# Traffic Signs Manual/Chapter 5/2009/17

GENERAL
17.1 This section should be read in conjunction with LTN 1 / 97 "Keeping Buses Moving", available from the Stationery Office (ISBN 0-11-551914-9).
17.2 Bus lanes may be either with-flow (see paras 17.3 to 17.11) or contra-flow (see paras 17.12 to 17.15).
WITH-FLOW BUS LANES
17.3 The commonest form of bus priority measure is the with-flow bus lane, where buses travel in the same direction as traffic in the adjacent lane. It is normally used at the near side of the road. It may be used on the off side of a one-way road or dual carriageway, or may form the centre lane of a three-lane single carriageway road, but in such cases the markings and upright signs will need special authorisation (see para 2.1).
17.4 Figure 17-1 indicates a typical layout for a with-flow lane. Where roads are wide enough, the bus lane should be 4.25 m wide, with a minimum preferred width of 4 m. This allows buses to overtake cycles safely and reduces the likelihood of interference from general traffic in the adjacent lane. The minimum recommended width is 3 m.
17.5 The bus lane is separated from the rest of the carriageway by a continuous line to diagram 1049. The width of the line will be 250 or 300 mm depending upon site conditions, particularly the width of road available. The start of the lane is marked with a broken line to diagram 1010, the same width as the 1049 marking, and laid at a taper no sharper than 1:10. The lane should not start in such a position that the taper would extend across a side road junction.
17.6 The legend BUS LANE to diagram 1048 should be marked in the lane at its commencement. It should also appear after every side road junction on the same side of the road as the bus lane, and, in conjunction with signs to diagram 959, at intervals not exceeding 300 m along uninterrupted lengths of the lane. The marking to diagram 1048.1 BUS AND (cycle symbol) LANE is prescribed specifically for use with contra-flow lanes if cycles are admitted (see para 17.12) and must not be used in with-flow lanes.
17.7 Deflection arrows to diagram 1014 should be placed 15 m and 30 m upstream of the start of the taper. The arrows should be 4.5 m long for speed limits up to 40 mph, 6 m for 50 or 60 mph, and 9 m for 70 mph. Traffic should be deflected to the right when the bus lane occupies the near side lane and to the left when it occupies the off side lane.
17.8 Where a bus lane passes a junction with a major left-turning flow into the side road, the line to diagram 1049 should be replaced with a broken line to diagram 1010 (see figure 17-1). The broken line should commence 30 m in advance of the junction, and have the same width as the bus lane line. It should be accompanied by the advisory direction arrow to diagram 1050 (varied to show a left turn). Detailed dimensions of the permitted variants are shown on the working drawing P 1050 (see para 1.17). At other junctions, the diagram 1049 marking should be terminated approximately 10 m before the junction (or at the junction if the minor road is one-way towards the major road, recommencing beyond the junction in combination with a marking to diagram 1010 (see figure 17-1).
​17.10 At roundabouts, a set-back should be provided to allow left-turning traffic to take the near side lane, and to ensure that the full width of the roundabout entry is available to all traffic at peak periods. The set-back distance should be determined on site, unless the roundabout is controlled by traffic signals in which case it should accord with the guidance given in para 17.9.
17.11 The order creating a bus lane will prohibit waiting during its operational hours. Yellow lines are necessary only if the waiting restrictions cover some period when the bus lane is not in operation. Loading and unloading is permitted unless it is specifically prohibited, in which case kerb marks and corresponding upright signs are always required.
CONTRA-FLOW BUS LANES
17.12 Contra-flow bus lanes allow buses to travel against the main direction of traffic flow in one-way streets. They are usually located so that buses travel with their near side to the kerb and are not normally used in other locations, particularly where stopping facilities are required. Cycles may be allowed to use them but difficulties may be experienced at junctions with vehicles turning across the lane, and with buses waiting at stops. They might themselves be a source of delay to buses, particularly in longer lanes.
17.13 Figure 17-2 indicates typical details for a contra-flow lane. The bus lane, which should be at least 3 m wide (4.0 to 4.25 m if cyclists are admitted), is separated from the rest of the carriageway by a continuous line to diagram 1049. The width of the line will be 250 or 300 mm depending upon site conditions, particularly the width of road available. The marking should be discontinued where it passes a traffic island, and angled at an appropriate taper (see table 14-1) to guide vehicles from each direction past the obstruction. Alternatively, the hatched marking to diagram 1040.2 may be used, with the bus lane line replacing one of the boundary lines as shown in figure 17-2.
