to Movement and Place. This exercise should movements between modes
involve a multidisciplinary team to ensure holistic • Assessing Place metrics, including but not limited
Movement and Place considerations. to: type of land uses, street function, temporal
Classification under Movement and Place framework changes in activity, built form, road width,
helps practitioners to understand and communicate presence of major transport interchange nodes
the relationship between the Movement significance within centres
and Place intensity of a street or road with the help of • Analysing bus operations data to identify key
four street environments. Understanding the extent challenges, including but not limited to: reliability,
to which people’s movement interacts with adjacent headway spacing, travel time, operating speed,
places guides practitioners to match the right crowding at bus stop, safety, comfort, accessibility
outcome to its context. Bus priority that is compatible • Conducting a site visit to inform the evaluation. If
with an environment’s desired classification ensures a site visit is not possible, a desktop study can be
priority measures safely support a road or street’s undertaken using available street information from
desired Movement significance and Place intensity. street and aerial surveys or other suitable data.
• If available, refer to a plan or strategy that includes
the assessment information cited above.

Step 2 – Identify bus network hierarchy

This step involves consulting Transport for NSW to

understand existing and future bus customer and
route network needs on a corridor; moving away from
the traditional approach that focuses on the number
of bus services and road network performance.

Practitioners should identify the intended hierarchy/

functional role of the bus route/s on the corridor
within the relevant bus strategy, i.e. whether Rapid,
Frequent or Local bus routes, if applicable.

The numbers and needs of bus customers riding

through, as well as customers boarding and
Figure 3. Classification under Movement and Place
alighting along the subject corridor segment, need
to be understood to ensure Movement and Place
considerations are properly balanced at each
location. A corridor may be shared across different
Assessing the site involves: routes turning on and off and it may have different
bus network functional roles along the length. Bus
• Classifying the site’s desired environment, e.g. Main
priority infrastructure may need to be implemented
Road, Main Street, Local Street or Civic Space for
in the short, medium or long terms. Staged or
the road or street being considered for bus priority,
incremental delivery of bus improvements may be
as informed by local Movement and Place metrics
necessary according to local circumstances such as
and the gap between the existing environment
emerging traffic pinch points or in response to new
and the desired future state. Section 3.6 of the
development impacting customer demand.
Practitioner’s Guide to Movement and Place
provides further detail on how the road and street Liaising with Transport for NSW will inform
environments can be classified these considerations to assist in the next step of
• Assessing Movement metrics, including but not determining and evaluating the appropriate bus
limited to: speed limit, vehicle speeds, traffic priority type.

20 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

Step 3 – Identify and evaluate bus priority type Adjacent land uses and bus stops should also be
considered in planning for a bus priority as they
This step involves determining a suitable bus priority
impact the efficacy of each provision.
type based on the Movement and Place classification
agreed to in Step 1 and the bus network hierarchy Table 2 shows the recommended bus priority type
on a corridor, i.e. whether it is a Rapid, Frequent, when planning for a particular bus network hierarchy
Local or On-demand bus route in the bus network, at the outset. This classification does not mean bus
from Step 2. routes of a different hierarchy would be precluded
from using another bus priority type. For example,
There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to bus
Frequent and Local buses could share an exclusive
priority types – each needs to be compatible with
bus alignment with a Rapid bus route.
the desired Movement and Place classification and
the type of bus route(s) it serves. Table 1 summarises More information on bus priority types and examples
the recommended bus priority type based on these can be found in Austroads On-Road Public Transport
factors. Explanations of the various bus priority types Priority Tool Appendix C
and their compatibility with the selected Movement
and Place classifications and bus network hierarchy
are provided below.

Table 2: Bus priority type based on Movement and Place classification and bus network hierarchy
Bus priority type Movement and Place classification Bus network hierarchy

A - Exclusive bus alignment Main Road Rapid

B - Segregated alignment in mixed Main Road, Main Street, Rapid, Frequent

environment Local Street

C - Bus lane Main Road, Main Street, Frequent

Local Street

D - Bus-only street Local Street Rapid, Frequent, Local

E - Stop design and location Main Road, Main Street, Rapid, Frequent,
Local Street, Civic Space Local, On-demand

F - Intersection priority Main Road, Main Street, Local Street, Rapid, Frequent, Local
Civic Space

For the purpose of bus priority for Rapid and

Frequent bus routes, a Main Road classification
involves roads and streets that support the efficient
movement of bus customers as well as people and
freight using other modes. While place activity levels
are typically less intense on Main Roads, future
Rapid and Frequent bus routes on Main Roads
are still expected to serve roads and streets with
supporting land uses that provide customer access to
bus services. Accordingly, Main Road environments
served by future Rapid and Frequent buses would
typically involve lower speed environments for
general traffic (e.g. 60km/h speed limit or lower) with
road/street-fronting land uses.

