Myth:

Bus priority is bad for towns and cities because overall it slows down traffic. 

Fact:

Well-designed bus priority schemes mean more people can move more quickly on congested roads. This helps reduce congestion and delay for all road users. 

Myth:

Bus priority kills local high streets by reducing parking for cars. 

Fact:

Many more people shop by bus than is often assumed. Better parking, delivery and drop off arrangements for local shops can be built into bus priority schemes. Overall local high streets can be transformed into more attractive places to shop through street-works that incorporate greater priority for bus services. 

Myth:

Bus priority is anti-car and many buses run half empty anyway. 

Fact:

Well-designed bus priority schemes can benefit all road users and focus on providing priority where it delivers the greatest benefits. This means smoother journeys for bus passengers, car drivers, vans and freight, particularly at the times of day when our roads are busiest. 

Myth:

Investing in bus priority measures shouldn't be a high priority for local councils when compared with rail or road schemes which will have much bigger impacts. 

Fact:

In a 2014 report for Greener Journeys, KPMG estimated that bus priority schemes can typically generate £3.32 of benefits for every £1 invested by Government. This represents excellent value for money, compares well with other forms of urban transport investment, and scores more highly than many much larger transport infrastructure projects. Bus priority schemes are also cheaper to build and maintain, and quicker to implement, than many traditional transport infrastructure schemes