17.14 At junctions on the near side, the lane should be discontinued, but unlike with-flow lanes a broken line is not necessary on the approach since there will be no left-turning traffic (except possibly buses). BUS LANE road markings to diagram 1048 (or 1048.1 if cycles are permitted to use the lane), together with direction arrows to diagram 1038, should appear at both ends of the lane, so that they can be read by drivers approaching the contra-flow lane. These markings should be repeated at every road junction and at intervals not exceeding 300 m along uninterrupted lengths.
17.15 BUS LANE LOOK LEFT / LOOK RIGHT signs to diagram 963 should be used at pedestrian crossing places. The road marking to diagram 1029 should also be used (see paras 22.26 to 22.28).
COLOURED ROAD SURFACES
17.16 Bus lanes may be surfaced in coloured material in order to demarcate them more emphatically and to discourage encroachment by other vehicles. However, coloured surfacing has no legal significance; it is the prescribed traffic signs and road markings which establish the legal status of a bus lane.
BUS LANES AT PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS
17.17 Bus lane markings must not be continued through the controlled area of a pedestrian crossing (marked with zig-zags, see paras 15.14 to 15.26). The marking to diagram 1049 bounding the with-flow or contra-flow lane is not prescribed for use in such situations; it should be replaced with a row of zigzags over the length of the controlled area on both sides of the crossing. If a coloured surface has been used for a bus lane (whether with-flow or contraflow), this may be continued through the controlled area (although not through the crossing point itself).
BUS-ONLY STREETS AND BUS GATES
17.18 Where streets are reserved for the use of buses only, or buses and trams, or buses and cycles, the entry should be marked with diagram 1048.3 BUS ONLY, 1048.2 TRAM & BUS ONLY or 1048.4 BUS AND (cycle symbol) ONLY as appropriate.
​17.19 Bus gates restrict entry to one end of a street to buses only. Beyond the gate, other vehicles may be encountered. The entrance to a bus gate should be marked in the same manner as a bus-only street.
BUS STOPS
17.20 The marking to diagram 1025.1 delineates the limits of a bus stop on the main carriageway (see figure 17-3), diagram 1025.3 a bus stop occupying part of a lay-by (see figure 17-4) and 1025.4 a bus stop occupying the whole of a lay-by (see figure 17-5). The yellow prohibition of stopping line in the marking prevents vehicles from stopping for at least part of the day, but must be used in conjunction with signs to diagram 974 or 975. The prohibition can be extended to 24 hours if appropriate by omitting the times from the sign. The line should be 200 mm wide where the speed limit is 60 mph or less, and 300 mm where it is 70 mph. In Northern Ireland, the Roads (Restriction of Waiting) Order (Northern Ireland) 1982 prohibits waiting at any time over the length of these markings. This would be effective (in Northern Ireland only) at times when the prohibition of stopping did not apply.
17.21 Both the worded marking and the broken line delineating the stopping area must be coloured yellow (except in Northern Ireland where it may be white). Only one size of marking is prescribed for a bus stop on the main carriageway. When the bus stop is in a lay-by (see figures 17-4 and 17-5), the width of the edge line should be 100 mm when the speed limit is 40 mph or less, 150 mm when it is 50 mph or 60 mph, and 200 mm when it is 70 mph. If the bus stop occupies only part of a lay-by (see figure 17-4), the broken edge line within the length of the bus stop would be coloured yellow, whilst that beyond it would be white.
17.22 Where the stop serves frequent or multiple services, or vehicles with different entrance positions, the length of the bay may be increased in increments of 2 m. The legend BUS STOP should be used once for every complete length of 12 m. Under-used stops of excessive length may result in enforcement difficulties.
17.23 The Regulations prescribe the alternative wording BUS STAND for use where buses are expected to wait longer than the period necessary to pick up or set down passengers (see Schedule 19 Part I).
This work has been mirrored or sourced from material provided on the UK Government website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signs-manual, which states material is available under the terms of the Open Government License unless indicated otherwise. (Crown copyright acknowledged.)
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This document no longer necessarily represents current practice, as it relates to an earlier version of the regulations (TSGRD 2002 as amended at publication date) rather than the current TSRGD 2016 regulations. It should not be used for actual design or operational use without consulting a more recent edition.
This version was transcribed in May 2015, from a 2009 impression.
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