TOWARDS SYSTEMATIC DESIGN OF URBAN BUS STATIONS,

Reinforcing a weak link in a public transport chain

Enne de Boer
Joost van Rossum
TU Delft, Faculty CiTG, Dept. Transport and Planning

1. INTRODUCTION

There is an astonishing diversity in the design of bus stations. Yet the design
process, or perhaps, just the selection of a certain standard concept to be
moulded to the location available, does frequently not seem to be founded on
sound functional considerations.
The history and development of urban bus station seems to be unwritten. We will
present a short sketch based on our experience with Dutch bus stations and
scanty knowledge of foreign ones (section 2).
Bus stations can be divided into three families, characterised by different degrees
of separation of bus circulation and pedestrian movement (section 3):
- one with buses departing from the roadside, varying from a sidewalk to a
full grown terminal building,
- one with a central island, surrounded by bus lanes,
- one with parallel platforms surrounded and separated by bus lanes.
These concepts each have typical qualities, which should be subjected to a
systematic assessment, before selecting one of those for application in a specific
situation. Two essential ones, being the incidence of conflicts between bus and
pedestrian movements and the space required for each type, including
geometrical manipulation, are discussed in section 3. A general assessment of
the families on a number of other customer oriented criteria is presented in
section 4.
The inevitable conclusion is that conflict free roadside concept, fairly common in
the UK but exceptional on the continent, deserves more general application
(section 5).

2. THE DEVELOPMENT OF URBAN BUS STATIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS

The bus station is a relatively recent facility. Bus transport developed during the
third decade of the 20th century, extending public transport beyond railway
networks and competing with tramways, that had to operate at a rather low
speed.
Cities controlled their internal transport with permits, protecting concessionary
companies from competition from wild buses. Regional transport was not
allowed to provide transport within the city and therefore terminuses were
created in the border zone of the town centre.

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 The bus station at the filled Groningen Damsterdiep canal, just outside the old Steentil
Gate was an example. The modest station building (see picture 1) is still standing. The
location was used before as a terminus of the tow canal ferries to the northeast.

Picture 1. City of Groningen, former Damsterdiep bus station at Steentil Gate.

Picture 2. Heerenveen bus station ca. 1975, parallel platforms.

At the background the old loc shed of the former NTM, Dutch Tramway Company, owned by NS.
It continued rail cargo transport on the line to Sneek until 1968.

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When regional tramway companies had to change to road vehicles they started
to use their precincts at major railway stations as bus stations. This practice was
still visible at for instance Heerenveen and Leeuwarden during the 1970s (see
picture 2). The station building was the old tramway station).
The integration of public transport, allowing regional companies into the city
centre and allowing those to transport passengers within the city, led to an
accumulation of buses at central railway stations. The most spectacular case is
Utrecht CS with separate large stations for local transport and regional transport.
A new bus station is being developed as part of the Key Project for
reconstruction of the railway station area. Similar projects are undertaken at five
other locations in Amsterdam, Arnhem, Breda and The Hague (VROM 2006).

Several of the large bus stations created at major railway stations are of a similar
design:
- a set of parallel platforms (each to serve more than one bus) confronting a
central waiting area,
- a system for identification of approaching buses and assigning these a
platform,
- an electronic indication of all planned departure locations and times for a
certain period at a central display,
- an electronic indication of coming departures at an overhead display at
each platform.
Specimen can be found at Eindhoven, s-Hertogenbosch and Amersfoort e.g.
(see picture 3). Other are operating with a single island (Almere) or with a hybrid
design (Leeuwarden).

Picture 3. Amersfoort CS bus station.

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 (an analysis of the qualities of these bus stations from a passenger perspective can de
found in De Boer and Krul 2005)
Sources for maps of bus stations at Dutch railway stations are Doumas Station
architecture of the Netherlands from 1938 . and of course the site of Dutch rail.

There were no national standards developed for the layout of bus stations. The
national institute for standardization in the design of public facilities, CROW,
dedicated only a few pages to bus stations in its voluminous ASVV manual with
recommendations for road design (Aanbevelingen voor verkeersvoorzieningen
binnen de bebouwde kom, 2004, pp 906 912). It indicates different basic
models and principles for efficient design.

The German Recommendations for planning, construction and operation of bus

stations (1994, Empfehlungen ) are even more modest in spite of their volume.
Presented are the layouts of some existing bus stations with a series of often
wise comments, but without commenting the slightly bizarre layouts as such.
Nevertheless one may find recommendable specimen of design, like those at the
Braunschweig and Delmenhorst railway stations.

