Liverpool Based Commuters

[spen666]

Some time ago, the media had lots of stories about the removal of all the bus lanes in Liverpool ( apparently they were not stolen!). This was part of a scheme by the council to speed up traffic by increasing road capacity at the expense of public transport.

I have not heard anything from anyone about how the scheme has developed in practice.

So what has been the effects and is it seen as a success overall?

 

[spen666]

No one based in Liverpool?

 

[Sara_H]

I'm interested in this too. I remember thinking when it was announced that it sounded like a disaster.

 

[stan leyden]

The bus lanes are still suspended at the moment but I don't know what effect it's had on traffic.

 

[irw]

OK...I'll try this one...!

Having only moved back to Liverpool with a car post-bus-lane-suspension, I can't say I have a huge amount of experience of the system before they suspended them. I used to get the bus/cycle to school 11 years ago, when they seemed to be very useful, zipping past all the cars! (Although the direct route I cycled to school- Childwall Triangle to Blue Coat- didn't have any bus lanes anyway!) However, looking at the road layout as a grown-up driving around, you can really see how some roads could clog up in a major way with the bus lanes active (i.e. Picton Road ends up as one lane all the way from Wavertree Clock Tower to town), which could (and did) lead to massive tailbacks in the one lane available to all traffic, whilst the bus lane was completely empty a lot of the time. I imagine this is the sort of thing they're studying and analysing...!

It doesn't tend to have that much of an impact on me, as I tend to use the motorbike if I need to travel into the city centre at rush hour- the most annoying thing at the moment is going to other cities and having to remember NOT to drive in the bus lanes! :s I can't really comment on the impact on cycling into the city centre as I'm a little too far out for the ride to be comfortable (I do a very active job, and don't relish the prospect of riding home at the end of a shift), but to be honest, the route I'd take (Tarbock Road/Roby Road/Edge Lane) doesn't have bus lanes anyway, so it wouldn't make too much difference.

I imagine what we might see when the study ends in July is that some of the lanes may be reinstated at particular times. Without meaning to go too off-topic, if the rail fares on the city line were cheaper, I'd prefer to get the train into town anyway- the bus just takes too long, even when there's no traffic. When I caught the train from Broad Green, before the latest round of fare rises, it was just about economically viable enough for the train to win over the motorbike/car when I didn't cycle. Now that I'm in Huyton though (only two stops further along the line) it is actually pretty much the same price to drive and park in town.

Ian

 

[bornagainst]

Commute by bike to work everyday across Liverpool..

It worse for those on bikes, but depending on the route a lot of roads didn't have bus lanes anyway. It's definitely clogged up getting across the city centre where previously there were 'bus & bike only' routes (Lime St) and all other traffic had to take the long route.

The short bit of bus lane I used to use along The Strand now just has cars / taxis parked outside the mini-tesco constantly, so it's a bit of a pain.

It hasn't made a huge difference but it reflects a completely 'Drive or F**K OFF' attitude from city council.....

 

[bornagainst]

P.S. Liverpool council has launched a 'boris' bike hire scheme this week. Just to prove they can't join the dots with their thinking.

 

[upandover]

Old thread I know. The bike scheme is priced so that it only seems to appeal to tourists (more expensive than the train or bus), or at least it's only ever either tourists I've seen riding them, or people using them to ride along the river for fun on a sunny day.

I commute to town more days than not, and the main difference the bus lane seems to have made is that more cars are parking in them now. The general consensus is that it was launched as a way to make the mayor popular, without even any method devised to monitor whether or not it was a success. It's now been extended, as they didn't have enough data (having not started at the start). As a driver too, it seems to make very little difference.

Having said that, Liverpool's a nice place to cycle in. Lots of people ride, at least compared to the midlands and so Cars seem to be more aware, and more alert for cyclists being stupid, as there are many, many people cycling without any regard for traffic. The only real downside on my commute are the 13 sets of lights in my 3.5 mile cycle!