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 21

Buses and people walking and cycling

Integration with walking Integration with cycling

All bus customers use the footpath regardless of their Cycling customers should also be prioritised in
ability. Safe and easy access to bus stops shapes the providing access to bus stops.
overall customer experience and street environments.
Practitioners should consider how customers can
Walking access to bus stops needs to be safe,
easily interchange between bus and cycling, while
prioritised and unobstructed.
ensuring that the two modes can safely operate on a
Crossing opportunities around bus stops shapes corridor where needed. Special consideration should
customers’ behaviour. The pedestrian environment be given to ensuring persons with visual impairment
adjacent to bus facilities must guide people towards can safely move in the area where buses and cyclists
the safest possible route, eliminating the need to take movements meet.
an unsafe or unprotected route.
Separation - Buses, boarding and alighting bus
Location - Pedestrian crossings should be located at customers and cyclists need adequate separation,
grade near bus stops with the least distance, crossing crossing point and inter-visibility to ensure safety.
staging and wait time possible. The location, whether Appropriate delineation may be required depending
at an intersection or mid-block, should be determined on the road and street’s configuration. Walking and
considering the pedestrian network, adjacent land cycling customers should be encouraged to move
uses and desire lines. Practitioners should consider cautiously on the approach to the crossing points.
existing as well as projected crossing demand,
Design - Bus stops, bus lanes and cycleways must be
particularly related to bus customers.
designed together to ensure all customers have a safe
Type - Uncontrolled crossings are generally safe on and comfortable journey.
streets with low traffic volumes and speed limit. In
See Cycleway Design Toolbox: Designing for Cycling
some cases, controlled crossings may be required
and Micromobility for more information.
to support a safe walking environment. If a crossing
signal is needed, the signal phasing should be
configured to reduce crossing wait times, including
prioritisation of pedestrian signal timings.

Other considerations - Integration with pedestrian

movement around the stop (people queueing and
boarding the bus), grade and geometry changes,
detours, lighting, footpath quality affect the overall
walking and bus customer experience and should be
considered by practitioners.

See Walking Space Guide: Towards Pedestrian

Comfort and Safety for more information on
designing comfortable and safe walking space.

22 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

Figure 4. All bus customers are walking customers at one point of their journeys (Transport for NSW)

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 23

A - Exclusive bus alignment While roads with an exclusive bus alignment belong
to the Main Roads classification of the Movement
An exclusive bus alignment provides exclusive priority and Place framework, these corridors and routes can
for buses and is the highest form of on-road public have significant meaning to local people and require
transport priority. careful consideration of the needs of places and
This bus priority type is physically separated from communities adjacent to the route.
general traffic and incorporates signal priority The recommended bus network hierarchy for this
at most intersections. It allows for high-capacity, intervention would be Rapid bus routes with buses
high-frequency services with reliable travel time. operating at speeds of up to 80 km/h.
Examples include the Northwest Transitway and the
Brisbane busway.

An exclusive bus alignment supports a high

movement and low place environment and belongs
to the ‘Main Road’ classification of the Movement and
Place framework.

Figure 5. Exclusive bus alignment in Northmead as part of the North West T-way (Transport for NSW)

24 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

B - Segregated alignment in mixed This bus priority type is preferred along corridors
environment with a high through-movement significance for buses.
Along these corridors, the Movement function of
A segregated alignment in mixed environments the road or street can change and also caters for a
provides physically separated running ways with range of other road users. Where buses travel to and
exclusive priority for buses within a road or street that from or through areas with high Place intensity, these
also supports general traffic, active transport and/or corridors need to be sensitive to the adjacent land
street-fronting land uses. uses through lower vehicle speeds.
It incorporates signal priority at most intersections The recommended bus network hierarchy for this
and allows for high-capacity, high-frequency services intervention would be Rapid and Frequent bus
with reliable travel time. Examples include street- routes with buses operating at speeds of between 30
running sections of the transitways in Sydney. and 60 km/h.

Figure 6. Segregated bus lane in Liverpool to Parramatta T-way (Transport for NSW)

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 25

C - Bus lane

Bus lanes allow for bus priority within general traffic Bus lanes may require the reallocation of existing
lanes and may also include signal priority but there general traffic lanes for bus priority, or may require
is no physical separation from the other lanes. They road widening to accommodate the additional lane.
can be ‘bus-only’ to allow for exclusive bus use or They are suitable for a range of street environments
otherwise ‘bus lane’, which is shared with other from Main Road to Local Street.
vehicles such as taxis, hire cars, emergency vehicles,
This type is preferred along corridors with a high
motorcycles and bicycles.
through-movement significance for buses. Along
Bus lanes can also be flexible by time and allow for these corridors, the movement function of the road
other uses (e.g. parking, general traffic) when not or street can change and also caters for a range of
in use. Bus lanes can provide a high level of public other road users. Where buses travel to and from
transport priority and are most effective when they or through areas with high Place intensity, these
are continuous to minimise interactions with general corridors need to be sensitive to adjacent land uses,
traffic. As there is no physical separation between bus such as by travelling at lower speed.
lanes and general traffic lanes, enforcement is key to
The recommended bus network hierarchy for this
ensure their effectiveness.
intervention is Frequent bus routes with buses
Bus lanes can be provided kerbside for easier access operating at speeds of between 30 and 60 km/h.
to bus stops or as an offset lane to allow for other
kerbside uses and turning movements.