3. PRESENT DAY CONCEPTS AND THEIR SCORES ON TWO IMPORTANT

CRITERIA: THE INCIDENCE OF CONFLICTS BETWEEN BUS AND
PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT AND RELATIVE SIZE

3.1. Three basic principles (dis)regarding user conflicts

Fundamental for the design of bus stations is how passengers can reach their
bus. Ideal is no doubt the avoidance of conflicts between bus movements and
passenger movements.
On large airports the plane is simply connected to the pedestrian precinct by
moveable bridges. On modern railway lines the trains arrive at platforms with a
height corresponding with their floor height. The height of the platforms prevents
passengers from crossing the rails. Regular crossing is made possible by
elevated or depressed walkways.
Road vehicles may arrive at and depart from normal pedestrian precincts,
although slightly elevated platforms (NL 18 cm) are required for access of
disabled passengers. This implies that pedestrian movements need careful
consideration, to avoid conflicts with bus movements.
Three basic types of bus stations can be distinguished with respect to their
inherent incidence of conflicts between buses and pedestrians taking or leaving a
bus. These types are presented with the measures required to accommodate 8
stops for 12m buses, being able to arrive and depart without being obstructed by
other ones.

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3.2. The roadside station: no conflicts between bus and pedestrian, but
extremely long
This type has only a side platform. This may be the sidewalk in front of the
entrance of a Metro station, as is the case at Montreal Montmorency (2007), see
Picture 4. There are no specimen in The Netherlands.

Picture 4. Montreal Montmorency Metro station and U shape road side bus
station.

The layout with 8 bus stops allowing for independent arrival and departure
at/from each stop requires a zone of approximately 180 x 10,5 = 1890 m. See
figure 1.

The length of such a simple bus station is formidable. The depth is modest
because only narrow zones for waiting passengers, waiting buses and passing
buses are required. Apart from those special facilities might be required for
passengers and buses waiting for later departures.
The length can be reduced by putting the bus platforms at an angle towards the
platform. An angle of about 15 is fairly common. It is used at Montreal
Montmorency and Delmenhorst for instance.
An angle of 45 requires a change of departure routine. The bus can no longer
depart in forward direction. It has to move backwards to leave the stop.
This requires a substantial manoeuvring zone. When both the front door and the
back door have to be accessible a pier of 2.5 m width is required. Nevertheless
the surface needed for the bus station is reduced to 1107.6 m, being only 40%
of the original size.

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Conclusion: the road side solution for a bus station is attractive because it avoids
potential conflicts between the parties involved: pedestrians seeking to catch a
bus and buses seeking to arrive at or depart from a bus stop. The disadvantage
of a great platform length can be avoided by putting the bus stops at an angle of
up to 90!

Figure 1. The layout of a roadside bus station (left) and the reduction of its length
by putting the stops at angles of 15 and 45 towards the platform (middle and
right).

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Picture 5. Stansted Airport bus station. A road side solution with stops at an
angle of about 60 and a zone reserved for maneuvering.

Figure 2. The layout of a one-island bus station (left) and the reduction of its
length by putting the stops at an angle of 15 (right).

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3.3. The one island bus station: a concentrated conflict zone, considerably
shorter but deeper.
This type has an isolated platform with two rows of stops in its basic shape. The
central pedestrian crossing minimises the risk of accidents.
A layout with 4 bus stops at each side of the platform requires a zone of 90 x 21
= 1890 m, disregarding the surfaces needed for circulation around the platform.
See figure 2.

Picture 6. Sittard bus station (about 1990), a one island solution with crossing at
the short side.

The bus station at the Dutch intercity train station of Sittard (about 2000) is a
specimen with the pedestrian crossing right in front of the station entrance. By
putting the axis of the island at an angle of 90 towards the station building the
distance to the most distant stop is nearly twice the potential distance. See
Delmenhorst bus station at the DB railway station for the ideal orientation
(Google maps> aerial).

The shape of the platform may be remoulded, allowing for additional facilities en
for stops at the short end. This can be noted at Leeuwarden bus station. A multi-
angular, nearly round island is found in Japanese Hamamatsu (see de Boer and
de Boer 2007).

