BUS lay-ByS
SMART believes that one way to ‘Get Maidstone Moving’ is to reposition bus stops along the heavily congested A229 Loose Road.
A proposal is to set existing ones back from the road, often by just a few feet. Partial lay-bys can be half the width of a full lay-by but are sufficient to allow other traffic to pass stationary buses in safety and reduce queues.
Alan Moore, of SMART, said: “Dedicated bus lanes are not feasible in the area without reducing the capacity for other traffic, but partial laybys as a simple yet effective solution. The bus stop at the Swan Junction – outside of Loose Bowls Club – is a prime example, with long queues forming whenever a bus stops. The problem is exasperated when the traffic lights just ahead are on a green signal and vehicles still cannot pass, causing reduced capacity at the junction.
“With such a wide pavement it would be relatively simple to set the bus stop back off the road while still maintaining adequate space for pedestrians to move safely.
“As stationary traffic causes much higher levels of pollution than moving vehicles, this is a solution that benefits road users as well as the wider community.”
Other suggested changes to bus stops and routes include a park-and-ride scheme using the A274 towards Maidstone and a resited bus stop.
Read the full SMART report at tinyurl.com/SMARTroadsreport