Figure 7. Bus lane on Liverpool to Parramatta T-way (Transport for NSW)

26 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

D - Bus-only street

A bus-only street (also known as a transit mall) A bus-only street may require reallocation of road
allows for low-speed movements of buses within space from general vehicles to public transport and
an environment of high Place intensity such active transport. It supports street environments with
as main shopping streets or major transport high Place and lower Movement functions, e.g. Civic
interchanges, such as Oxford Street in Bondi Junction Space within the Movement and Place Framework.
(shown below).
The recommended bus network hierarchies for this
Bus-only streets limit access to buses only, except in intervention are Rapid and Frequent bus routes with
limited circumstances such as for emergency vehicles buses operating at speeds of up to 30 km/h. Local
or freight and delivery vehicles at designated times. buses can also use bus-only streets where route
Bus-only streets may employ bus gates or other segments overlap.
types of enforcement such as cameras to ensure
bus-only use. Their location within an area of high
pedestrian activity allows for convenient access to
buses and a greater catchment of bus customers.

Figure 8. Bus only street in Bondi Junction (Transport for NSW)

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 27

E - Stop design and location

The design and location of stops influence the Bus stop location and spacing also affect overall
effectiveness of bus priority measures as well travel time, so these aspects should be considered to
as customers’ comfort and the overall street suit a bus route’s network hierarchy. Such measures
environment. Effective stop design can facilitate safe when combined with lane-based bus priority can
access to and from stops for customers, reduced increase the effectiveness of bus priority at a corridor
passenger boarding time and smooth entry and or network-wide scale.
departure at stops. Examples include kerb extensions
As stops are located in many different road
to reduce dwell times at stops as they remove the
environments, the design and location guidance for
need to pull in and out of a traffic lane. Another
stops provided under Step 4 apply to all Movement
example is indented bus bays adjacent to bus lanes,
and Place classifications and would benefit all types
which eliminates the friction associated with exiting
of bus routes.
and re-entering the travel lane.
See the ASA Bus Stop Guidelines (under
development) for more information on bus stop
design and lcocation.

Figure 9. Bus stop on kerb extension in Surry Hills (Transport for NSW)

28 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

F - Intersection priority

Intersections and signals can slow down and

constrain bus movements even if other interventions
such as bus lanes are used.

Priority measures at intersections and signals allow

buses to move through these points with minimal
delay by prioritising their movement over other
modes. Examples include bus signals, bus queue
jumps, signal priority and pre-signals. Combined with
lane-based bus priority, such measures can increase
the effectiveness of bus priority at a corridor or
network-wide scale.

As intersections and signals are found in many

different environments, bus priority at these locations
apply to all Movement and Place classifications and
would benefit all types of bus routes.

Figure 10. Bus Intersection Priority in Dee Why. Bus queue jumps infrastructure is already available at over 1,500 locations in Greater
Sydney

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 29

Step 4 – Select specific bus priority design Step 4 provides a range of preliminary designs under
different road width scenarios (two-lane, four-lane
With a broad bus priority type selected in Step 3,
and six-lane carriageway) to support decision-making
this step involves the selection of a more specific
once a higher-level decision to (re)allocate road space
preliminary design for the chosen bus priority type.
for bus priority has been made. Each option requires
Road width is often the main geometric constraint context-sensitive design that safely integrates the
in providing bus priority within the road reserve. needs of all customers. The bus priority treatment
Except for some exclusive bus alignments, the extent design must prioritise safe and efficient access to and
of bus priority infrastructure that can be provided is from bus stops for people walking and cycling.
influenced by the number of traffic lanes available for
Table 3 and 4 highlight the preliminary design options
(re)allocation to bus priority and access to bus stops
available for the chosen bus priority type under each
and the urban environment.
road width scenario.

Step 4 involves:

• Selecting a lane-based bus priority concept in

Table 3; plus
• Selecting a stop and intersection-based bus
priority concept in Table 4.
The reference numbers for the preliminary design
options in the tables cross-reference to the
preliminary design sheets provided in this chapter.

Table 3: Lane-based designs by bus priority type under different road width scenarios

Bus priority type Two-lane carriageway Four-lane carriageway Six-lane carriageway

A - Exclusive A1 Bus-only road in

bus alignment exclusive bus alignment

B - Segregated B1 – Centre-running bus lane B3 – Centre-running bus-

alignment in mixed lane with reduced traffic
B2 – Side-aligned two-
environment
way bus lanes B4 – Centre-running
bus lane with high
traffic volume

C - Bus lane C5 – Contraflow bus lane C1 – Kerbside bus lane C2 – Kerbside bus lane

C5 – Contraflow bus lane C3 – Offset bus lane

C6 – Transit/high-occupancy C4 – Offset to
vehicle lane kerbside bus lane

C5 – Contraflow bus lane

C6 – Transit/high-
occupancy vehicle lane

D - Bus-only street D1 – Bus-only street

(transit mall)

D2 – Bus gate

30 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

Table 4: Stop and intersection-based bus priority designs by bus priority type

Bus priority type All road width scenarios

E - Stop design and location E1 – Kerb extension

E2 – Indented bus bay adjacent to bus lane

E3 – Bus layover positioning

E4 – Bus stop rationalisation

F - Intersection priority F1 – Bus queue jumps/ banned turn exemptions

F2 – PTIPS and SCATS activated bus signals

Potential bus priority measures may also involve Table 5 highlights two types of bus priority designs
technological solutions either on the road corridor, at that are used overseas and have potential benefits
the kerb or intersections. This document touches on for bus priority where space is limited. However, they
some of these priority measures, particularly at the do not currently exist in NSW. These designs are
intersection, but does not provide an extensive guide categorised as pilot designs for further investigation
to the use of technology for bus priority measures. and have not yet been considered for any particular
The Toolbox will evolve over time to highlight road and street environment.
integration with new technology, including fleet types.
Page 30 to 50 describe each design in more detail.

