The North East Bus Alliance, comprising Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Nestrans, First Aberdeen, Stagecoach Bluebird, and Bains Coaches, is collaborating with Transport Scotland’s Bus Partnership Fund (BPF) team to implement new bus priority measures in the region as part of the Alliance’s Regional Bus Action Plan.

Autumn 2023 marked the completion of the first BPF infrastructure project in Aberdeen. This project included South College Street improvements and a new city centre active travel and public transport priority loop, co-funded by Nestrans. These enhancements have facilitated safer walking, wheeling, and cycling and improved the efficiency of bus transit through the area, particularly around the bus station, where congestion previously caused significant delays.

The new priority measures feature bus gate enforcement cameras at restriction points to minimise non-essential traffic, directing through traffic to appropriate bypass routes while maintaining access for residents and businesses. As a result, 600,000 people per month are now experiencing improved bus punctuality (over 95%) and faster journeys. Bus journey times in the city centre have been reduced by up to 25%, equating to a 5-minute saving on a 20-minute trip, based on operator data.

A recent passenger survey indicated high satisfaction levels, with 81% of respondents satisfied with bus services and 86% satisfied with journey times. These improvements have led to a nearly 10% growth in bus usage since implementing the new measures, demonstrating a successful modal shift in public transport preferences.

In collaboration with Transport Scotland and Clearview Intelligence, Amey implemented a safety initiative to address concerns along the A78 corridor between Pennyburn Roundabout and the rail bridge. This section was noted for having 50% of the corridor’s collisions. South/East bound lanes experienced an overrepresentation of collisions in dark and wet conditions in non-street lit areas. North/West bound lanes saw three out of four collisions being shunt-type incidents near the 40 mph limit and roundabout, likely due to varying vehicle deceleration rates. The 85th percentile speed was notably high, especially among HGVs.

Amey partnered with Clearview Intelligence to develop a solution involving the installation of solar-powered road studs throughout the interchange to improve lighting conditions. Clearview Intelligence also introduced a sustainable vehicle count and classification system powered by solar and wind energy. This system uses inductive loops to detect vehicles exceeding the national speed limit, triggering a Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) wirelessly. The VAS displays a “Slow Down” message specific to the vehicle’s speed classification using the LPSIG9 class scheme.

Two signs were installed on the verge to accommodate the two-lane dual carriageway. This vehicle-activated, dynamic speed warning system provides a highly visible and immediate reminder for drivers to monitor and adjust their speeds according to their vehicle’s classification. The scheme’s first-year rate of return was 57.49%, demonstrating its cost-effectiveness in enhancing road safety and reducing collision risks.

Glasgow’s innovative STARS project exemplifies meaningful youth engagement by involving children in a significant road safety initiative through fun and innovation. This project combines Scotland’s largest ‘School Streets’ programme with the UK’s largest school film project. The School Streets pilot aims to limit traffic in streets surrounding schools at critical times, creating predominantly car-free zones. Alongside these physical measures, the STARS project provides schools with various road safety services, including road safety skills for life talks, kerb craft training, and on-road cycle training.

In the 2022/23 academic year, the STARS-film element was introduced, allowing Junior Road Safety Officers to produce short films highlighting poor road user behaviour outside the school gates. The film’s success on social media led to its inclusion in the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), with a STARS film pack available to support the scheme and enable every school in the city to address and highlight road safety issues in their area. Initial evaluation showed that young people and teachers enjoyed the project and felt they had been part of something special. The project allowed pupils to explore road safety challenges, risks, and opportunities to improve safety within their local context, enabling them to understand what road safety means. The project also aligned well with curricular priorities, with teachers valuing the opportunity to engage in an ICT project focused on ‘real-life’ challenges.

Moreover, the project allowed the road safety team to build and strengthen connections with schools in areas of higher deprivation, some of which have traditionally not been as actively involved in road safety initiatives despite being schools where road safety outcomes could often be most improved. In total, 45 schools and 300 pupils/teachers participated in the STARS film project in 2022/23, reaching over 50,000 people through social media within the school community. This entry demonstrates how a unique and exciting development can inspire and encourage young people to learn about school travel and road safety and effectively communicate their message to the broader community.

Renfrewshire Council, in collaboration with SWARCO and SRL Traffic, executed a meticulous traffic management project, demonstrating careful consideration of potential impacts and innovative solutions over a conventional system. Together, they developed Urban64, a unique intelligent traffic light solution for the M8 Junction 25a (connecting Glasgow to Edinburgh) during vital traffic signal refurbishment, prioritising the safety of road users and workers.

The junction serves as the throughput for Braehead retail outlet, with a catchment of 2.2 million and a footfall of 17 million per year, translating to approximately 20,000 vehicles per day (assuming two people per vehicle). It was determined that portable traffic signals would not provide walk-with-traffic functionality and were limited in accommodating multiple lanes or incorporating filter or indicative arrows. Their use would require an additional stage, leading to longer delays, increased emissions, and heightened congestion.

Urban64 replicated permanent traffic light system functionality on the junction, increasing vehicle green times by 130% overall and significantly improving pedestrians’ available green man time. Congestion was minimised, reducing vehicle idling and fuel consumption, resulting in substantial CO2 emissions savings. The new intelligent traffic light solution maximised safety, environmental, and economic benefits across various user types.

Using ill-planned remedial roadworks on this junction would risk the £1 million daily spend potential and compromise pedestrian access and safety. Renfrewshire Council’s project addressed these concerns effectively, ensuring smooth traffic flow, enhanced safety, and reduced environmental impact.

South Lanarkshire’s Road Safety Programme has effectively contributed to significant reductions in KSIs (Killed or Seriously Injured) among adults and children despite increasing traffic volumes on higher-speed and rural roads. The programme focuses on Safe Roads, Safe Speeds, Safe Vehicles, and Safe People, delivering road safety education through education, engineering, enforcement, and encouragement.

Implemented via Route Action Plans, the programme aims to introduce engineering measures based on identifying common causation factors and circumstances on these routes. Each KSI incident is thoroughly analysed, with a report detailing site description, accident analysis, treatment options, and an economic assessment, including the FYRR (First Year Rate of Return) for each identified site.

Comparing the baseline of 2014-18 to the most recent 5-year average, the programme has shown promising results: fatal casualties reduced by 11%, serious injuries by 39%, and children killed or seriously injured decreased by 75%. There has been an overall reduction of 51% in all severities, surpassing the national reduction rate of 45%.

This evidence-based approach demonstrates that South Lanarkshire’s targeted Route Action Plan is a highly effective road safety tool, particularly benefiting vulnerable road users such as children.

Through the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s (SPT) Bus Route Congestion Fund, South Lanarkshire collaborated with local bus operators and SPT to identify several strategic transport corridors suitable for implementing Bus Priority measures. Phase 1 targeted 46 junctions based on high-traffic flows strategically positioned throughout South Lanarkshire or feeding into crucial arterial routes.

During a typical week of Phase 1, 39,630 requests were made from buses for a GPS/traffic light green signal, allowing them priority at the junctions. In response to these requests, action was taken 9,907 times to extend the green time or adjust previous signal stages, significantly enhancing the efficiency and reliability of South Lanarkshire bus services. Positive feedback has been received from both SPT and various bus operators regarding the improved service reliability.

Phase 2 of the initiative is currently in progress. This initiative promises undeniable benefits for bus passengers in terms of improved journey times and reliability and environmental advantages stemming from reduced idling.