A PROPOSED new £3.5 million bus lane system on the west side of Worcester would boost public transport without negatively impacting on car-users, highways chiefs believe.

Details have been released of plans to construct a major priority bus route along the A44 Bromyard Road, running from a planned new park-and-ride site at the Crown East roundabout all the way through St John’s to the city bridge.

The project is still in the planning stages, with a decision on whether to grant funding due from the Government in March 2009.

But initial proposals relased by Worcestershire County Council reveal the scheme is likely to use a complex traffic management technique called ‘gating’ to ensure buses are given priority without reducing the amount of carriageway available to other motorists.

The gating system would work in tandem with new bus lanes on those sections of the road wide enough to incorporate them.

Derek Prodger, the county council’s cabinet member responsible for transport, said the scheme would provide a much-needed boost for residents on the west of the river.

He said: “If the bid proved successful, it would give us the opportunity to upgrade the transport infrastructure along the west of Worcester Transport Corridor, improve access to and from Worcester city centre, and improve access to employment, health, education, retail and leisure facilities for residents.”

While the detail of the scheme remains subject to change, initial proposals show plans for new bus lanes on the outer section of the route, between the Crown East roundabout and Broadway Grove.

Then at Broadway Grove, new traffic lights would be installed to halt traffic at peak times, effectively relocating (‘gating’) the long tailbacks which currently clog up the centre of St John’s.

While this would not in itself reduce the traffic jams, it would at least move them out of the city centre to a point where buses could bypass them. It would also improve air quality for St John’s residents.

The final stage of the scheme would involve installing new bus lanes along Tybridge Street, and giving priority access for buses at the junction with Hylton Road.

The scheme won the backing of Worcester City Council leaders at a recent meeting of the Tory cabinet, with city council leader Simon Geraghty saying: “It’s absolutely vital we improve these corridors for sustainable travel.”

Labour city councillor David Candler, who represents St John’s, told the meeting he was also backing the scheme.