Table 5: Pilot bus priority designs for further

investigation

Bus priority type All road width scenarios

P - Intersection priority P1 – Pre-signals

P - Segregated alignment in mixed environment P2 – Bus priority filtered street

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 31

 A1 - Bus-only road in exclusive bus alignment (e.g. transitway, busway)

Figure 11. Schematic example of bus-only road in exclusive bus alignment

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides the highest level of priority to buses due
Main Road X
to complete segregation from general traffic and
people walking and cycling Main Street
• Able to support high speeds along the transitway
Local Street
due to complete segregation
Civic Space
Considerations
• Higher capital costs to construct a
segregated transitway
Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
• Requires dedicated road corridor
• Requires integration with surrounding land uses Rapid X
and transport networks to ensure appropriate
access to stations and to foster land use uplift Frequent

• Ideally paired with indented bus stops to allow Local

non-stopping services to pass safely in high flow
environments On-demand

Example
• Liverpool-Parramatta Transitway
• Northwest Transitway
• Bennelong Bridge, Wentworth Point

32 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

 B1 - Centre running bus-only lane

Figure 12. Schematic example of a centre running bus only lane

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides continuous bus priority for frequent buses
by avoiding general traffic congestion, especially at Main Road X
mid-block locations
Main Street X
• Reduces conflicts with left-turning vehicles and
illegally parked vehicles Local Street
• Provides good urban amenity by moving buses
Civic Space
further away from the kerb
• Increases safety as the road is more legible
and faster buses are in the centre where they
are expected Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable

Considerations Rapid X

• Mid-block stops are not appropriate where Frequent X

interchange is required with services running
perpendicular and without safe crossing facilities Local
to access the stop
On-demand
• Requires enough road width for in line bus stops
to serve bus lanes in both directions – localised
widening at stop locations may be required
• Intersections with right turns can cause delay to
centre-running buses; signal priority for buses
should be considered
• Requires a separate right-turn facility for buses
turning right at major intersection.
• Requires passing lanes at certain locations or
indented bus stops for overtaking buses
• Provides separation between bus lane and general
traffic lane by painted lines or mountable barriers
to allow access onto the bus lane by other vehicles
in the event of breakdowns or an emergency

Example
• Liverpool-Parramatta Transitway, Canley Vale Rd
• George Street light rail, Sydney

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 33

 B2 - Side-aligned two-way bus lane

Figure 13. Schematic example of side-aligned two way bus-only lanes

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides continuous bus priority for frequent buses
by avoiding general traffic congestion, especially at Main Road X
mid-block locations
Main Street X
• Allows for two side-by-side traffic lanes, enabling
overtaking in breakdown and emergency situations Local Street
• Advantageous in locations where there are
Civic Space
no turning opportunities over long distances
(e.g. the road adjoins open space, water,
boundary wall, etc.)
Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
Considerations
• Mid-block stops may not be appropriate where Rapid X
interchange is required with services running
Frequent X
perpendicular and without safe crossing facilities
to access the stop Local
• Requires enough road width for either in line bus
On-demand
stops at the kerbside and road median to serve
bus lanes in both directions – localised widening at
stop locations may be required
• Central bus stop in between the two bus lanes is
also possible, requiring buses to drive on the right
hand side of the two-way bus lanes – localised
widening at stop locations may be required

Example
• AMETI Eastern Busway, Auckland (under
construction)
• Northwest Transitway, Sunnyholt Road (within a
road reserve greater than six lanes in width)

34 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

 B3 - Centre running bus-only lane with traffic reduction

Figure 14. Schematic example of centre running bus only lane with traffic reduction

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides continuous bus priority for frequent buses
by avoiding general traffic congestion Main Road
• Avoids conflicts with left-turning vehicles at the Main Street X
intersection
• Provides good urban amenity by moving buses Local Street
further away from the kerb
Civic Space
• Increases safety as the road is more legible
and fast vehicles are in the centre where
they’re expected
Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
• Allows for landscaping or parking on the second
lane from the kerb to improve amenity on an Rapid X
otherwise busy road environment to support
nearby land uses Frequent X

Considerations Local

• Mid-block stops are not appropriate where On-demand

interchange is required with services running
perpendicular and without safe crossing facilities
to access the stop
• Localised widening may be required to support
bus stop platforms

