How much like railways are busways?
How much like railways are busways?
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.
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.
Last edited by Myrtone on Wed Nov 29, 2023 3:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
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.
Re: How much like railways are busways?
Okay, but is it true that busways are considered private property in the same way that railways are?
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
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.
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
Unless they built entirely on private property, they would probably be classed as "restricted roads/lanes".
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
Okay but first of all, do busways belong to bus companies?
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
I think Government usually commission them, so no.
Re: How much like railways are busways?
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?
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Re: How much like railways are 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.
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
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?
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
Generally, only authorised buses are allowed on busways.
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
That does sound a lot like a railway, as only authorised trains are allowed there.
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
There is some degree of familiarity required and ability to communicate with a base who can advise on closured and diversions.
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
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".
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
Not in the case of the Adelaide O-Bahn, or busways in Brisbane
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
But aren't those busways dedicated to timetabled vehicles following fixed routes?
Re: How much like railways are busways?
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.
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
And railways can also be used by trains that are not in service, however, those movements apparently require an approval.
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Re: How much like railways are busways?
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.
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.