How much like railways are busways?

[Myrtone]

Busways might be roads but they seem to be private roads, not public ones. And I have read before that railways are private property. Given that and that busways are specifically dedicated to timetabled vehicles driven by trained professionals, I wonder if they are run any more like railways than are public roads.
Where a busway crosses a public road on the same level, it is apparently treated like a level crossing with a railway, just as trains always have priority at level crossings, buses on busways have priority when crossing a public road on the same level.

[Merc1107]

Where a busway crosses a road on the same level, it is apparently treated like a level crossing with a railway, just as trains always have priority at level crossings, buses on busways have priority when crossing a public road on the same level.

Not sure about that. For most of the life of Brisbane's South-East Busway, it has had to contend with traffic intersecting it at several places in the City - at both ends of the Victoria Bridge, and again turning onto the Busway from Melbourne St after passing Cultural Centre. Three very busy intersections within about 1-2km of each other, all near the City centre ... the infamous queues across the Victoria Bridge (or from Melbourne St back to South Bank in the morning) aren't exactly evidence demonstrating the existence of bus priority.

Additionally, protest marches often go over the Victoria Bridge, causing significant disruption to bus passengers. You rarely, if ever, see blockades on the railways to that extent.

[Myrtone]

Okay, but is it true that busways are considered private property in the same way that railways are?

[Merc1107]

Not so sure on that one. Adelaide's O-Bahn is considered a gazetted road, but those can exist on private property, as I understand.

[boronia]

Unless they built entirely on private property, they would probably be classed as "restricted roads/lanes".

[Myrtone]

Okay but first of all, do busways belong to bus companies?

[Merc1107]

I think Government usually commission them, so no.

[boronia]

No.

[Myrtone]

Also, on public roads (accessible to all registered vehicles) there are rules, made by the government and enforced by the police. Rules like keeping to the left, stopping at red lights and various give way rules. Could it be any different on busways?

[boronia]

No.

[Lt. Commander Data]

Also, on public roads (accessible to all registered vehicles) there are rules, made by the government and enforced by the police. Rules like keeping to the left, stopping at red lights and various give way rules. Could it be any different on busways?

Governments make rules for busways and police enforce rules too.

Governments make rules for railways and ONRSR enforce it. In Australia, almost all, if not all railways are also owned by the state or federal government.

[Myrtone]

That is helpful to know, however while busways are roads, being dedicated to timetabled vehicles of a bus operator does make them seem like railways. Does every movement over a busway require an approval as is the case for railways?

[boronia]

Generally, only authorised buses are allowed on busways.

[Myrtone]

That does sound a lot like a railway, as only authorised trains are allowed there.

[Merc1107]

There is some degree of familiarity required and ability to communicate with a base who can advise on closured and diversions.

[boronia]

A lot depends on the style of "busway". The O-bahn in Adelaide uses concrete "tracks" which require specially equipped buses to use it. The T-ways in Sydney are normal road formations, but restricted to use by "authorised vehicles only".

[Lt. Commander Data]

Does every movement over a busway require an approval as is the case for railways?

Not in the case of the Adelaide O-Bahn, or busways in Brisbane

[Myrtone]

But aren't those busways dedicated to timetabled vehicles following fixed routes?

[1whoknows]

They can also be used by not in service buses using the busway/ T.Way to get to or from depot or dead running to one terminus to commence a new trip.

[Myrtone]

And railways can also be used by trains that are not in service, however, those movements apparently require an approval.

[Merc1107]

I don't think Sydney Trains, Transperth Trains, QueenslandRail etc need approval to run trains out of service on their own network, especially not dead running that is rostered.

The same is true of conventional busways, provided the driver and their operator would usually use that road (even rail replacement contractors use the Brisbane Busways, but they generally avoid the underground tunnels in the CBD), no permission needs to be sought. There is a video on YouTube "Permission to use the O-Bahn Denied" which shows a series of radio calls between a bus and control about using the O-Bahn for a dead run, and the need to carry out the appropriate checks before permission is granted for access. Not sure what circumstances would necessitate this call, although it might've been for a bus not rostered to use the O-Bahn needing to confirm they have a bus capable of using the track before being allowed on the busway.