Example
• Petersburger Strasse, Berlin

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 35

 B4 - Centre running bus-only lane with high traffic

Figure 15. Schematic example of centre running bus-only lane with high traffic

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides continuous bus priority for frequent buses
by avoiding general traffic congestion Main Road X
• Avoids conflicts with left and right turning vehicles Main Street
at intersections
• Provides good urban amenity by moving buses Local Street
further away from the kerb
Civic Space
• Increases safety as the road is more legible
and fast vehicles are in the centre where
they’re expected
Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
• Provides two continuous general traffic lanes in
Main Road environments where general traffic Rapid X
capacity needs to be maintained
Frequent X
Considerations
Local
• Six-lane road environment for frequent buses may
discourage street-facing resident, commercial On-demand
or mixed-use land use that increases the
customer catchment
• Mid-block stops are not appropriate where
interchange is required with services running
perpendicular and without safe crossing facilities
to access the stop
• Localised widening may be required to support
bus stop platforms

Example
• Westmead Transitway stop, Darcy
Road, Westmead

36 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

 C1 - Kerbside bus lane

Figure 16. Schematic example of kerbside bus/bus-only lane

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Typically easy to install and retrofit on
existing streets with minimum infrastructure Main Road X
investment required
Main Street X
• Provides continuous bus priority for frequent buses
by avoiding general traffic congestion, especially at Local Street X
mid-block locations
Civic Space
• Able to be flexibly used throughout the day, such
as for parking, loading, freight, general traffic,
where traffic conditions allow
Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
Considerations
• Conflicts with left turning vehicles as bus lanes Rapid
can be used by vehicles to turn left 100 m before
Frequent X
intersection, so require special attention
• Provides passing lanes at certain locations or Local
indented bus stops for overtaking buses
On-demand
• Potential delays from delivery vehicles, ride share,
taxis infringing the lane. Consider providing
alternative space for these activities on side streets
where conditions allow.
• Amenity issues with footpath uses
• Safety issues with potentially fast moving buses
in kerbside lane when other traffic is slow or at
a standstill
• May require the removal of street parking
• Conflicts with people cycling where they use
the bus lane

Example
• Church Street, North Parramatta

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 37

 C2 - Kerbside bus lane

Figure 17. Schematic example of kerbside bus/bus-only lane

Benefits Example
• Typically easy to install and retrofit on • Victoria Road, West Ryde
existing streets with minimum infrastructure
investment required
• Provides continuous bus priority for frequent buses Movement and Place Classification Suitable
by avoiding general traffic congestion, especially at
Main Road X
mid-block locations
• Can be flexibly used throughout the day, such as Main Street
for parking, loading, general traffic, where traffic
Local Street
conditions allow
• Can re-enter a bus lane from an indented bus Civic Space
stop rather than general traffic, minimising delays
associated with turning out
• Dwelling buses do not impede buses going Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
straight through
Rapid
Considerations
• Six-lane road environment for frequent buses Frequent X
discourages street-facing residential, commercial
Local
or mixed-use land use that increases the
customer catchment On-demand
• Conflicts with left turning vehicles as bus lanes
can be used by vehicles to turn left 100 m before
intersection, so require special attention
• Delivery vehicles, ride share, taxis may infringe
on the lane delaying buses. Consider providing
alternative space for these activities on side streets
where conditions allow.
• Amenity issues with footpath users
• Ideally paired with indented bus stop facilities
• Safety issues with potentially fast moving buses
in kerbside lane when other traffic is slow or at
a standstill

38 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

 C3 - Offset bus lane

Figure 18. Schematic example of offset bus lane

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides continuous bus priority for frequent buses
by avoiding general traffic congestion Main Road X
• Reduces conflicts with left turning vehicles Main Street
• Typically easy to install and retrofit on
existing streets with minimum infrastructure Local Street
investment required
Civic Space
• Shifts faster-moving buses away from the footpath
and kerbside land uses for greater amenity

Considerations Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable

• Six-lane road environment for frequent buses
Rapid X
discourages street-facing residential, commercial
or mixed-use land use that increases the Frequent X
customer catchment
Local
• Other traffic must cross over the bus lane when
switching lanes On-demand
• Buses must pull into kerb lane to set down
passengers, potential conflict with cyclists
depending on the street configuration

Example
• Elizabeth Street, Sydney

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 39

 C4 - Offset to kerbside bus lane

Figure 19. Schematic example of offset to kerbside bus lane

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides continuous bus priority for frequent buses
by avoiding general traffic congestion Main Road X
• Avoids conflicts with left turning vehicles through Main Street
the transition from offset to kerbside bus lane at
the intersection Local Street
• Typically easy to install and retrofit on
Civic Space
existing streets with minimum infrastructure
investment required
• Allows for other considerations such as
parking lanes Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable

Considerations Rapid

• Six-lane road environment for frequent buses Frequent X

discourages street-facing resident, commercial
or mixed-use land use that increases the Local
customer catchment
On-demand
• Other traffic and cyclists must cross over the bus
lane when switching lanes
• Buses must pull into kerb lane to set down
passengers, which may not be appropriate in high
traffic environments
• Left turn only kerbside general traffic lane required
at the intersection transition

