In article , Ian Jelf
writes
While I don't doubt the truth of what you say for a minute, Clive *and*
while being deeply sceptical of the advantages of guided buses [1], how
does the Cambridgeshire system actually increase a particular journey?

Crude map:

+---------busway--------+
| |
| |
C D
| |
| |
+-----A-----+-----B-----+
| |
V X

V is the village where I live, X is the central Cambridge area.
Road A is a 3 lane each way dual carriageway.
Road B has a bus lane in the direction that sees congestion.
Road C is a narrow country lane.
Road D is a busy road where adding a bus lane involves major political
risk.

In addition, the busway route is about twice the length, or more, of the
present route.

It seems likely that the presence of the busway will mean that all
routes around here are altered, and that the bus to Cambridge will be
diverted to it.

[1] The only place I can see guided bus technology being of use is in
bus *stations*, to be honest, for ensuring flush boarding and coping
with often restricted areas.

Apparently it works well in Adelaide because of the layout of things:

Adelaide: Cambridge:

Wide streets in central Narrow congested streets in
area, no busway centre
Congested suburbs bypassed Congested roads in suburbs
by busway
Quiet roads in countryside Quiet countryside roads bypassed
by busway

--
Clive D.W. Feather, writing for himself | Home:
Tel: +44 20 8371 1138 (work) | Web: http://www.davros.org
Fax: +44 870 051 9937 | Work:
Written on my laptop; please observe the Reply-To address

In article , Clive D. W. Feather
writes
In article , Ian Jelf
writes
While I don't doubt the truth of what you say for a minute, Clive *and*
while being deeply sceptical of the advantages of guided buses [1], how
does the Cambridgeshire system actually increase a particular journey?

Crude map:
Snipped clear explanation
It seems likely that the presence of the busway will mean that all
routes around here are altered, and that the bus to Cambridge will be
diverted to it.
Thanks, Clive. I see what you mean.

[1] The only place I can see guided bus technology being of use is in
bus *stations*, to be honest, for ensuring flush boarding and coping
with often restricted areas.
I was in Adelaide in 2001 and rode the Guided busway, from the City
Centre to Tea Tree Plaza several times to see "how well it worked".
(As a Brummie, I have memories of our ill-fates "Tracline" guided busway
here in the 1980s.

The Adelaide one works better, principally because it's longer.

Apparently it works well in Adelaide because of the layout of things:

Adelaide: Cambridge:

Wide streets in central Narrow congested streets in
area, no busway centre
Ys, although Adelaide dies indeed suffer from central area congestion
which led to bunching on the Busway in the peak hours.

Congested suburbs bypassed Congested roads in suburbs
by busway
But the busway *did* miss some inner suburban housing areas on its way
to the further flung suburbs. Of course, this could be a Good Thing or
a Bad Thing, depending on where you lived!

Quiet roads in countryside Quiet countryside roads bypassed
by busway
The Adelaide Busway doesn't really get to anything I'd call
"countryside" (although it's certainly a beautiful green city). But
the idea of busways serving anything like English "countryside", as is
apparently suggested in Cambridge, seems to me to be bordering on
lunacy. In fact, it rather confirms to me a suspicion I've always had
about Busways: that they're a solution in search of a problem.

Is there an online map of the Cambridge proposals anywhere? And isn't
there something almost as rural running in the outer suburbs of Ipswich?

--
Ian Jelf, MITG, Birmingham, UK
Registered "Blue Badge" Tourist Guide for
London & the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

In article ,
(Ian Jelf) wrote:

Is there an online map of the Cambridge proposals anywhere? And isn't
there something almost as rural running in the outer suburbs of Ipswich?

I think it's on www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk somewhere.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In article ,
Colin Rosenstiel writes
In article ,
(Ian Jelf) wrote:

Is there an online map of the Cambridge proposals anywhere? And isn't
there something almost as rural running in the outer suburbs of Ipswich?

I think it's on www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk somewhere.
Found it; many thanks, Colin.

It's at:

http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/sub...ptrans/rts.jpg
--
Ian Jelf, MITG, Birmingham, UK
Registered "Blue Badge" Tourist Guide for
London & the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

In article , Ian Jelf
writes
Is there an online map of the Cambridge proposals anywhere?

http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/sub...ptrans/rts.jpg

That's it. From Science Park to just beyond Swavesey is an existing rail
line (though mothballed; the track is still there). The rest of the way
to St.Ives is trackbed but no track. The "local service" in Longstanton
appears to be a new route; it's unclear whether this is on an existing
road (in which case, what happens to the cars?) or takes over new land
and, if so, how it gets through the houses.

From Station to Trumpington is existing trackbed that's been disused for
30 years or more. The "on-street section" to Addenbrookes Hospital uses
a non-existent street (so why is it not guideway as well?).

The on-street section connecting the two uses roads that are either
already full of traffic, or narrow, or both. The cam.transport
contingent are, um, skeptical about their ability to carry the traffic.

You should also look at:
http://www.davros.org/rail/diagrams/camtrams.html
I suppose I should add the MGB to it.

--
Clive D.W. Feather, writing for himself | Home:
Tel: +44 20 8371 1138 (work) | Web: http://www.davros.org
Fax: +44 870 051 9937 | Work:
Written on my laptop; please observe the Reply-To address

"Colin Rosenstiel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Ian Jelf) wrote:

Is there an online map of the Cambridge proposals anywhere? And isn't
there something almost as rural running in the outer suburbs of Ipswich?

I think it's on www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk somewhere.

Crossposted to uk.local.east-anglia for those around Ipswich to comment on
whether such a scheme exists.

--
Brian
"This isn't the longest day of the year: it just feels like it"