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Busways

Busways are defined here as roads or tracks dedicated to buses, free of other traffic. Some busways include a system of guidance, but not all. The issue of whether and where guidance is necessary or desirable is unresolved. One of the advantages of guidance is said to be the ability to "dock" the bus at stops to achieve level boarding without a large gap. The Dutch "Zuidtangent" scheme demonstrates that this is not necessary.

Essen, Germany. The

Essen, Germany. The "OBahn" was one…

Essen, Germany. The fast section of the OBahn route is a dual guided busway in the centre of the A40 autobahn. (Taken 1991)

Essen, Germany. The fast section of…

Adelaide, Australia. A

Adelaide, Australia. A "station" on…

Adelaide OBahn. The northeast busway is a guided route through mostly low-density suburbs to a large shopping centre at Modbury.

Adelaide OBahn. The northeast buswa…

Adelaide OBahn was built in a corridor initially intended for a freeway, then heavy rail, then light rail. Finally, inspired by the Essen OBahn, the guided busway was decided.

Adelaide OBahn was built in a corri…

Cambridge busway, after long delays, finally opened in September 2011. Much of the guideway occupies a former rail line. The picture shows the rail line crossing at Histon, before the busway was constructed. (Taken May 1999)

Cambridge busway, after long delays…

The Dutch

The Dutch "Zuidtangent" elevated bu…

The Dutch Zuidtangent busway is elevated to avoid confilct with road traffic. A less desirable consequence is that since both the railway and the busway are elevated for this reason, interchange between the two involves two changes of level for passengers. The photo shows a lift to assist passengers. Taken 2003

The Dutch Zuidtangent busway is ele…

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A "station" on the Dutch Zuidtangen…

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A "station" on the Dutch Zuidtangen…

A

A "station" on the Dutch Zuidtangen…

The Dutch Zuidtangent busway. A view from the bus. Taken 2003

The Dutch Zuidtangent busway. A vie…

Amsterdam-Haarlem busway

Amsterdam-Haarlem busway "Zuidtange…

Eindhoven, Netherlands. Busway with electro-magnetic guidance developed by Philips. As the picture shows, much of the outer suburban part of the system is accompanied by parallel cycle tracks. Taken 2004

Eindhoven, Netherlands. Busway with…

Eindhoven, Netherlands. The busway demands broad street profiles to accommodate the system as well as normal street traffic. Arguably this is a better solution than busways that are segregated and relatively cut off from the passenger catchments (as in, for example, Adelaide, Brisbane, Ottawa)

Eindhoven, Netherlands. The busway …

The Eindoven busway is integrated with the street in the inner parts of the city. None of the Phileas vehicles appear in these photos, because they were out of action during the period of the visit! The system was popualted by conventional buses while technical problems were being resolved.

The Eindoven busway is integrated w…

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Bus and tram only street, Benrath, nr Dusseldorf, Germany (taken June 1993)

Bus and tram only street, Benrath, …

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