Example
• Elizabeth Street, Sydney

40 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

 C5 - Contraflow bus-only lane

Figure 20. Schematic example of contraflow bus lane

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides an opportunity for buses to shorten
journey times and increase connectivity by taking a Main Road X
more direct route against the flow of general traffic
Main Street X
on an otherwise one-way street
Local Street
Considerations
• Clear signage and strict enforcement needed to Civic Space
ensure effectiveness of this bus priority measure
• Safety concerns due to potential conflict with
opposing traffic, which can be mitigated with Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
painted or physical buffers where the road
width allows Rapid
• Requires intersection geometry and swept path for
Frequent X
turning buses
Local
Example
• Pitt Street, Parramatta On-demand

• Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, Queensland

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 41

 C6 - Transit/ high-occupancy vehicle lanes

Figure 21. Schematic example of transit/high-occupancy vehicle lanes

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides a lower level of priority for buses that
is shared with high-occupancy vehicles such as Main Road X
trucks and cars with two or more passengers
Main Street X
• Incentivises higher occupancy of private vehicles
through carpooling Local Street
• Suitable in situations where there is flowing traffic
Civic Space
in adjacent traffic lanes and only low levels of
priority for buses are required

Considerations Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable

• Not used where the volume of high-occupancy
vehicles and trucks using the lane would cause Rapid
delays to bus movements
Frequent X
• Lower priority for buses compared to bus or
bus-only lanes Local X

• Transitioning transit lanes to bus lanes can On-demand

be difficult as adjoining general traffic lanes
may become saturated with little capacity to
accommodate high-occupancy vehicles when
higher order priority for buses is required.
Therefore, transit lanes are not suitable where
future growth in general traffic is anticipated.
• Relies on strict enforcement and compliance to
be effective

Example
• William Street, Darlinghurst

42 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

 D1 - Bus-only street/transit mall

Figure 22. Schematic example of bus-only street/transit mall

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides bus priority for high frequency bus routes
through areas of high pedestrian activity Main Road
• Reserving the carriageway for buses only allows Main Street
more space for walking movement in high
pedestrian activity areas Local Street X

Considerations Civic Space

• Relies on clear signage and strict enforcement to
ensure effectiveness of this bus priority measure
• Requires low speed limits for buses to reduce Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
conflict with people and to support amenity of
high pedestrian activity environment, especially Rapid X
people crossing the street
Frequent X
Example Local X
• Oxford Street, Bondi Junction
On-demand X
• Manners Street, Wellington, New Zealand

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 43

 D2 - Bus gate

Figure 23. Schematic example of bus gate

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides short section of a street for buses
Main Road
• Allows buses to bypass general traffic or cut
through a street block to shorten journey times Main Street X
and increase connectivity by taking a more
direct route Local Street X

Considerations Civic Space X

• ‘Bus gate’ is not an official traffic control device in
NSW so this priority measure would effectively be
a short section of a bus or bus-only lane. Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
• Relies on clear signage and strict enforcement
(preferably using CCTV) to ensure effectiveness of Rapid X
this bus priority measure
Frequent X
Example Local
• Australia Road-Carter Road Link, Menai
On-demand
• Rawson Place, Haymarket
• Holker Street, Sydney Olympic Park
• Reconciliation Rise, Pemulwuy
• Chiswick Road, South Granville

44 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

 E1 - Kerb extension (kerb outstand or bus bulb)

Figure 24. Schematic example of kerb buildout

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Prioritises bus movements by making passenger
boarding quicker and reducing dwell times as Main Road
buses do not have to pull into a stop and pull out
Main Street X
into general traffic
• Provides more space on the footpath for waiting Local Street X
passengers and acts as a traffic calming measure
Civic Space X
• Makes boarding easier for passengers as buses can
stop very close to the kerb line.

Considerations Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable

• Not suitable where bus frequency or dwell times
will cause delay to following buses Rapid X

• Requires lower speed environments (e.g. 50 km/h Frequent X

speed limit or less) so that stopping buses do not
abruptly stop high-speed trailing traffic Local X

Example On-demand

• Bourke Road, Alexandria

• Crown Street, Surry Hills

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 45

 E2 - Indented bus bay

Figure 25. Schematic example of indented bus bay

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides space for buses to stop next to a bus or
bus-only lane without delaying trailing buses on Main Road X
roads with a high frequency of buses
Main Street X
• Locating an indented bus bay on the departure
side of a signalised intersection allows stopping Local Street
buses to not obstruct trailing buses going straight,
Civic Space
and avoids holding up a B-signal or green light for
buses on the approach side.
• Useful for frequent buses or local buses that share
part of a corridor with Rapid/frequent buses to Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
stop while allowing trailing Rapid buses to travel
Rapid X
through (due to longer stop spacing)
Frequent X
Considerations
• Requires a bus or bus-only lane adjacent to the Local X
stop so that buses can turn out without being
On-demand
delayed by general traffic
• Suitable for high-speed environments (e.g. 70
km/h speed limit or over) where a standard
kerbside (online) bus stop would cause
safety issues by stopping high speed trailing
general traffic
• May result in localised narrowing of footpath and
other public domain changes

