Bus lane, cycle lane and Airport Metro construction site on Outer Ring Road near Marathahalli in Bengaluru.
Credit: DH Photo
A recent report published by Greenpeace India showcased that commuters who have travelled along the bus priority lane (BPL) on the Outer Ring Road are exceedingly in favour of implementing BPLs in other parts of the city.
The on-board survey for the study was conducted in 2022 between May and June on the stretch of the Outer Ring Road where the bus lane system was implemented but has been discontinued since mid-2022.
A total of 979 bus users were surveyed on their experiences and opinions about introducing priority bus lanes in other locations in the city. Questions explored any changes respondents felt in journey time, speed, waiting time, ease of boarding, and safety since the introduction of the bus lane, which has been discontinued since mid-2022.
The survey showed that regular bus users began using buses more frequently after the bus lane was implemented along the ORR. Besides this, the bus lane also attracted new users, about 73% of whom were women, highlighting that bus lanes allowed greater accessibility and ease of travel for women.
About 31 per cent of bus users reported a reduction in travel time since the implementation of the bus lane. Of those who travel long distances that take between 60-90 minutes, 54% of them reported that the time came down to 30-60 minutes. Nearly 86% supported the idea of expanding the bus lanes to other parts of the city, suggesting key areas such as Hebbal, Tin Factory, Silk Board, Marathahalli, Whitefield, Electronic City, BTM Layout, Majestic, and KR Puram, while some even called for bus lanes to be implemented.
The study also suggests the implementation of bus priority lanes as a solution to combat traffic congestion.