Further details on plans to give local buses priority at traffic light junctions have been revealed, as a new Bus Service Improvement Plan is approved by the Isle of Wight Council.
Council Leader Phil Jordan and 6 of his Cabinet colleagues voted to approve the 2024 Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) on Thursday evening.
It has now been revealed that Selective Vehicle Detection (SVD) will be used at signalised junctions to detect approaching buses. This will see the lights change from red to green as a priority in a bid to improve the reliability of bus journey times.
Key routes linking the Island’s main towns, areas of employment, tourist destinations and cross-Solent ferry terminals have been identified in the plan as having ‘bus signal priority’.
It’s said that the work will be carried out over the next 18 months.
Another part of the BSIP is fare changes. The council is considering reducing bus fares on shorter journeys, including a potential £1.50 fare for Newport Town bus routes, 37, 38 and 39. A £1 flat fare for under 21-year-olds will also be considered.
Councillor Julie Jones-Evans, Cabinet member for economy, regeneration, culture and leisure, has said:
“(This is a) great way forward for sustainable transport. I think one bit which has got everyone excited is looking at the youth and how they travel around the Island.
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Councillor Nick Stuart, who represents Brighstone, Calbourne and Shalfleet, said:
“I welcome the whole support for bus services and the comments made.
“But I would like to mention, as the member for the largest ward on the Island, I am concerned, and I have repeatedly been told by residents, of the lack of bus services.
“Porchfield as a village doesn’t have any support whatsoever and it is on a key tourist route – I’d like that to be considered.”
Other BSIP policies include improving accessibility and safety with more hardstanding areas, better lighting, and extra CCTV will enhance safety and accessibility at bus stops.
Whitehall issued new BSIP guidance in January last year, requiring all Local Transport Authorities to submit an updated plan. This follows the original BSIP submission to the Department for Transport (DfT) in October 2021 which secured £590,000 in Phase 2 funding for 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Pity the council can’t afford to repair the pot holes.
I must say at the moment pot holes on the
Island are not too bad.
Double Yellow Lines are still required in many
locations around the island.
Spend this money providing bus services to places without buses such as St.Lawrence Which only has a local service 3 mornings a week into Ventnor not giving you time to go anywhere else.
It would be a good idea if Bus stops were placed in safe
locations.
Eg Melville Street Sandown, there are 2 bus stops along
this street, when the bus stops at either bus stop
due to NO Double Yellow Lines being placed opposite
the bus stops, therefore with vehicles parked the Street
comes to a complete standstill!
WHAT IF AN AMBULANCE OR FIRE ENGINE NEEDED TO PASS
Place Double Yellow Lines, there are so many school boy
errors on the island.
IW Council Highways need educating.
Hows that going to work then???
Many towns and cities around the UK already have this. It simply changes the lights to green quicker than normal when it senses a bus approaching.
What’s stopping people buying old buses,
great way to go through the lights
Lol
Seriously from what I see on a daily basis
motorists on the island jump Red lights,
they don’t need a bus.
There needs to be “REAL” Camera’s above the lights and
heavy fines and points for offending motorists.
Not a bad idea as such but I don’t think it will work. Buses will still be stuck in traffic until they get close to the lights. Overall difference in travel time will be negligible – and does it actually matter? More worrying is the cost of implementing it. Probably several million by the time the council get fleeced by the contractors. There are more important things to spend money on.
Is this all in aid of improving bus times because they are;
A: Consistently stuck in traffic caused by traffic lights by lengthy ongoing roadworks (particularly where no work actually seems to be happening) or
B: Getting stuck in traffic jams caused by poor planning decisions ie route outta Ryde at McDonalds.
Thinking in advance would be cheaper in the long run.
Don’t get me started about McDonald’s
with all the Numpty’s going into this
monstrosity it causes unnecessary tailbacks
for motorists not wanting to eat junk food.
It’s about time this establishment is closed down
they obviously need a larger premises.
(The old skating rink) would be a perfect location,
NO unnesseccary tailbacks and much safer for
everyone.
Road Safety on the island is S H @ T
What a waste of time and money.
There are rarely traffic queue on the Isle of Wight. If a bus runs a few minutes late, is that justification for this cost.
Providing more buses and routes makes far more sense