Example
• Windsor Road, Baulkam Hills

46 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

 E3 - Bus layover positioning

Centre

T Bus layover

Bus
interchange

Centre

Figure 26. Illustration of bus layover positioning

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Placing sufficiently-sized bus layovers near the
start/end of an agglomeration of bus routes Main Road X
(e.g. bus interchanges) increases bus reliability
Main Street X
by minimising dead running time and avoiding
potential congestion leading to a centre Local Street X

Considerations Civic Space

• Requires consideration of bus service
rationalisation opportunity, minimising circulation
of empty buses and the function of adjacent land
Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
uses to avoid oversizing bus layover on valuable
urban land or road space. Rapid X
• Requires support by infrastructure to discourage
Frequent X
inappropriate walking access (e.g. walking
between parked buses) Local X
• Requires clear customer information and
On-demand X
wayfinding to help customers safely navigate to
the interchange

Example
• Parramatta Transit Hub, Parramatta

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 47

 E4 - Bus stop rationalisation

Figure 27. Bus stop spacing by bus network hierarchy

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Reduces journey times and increases reliability
by reducing the number of times a Rapid service Main Road X
stops and the associated dwell times. This
Main Street X
rationalisation helps facilitate fast and direct bus
routes for longer distance cross-city travel. Local Street X
• Ensures local accessibility to bus stops and
Civic Space X
connectivity to the public transport network
by retaining stop spacing of around 400 m for
Frequent, Local and On-demand service
Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
Considerations
• While stop spacing of at least one kilometre for Rapid X
Rapid routes is recommended to the greatest
Frequent X
extent possible, consideration of local accessibility
needs is important to ensure access to key land Local X
uses is not overlooked
On-demand
Examples
• Willoughby Street near Park Street, Epping
• Salisbury Road, Stanmore

48 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

 F1 - Bus queue jumps and banned turn exemptions

Figure 28. Schematic example of bus queue jumps and banned turn exemptions

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Gives an opportunity for buses to skip general
traffic queues Main Road X
• Gives buses a head start over general traffic at Main Street X
the intersection when combined with bus signals
(e.g. B-signal) Local Street X

Considerations Civic Space

• At locations with high traffic volumes going
straight or making a turn, there may be queuing
across the bus queue jump lane, preventing Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
buses from accessing it and negating any time-
saving benefits Rapid X
• Requires continuous bus lanes and selective
Frequent X
vehicle detection (see [Link]). Time-saving
benefits are marginal when implemented in Local X
isolation due to general traffic queuing over the
On-demand
bus queue jump in congested conditions
• Stops located on the departure-side of the
intersection negates most of the benefits of the
queue-jump. Best used with approach-side stops,
or on sections of the route without stops.

Examples
• Epping Road, Lane Cove
• Pittwater Road, Dee Why

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 49

 F2 - PTIPS and SCATS activated signal priority (selective vehicle detection)

On Board Unit Digital Radio Networks Passenger information at bus stop

PTIPS SCATS
tracks and monitors buses controls traffic signs
to give buses priority

Figure 29. Schematic illustration of PTIPS and SCATS activated signal priority

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Allows traffic signals to give buses a green
light as it approaches the intersection, reducing Main Road X
intersection delays and keeping buses moving
Main Street X
using the Public Transport Information and Priority
System (PTIPS) and the Sydney Coordinated Local Street X
Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS)
Civic Space X
• Can be implemented in conjunction with bus
queue jumps and continuous bus lanes to
provide a high degree of priority and seamless
movement for buses Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
• Can be implemented to prioritise customers going
Rapid X
to/from bus stops to reduce wait time
Frequent X
Considerations
• Requires bus fleet servicing Rapid and frequent Local
bus routes and the traffic signals on roads plied by
On-demand
these routes to be equipped with this technology.
E.g. expanding the use of linking PTIPS and
SCATS technology
• PTIPS and SCATS activated signal priority
coverage to be expanded to support greater
extent of Rapid and frequent bus routes.
• PTIPS is only activated when the bus is running
behind schedule

Example
• Along B-Line corridor, Sydney

50 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

 P1 - Pre-signals (pilot concept – subject to further investigation)

Figure 30. Schematic example of pre-signals

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• Provides additional signals placed upstream of
signalised intersections Main Road X
• Prioritises buses by allowing them to bypass Main Street X
general traffic.
• Useful for prioritising straight-moving buses ahead Local Street X
of left-turning general traffic that would otherwise
Civic Space
conflict with buses
• Useful for constrained road environments where
continuous bus priority is not possible; pre-signals
allow buses to bypass general traffic at a point Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
where a bus lane disappears before re-entering a
Rapid
bus lane further downstream
Frequent X
Considerations
• Requires further investigation, including benefits of Local X
applying pre-signals versus using alternative routes
On-demand
which could avoid pre-signals, as pre-signals usage
in Australia is limited
• Safety concerns for people attempting to cross the
street at the pre-signal

Example
• Langstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 51

 P2 - Bus priority filtered street (four lane carriageway)
(pilot concept – subject to further investigation)

