5.1.1 Parking
a) 2 wheeler parking
b) 4 wheeler private parking
c) 3 wheeler[rickshaw],Taxi and Para-transit parking
5.1.2 Hawkers
5.1.3 Bus-stops and transit facilities
1. Location
· Conveniently located for pedestrians
o Unobstructed access to and from stop
o Preferably close to pedestrian crossing
o Should keep in mind that Q can build up beyond the stop itself and certain area should be kept free for passengers beyond the stop
· Minimizes disturbance to regular flow of traffic.
o Should not be so close to main junction so as to affect road safety or junction operation
o Should not be at the entry/exit ramp of a flyover as that creates unnecessary pile up
· Clear of parking and other street furniture
o Dissuade other vehicles from parking near bus-stop area
o Should not have street furniture which would obstruct buses or bus-passengers accessing the bus-stop
· Visibility
o Driver should get clear view of passenger
o Passengers should get clear view of approaching bus and its number/destination
· Access to other bus-stops
o Should be situated to minimize walking distance between interchange stops
o Tail to tail, on opposite sides of the road, preferably with a pedestrian crossing between them.
o Distance between bus-stops. Depending on locality, the distance should not be excessive (> 2 km) as this would burden passengers. Similarly bus-stops should not be too close (< 0.5 km) as this would slow down the bus service.
2. Information
· Bus-numbers, bus-routes and bus timings
o Critical, but not done. Bus-stops should clearly have the bus numbers that stop at their stop, their routes and destinations and timing information.
o Name of bus-stop. Should be visible from the bus as well as from a distance for pedestrians
· Maps
o A city map which indicates all the bus routes and rational behind the bus numbering
· Standardisation
o Above should be standardized, so that each bus-stop looks and feels identical. This will help quickly finding the relevant information for passengers.
3. Shelter design
· Seating arrangement
o Are there adequate seating/standing berths depending on loading at that stop
o Is the seating arrangement easy to clean and maintain, given its heavy use
o It should facilitate the Q system. If there are multiple buses accessing a stop, it should be possible for passengers to access it without disturbing the Q system
o Incoming bus and number visible from where seated
o Protection from the elements, ie sun and rain
· Box design aspects
o Should not obstruct pedestrian footpath
Design should be such or placed such that the footpath is not obstructed/reduced or minimally altered
o Entry/Exit should be facilitated
Passengers entering the bus and those alighting from the bus should not conflict, with smooth movement of both
o Prevent spillover to road
We observe that passengers tend to spill over to the road and wait on the road. This results in the bus stopping away from the stop, further inconveniencing passengers in the stop. In addition, this takes a higher portion of the road, also makes it unsafe for the passengers. Design should take this aspect into account, and see if a barrier for spilling over into the road can be incorporated.
o Height of kerb
While getting into the bus, if the kerb is at a height, this will facilitate entry to the bus. Also it will give a distinct flavour to the bus-stop. However, it will be effective only if the bus stops sufficiently close to the kerb
· External aspects
o Lighting
Well-lit bus stops are important for security purposes and identifying bus-stop
o Bus-stop signage and flag
· Identifying bus-stop from a distance.
Enable bus to stop close (< 6”)
Markings on the road to help driver identify and stop close to the bus-stop
o Cleanliness
Bus-stop and surroundings should be kept clean. A litter-bin to be placed if required.
4. Driver training
All the above would not have the necessary impact if it is not supported by extensive driver training. Among the points the training should cover is
· Importance of stopping at bus-stops
Ensure that drivers stop only at bus-stops and not at junctions or mid-road to pick up passengers
· How to approach bus-stops
Important that the bus approaches the stop slowly and stops very close to the bus-stop such that the door aligns with the passenger entry.
· Minimize time spent at bus-stop
Quick but safe entry and exit of passengers. The time saved at a bus-stop means less pile up of people and traffic, faster average speeds of the bus, thus lower travel times for passengers. If it could be calculated, there would be a significant economic value to lowering stoppage times.
5.1.4 Streetlights