Confusing bus routes

Route 627 has been nominated as Melbourne's most confusing bus route.

How to effectively double bus service frequency

Where bus routes serve two stations on the one railway line, there may be scope to provide 'every train' connections even though the bus is only half as frequent as the train. In Melbourne potential routes include Altona - Laverton, St Albans - Watergardens, Seaford - Frankston, Hoppers Crossing - Werribee etc. A local example is Route 425 between St Albans and Sydenham; this connects with every evening train from Flinders Street until 8:23pm.

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That brings us to the end of The Connections Series. I hope that these examples demonstrate the contribution that careful scheduling can make in providing fast and frequent service on a well-connected network.

Comments are welcome and can be left below.

Very long routes are a connection hazard

The more stations a route serves, the more connections are necessary and the harder it is to optimise each one. 'Knock-on' delays can also be caused where buses are held back for late trains. The effects of this can be minimised, and connections improved if long routes are split and their connections optimised.

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Eight connections for the price of one

The timing of buses so that they connect at train crossing points can allow eight good connections from a railway line to a bus route.

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Where one bus can connect with two trains

Points on the rail network where trains cross are particularly useful for effective bus connections.

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Optimised connections with harmonised headways

Once headways are harmonised and efficient route lengths have been designed, optimising off-peak connections become a matter of deciding which are the most important and adjusting times slightly. During peak times, factors such as delays due to traffic congestion and irregular train headways on some lines require may require additional consideration.

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Harmonised headways and journey lengths

The journey lengths chosen when planning routes can have a major bearing on the service quality possible.

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More bus reviews

The pace is quickening, with submissions for Banyule/Nillumbik, Whittlesea and Frankston/Mornington Peninsula being invited.

Harmonised headways

Having routes to operate at mutually compatible intervals ensures easy interchange between services and reliable travel times.

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NEXT WEEK: The Connections Series

A short series on train/bus co-ordination through creative timetabling.

Topics to include:

* What's required for reliable connections

* Optimum lengths for bus routes

* Where can one bus connect with two trains?, and

* Effectively doubling local bus frequencies (without more buses)

One thought each day for the next week or so.