Figure 31. Schematic example of bus priority filtered street

Benefits Movement and Place Classification Suitable

• High degree of bus priority while discouraging
through traffic at narrow pinch points at bus stops Main Road
through the use of bus bulbs (E1)
Main Street X
• Allows more space for people movement in high
pedestrian activity areas Local Street
• Reduces conflicts with left-turning vehicles and
Civic Space
illegally parked vehicles
• Provides good urban amenity by moving buses
further away from the place function
Bus Network Hierarchy Suitable
• Increases safety as the road is more legible
and faster buses are in the centre where they Rapid X
are expected
Frequent X
Considerations
Local X
• Requires further investigation on suitability to NSW
(particularly signage conflicts and legalities) On-demand
• Requires clear signage and strict enforcement to
ensure effectiveness
• Requires accompanying signage and marking
following bus lane removal at the kerb build-out
and bus lane resumption, which may result in
signage clutter and driver confusion
• Suitable for streets with low traffic volumes
otherwise it would result in queuing of general
traffic onto bus lanes
• Considers traffic calming devices on general traffic
lanes approaching the bus stop to discourage cars
speeding up to travel in front of a stopping bus
• Potential conflict with people cycling where they
use the bus lane

Example
• Avenue Raymond Queudet, Lorient, France

52 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

4.2.1 Step 5 – Evaluate the preliminary bus priority design

After having reached an outcome or series of These criteria could be used in a multi-criteria
outcomes following the preceding four steps, it is analysis or similar type of assessment to evaluate the
important to re-examine those potential outcomes effectiveness of a chosen bus priority design.
to ensure customer needs are met following the
Involvement of the Transport for NSW is required
Future Transport 2056 customer outcomes that are
in this evaluation step, both in terms of providing
important to bus customers: safety; time; system
necessary customer and bus performance data;
and efficiency; reliability; and convenience. Achieving
as well as ensuring designs are strategically and
these outcomes would address some of the
operationally appropriate, before progressing to the
challenges identified in Section 2.
detailed design stage.
Before finalising a strategic or concept design,
practitioners are advised to apply the following
evaluation criteria to evaluate whether the selected
preliminary bus priority design would meet these
important customer needs. Practitioners must also
consider interfaces with other customer groups such
as people walking and cycling.

Figure 32. B-Line has been successful in increasing bus patronage (Transport for NSW)

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 53

Table 6: Design evaluation criteria

Customer outcome type Specific criteria

Time and speed • Improved end-to-end bus journey time

• Equal or faster average travel speed compared to all traffic (for bus lanes)
or faster average speed (for exclusive or segregated bus alignment) for
any given road segment
• Increased directness as much as possible, as measured by a directness
ratio (length of bus route divided by shortest road distance):
-- Rapid/Frequent – 1.0
-- Local – 1.25 to 1.75

System and efficiency • Increased number of passengers served with the same amount of,
or fewer buses
• Increased number of passengers served with the same amount of,
or reduced bus service hours/kilometres

Reliability • Improved bus reliability, as measured by the on-time performance impact

on a passenger basis i.e. measuring the lateness of the bus at each stop,
multiplied by the number of passengers alighting at that stop. This should
be calculated per route

Convenience • Enablement of improved bus service frequency

Safety • Improved safety for:

-- people walking to and from a bus stop
-- people walking, cycling or driving near bus priority infrastructure
-- people interchanging between services

Supporting place • Better support for land use adjacent to the bus infrastructure
• Enablement of further uplift of adjacent or nearby land uses

Mode shift • Improved bus patronage

Environmental benefit • Reduced emission from mode shift

• Reduced emission from lower bus idle time and overall congestion

54 • Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox

4.3 Additional considerations
For all bus priority designs chosen, the following
additional design considerations are important for
maximising customer benefits from bus priority.

1. Routes with extensive provision of roundabouts,

speed bumps and other traffic calming devices
are not ideal candidates for bus priority as these
devices inhibit bus travel speeds and affect
customer comfort.
2. Speed cushions can be an exception if they are
designed well but they tend to still impact on bus
travel speeds and customer comfort
3. Significant continuous links with low speed limits
are also not ideal candidates for bus priority as
the required slow operating speeds negate the
travel time benefits from bus priority
4. The caveat to point 3 is that buses operating
at slow speeds through low-speed, pedestrian-
oriented environments are crucial for pedestrian
and bus customer safety (e.g. through bus-
only streets). However, extensive lengths of
slow speed environments are recommended
to be avoided.
5. Once a concept design is complete a road
safety audit is recommended to be carried out
to assess the location for any road safety risks
for all road users. Mitigation measures should
be applied So Far As Is Reasonably Practicable
(SFAIRP) and in a time frame that aligns with the
risk rating.
6. Information for detailed design of bus lanes is
provided in the Transport Delineation Guide,
AS 1742.12:2017 and other relevant Transport
Supplements and Technical Directions.

Bus Priority Infrastructure Planning Toolbox • 55

[Link]

Disclaimer
While all care is taken in producing this work, no responsibility is taken
or warranty made with respect to the accuracy of any information, data
or representation. The authors (including copyright owners) expressly
disclaim all liability in respect of anything done or omitted to be done
and the consequences upon reliance of the contents of this information.

© Transport for New South Wales

Users are welcome to copy, reproduce and distribute the information
contained in this report for non-commercial purposes only, provided
acknowledgement is given to Transport for NSW as the source. TP209