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TL3669 : Guided Bus Rails

These guided bus rails certainly seem very obtrusive. The trouble with public transport in the UK is that frequently the cheapest solutions are sought with other factors being quite secondary. The reason there is such enthusiasm for guided buses is that almost any bus can be fitted with guide wheels and run on these tracks; the costs being relatively low. The problem is that these rails cannot meet roads, railways etc "at grade", so the bus has to come off the rails, cross the road or railway unguided and then rejoin the rails the other side. The most potentially dangerous point for an accident is when the vehicle enters the guide rails.

The UK is almost alone in continuing with this type of guided bus, apart from Adelaide in South Australia, where there has been a system for years. It has not been expanded and instead the city seems now to be more interested in expanding its surviving tram route. Over the other side of the channel the type of guided bus which is being experimented with has far more sophisticated forms of guidance, such as optical strips, or magnetic under the road surface guides. Some of these combine with electric overhead powered traction too. But all of these need special expensive vehicles so in the UK we stick to these concrete rails. It will probably prove to be an expensive mistake and eventually they will probably be ripped up and replaced with something like a Parry Peoplemover lightweight flywheel railcar.