Floating bus stops redesigned to cut pedestrian/cyclist conflict

Councillors in Cambridgeshire have approved revised designs for bus stops on two busy roads in Cambridge as part of a package of measures to give cyclists more priority. 

The plans for Huntingdon Road and Hills Road include segregated cycleways with ‘floating bus stops’, whereby the cycle lane continues round the back of a bus stop, enabling cyclists to overtake stationery buses without entering the carriageway.

The original design envisaged locating the bus shelters and the bus stop flag on the footpath, so waiting passengers would then have to cross the cycle lane onto the ‘island’ to board the bus. Stagecoach branded the design “absolutely ridiculous”, fearing that cyclists might collide with pedestrians boarding/alighting buses. Councillors asked for further work on the design in May (LTT 30 May). 

The council has been anxious to resolve the matter quickly because the schemes on the roads are being funded from the DfT’s £4.1m Cycle Cities Ambition grant, which must be claimed by May next year. 

Cambridgeshire’s executive director for economy, transport and the environment Graham Hughes told councillors this week that the revised designs gave “very clear demarcation between footway, bus stop and cycleway”. 

“All of the bus stop islands will be at least two metres in width and all waiting facilities (flag, timetable, shelter, seats and real time passenger information) will be sited on the island. 

“This will allow pedestrians to make their way to the bus stop in their own time, and avoids the situation where boarding passengers have to cross the cycleway as the bus arrives at the stop. Similarly, it provides sufficient space for passengers to alight from the bus before crossing the cycleway.”

At bus stops the cycleways would be “clearly delineated” by kerbs and red surfacing, except at the designated pedestrian crossing point, where the cycleway would rise up to give a level crossing for pedestrians. “Tactile paving will mark the crossing point together with a contrasting surface colour, to highlight the crossing point to all users and assist visually impaired pedestrians,” he added. The cycle lanes will be 2.1-metres wide but narrow to 1.5 metres on the approach to a bus stop. 

“The deviation, narrowing, ramp and change in surface type will all serve to alert cyclists to the need to be mindful of pedestrians, in addition to the presence of the bus stop itself,” said Hughes. 

Discuss cycle-friendly street design at the London Cycling Show on the 12 September