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3.4. The multiple island station: diffuse conflicts, potentially very short but
extremely deep
This type has more than one island platform. This will cause spreading of
crossing patterns between islands and the environment.
A pedestrian route may be introduced to connect the front parts of the platforms,
especially to make it easier for the ill sighted to find the right stop. This is
problematic though for those hurrying to or from a distant platform, hoping to
catch a bus or train. This principle is applied in for instance Tilburg (NL) and
Braunschweig (Germany).

Figure 3. The layout of a multi island bus station and the reduction of its breadth
by putting the islands at an angle of 45 towards the base line, being a central
waiting area usually (angle indicated only).

3.5. A comparison of the surfaces required for the three types

The advantage of the road side bus station with regard to the (potential)
incidence of conflicts between bus movements and pedestrian movements is self
evident. The surfaces required for the three types are compared in table 1.
It proves that the space required for each basic type is similar. Rotation of the
bus stops may reduce the surface of a bus station by 40% (road side). Rotation
of the multi island type is less productive ( 30%). It is ineffective in the case of
the one island solution.

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Concept Length [m] Width [m] Surface [m2]

Roadside 180 11 1980

- rotation 150 144 13 1872

- rotation 450 57 20 1140

One island 90 21 1890

- rotation 150 72 26 1872

Multi island 52 40 2080

- rotation 450 57 25 1425

Table 1. The surfaces required for the three bus station concepts, related to
different degrees of rotation of bus stops.

4. AN ASSESSMENT ON OTHER CUSTORMER ORIENTED CRITERIA

The road side solution proves to be most attractive with regard to two important
aspects: the incidence of conflicts between bus and pedestrian (zero) and the
surface required. The implications for the bus are self evident. There is an
increased chance of bus to bus conflicts when buses have to depart backwards.
Apart from driver training, the presence of a manoeuvring zone and coordination
of departures may reduce the potential problem. The time required for departing
is unlikely to be increased, because crossing pedestrians will be absent
henceforth.
Yet additional user oriented criteria might point into a different direction. We
assessed the three basic types on the following additional criteria:
- security (the opportunity to wait for the bus at a central spot, to be
surveyed easily)
- walking distance (from a central road side spot)
- bus visibility (presence to be seen from a central spot)
- pedestrian safety (the incidence of serious conflicts).
- pedestrian flow

The result of the assessment is shown in figure four. The scores on the five
criteria, being 0.2 as a maximum for each, are added in a histogram. The worst
score is zero.
It shows that the road side bus station is likely to be the worst in terms of walking
distance and bus visibility. The explanation is its long platform and the position of
the buses close to it. For the other three aspects it is simply the best, because of
its qualities for pedestrians and collective space for both waiting and embarking.

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Bus visibility and walking distance are best for the multi island configuration,
because the passenger can more easily oversee the bus station and (in the case
of fixed bus stops) can take position at an optimal location.
1,0
0,9
0,8
0,7 Security
0,6 Walking distance
0,5 Bus visibility
0,4 Pedestrian safety
0,3 Pedestrian flow
0,2
0,1
0,0
Roadside One island Multi island

Figure 4. The assessment of three types of bus station for five consumer oriented
aspects.

5. CONCLUSION: THE ROAD SIDE SOLUTION DESERVING SERIOUS

CONSIDERATION

The road side bus station is a most unusual phenomenon for the continent of
Western Europe, although a few specimen may be found in Germany and
Sweden.
The principle has two distinct advantages though: a modest surface and an
absence of bus pedestrian conflicts. The scores on other customer oriented
criteria are not unfavourable either, although walking distances and bus visibility
deserve special attention. It may be reason to create a slightly curved platform as
created at Hamburg St. Georg. The second author proposed a quarter circular
configuration for the bus station of The Hague CS.
One wonders why the concept is not applied generally. It was used in the past in
The Netherlands as well. Perhaps the bus congestion at places like Utrecht CS
was reason to opt for a bus optimal solution like the multi island station.

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Picture 7. Utrecht CS bus station at about 1960.

Bibliography

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de bebouwde kom (Recommendations for traffic facilities in built-up areas), Ede,
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De Boer, E and S.W. de Boer (2007), Het systematisch ontwerp van busstations
in relatie tot treinstations, Paper Colloquium Vervoersplanologisch Speurwerk
2007, CVS Proceedings. Pp. 1573 1591.

De Boer, E. and R. Krul (2005), The dynamic bus station, a user friendly facility?
Paper ETC 2005 (http://etcproceedings.org).

Douma, C. (1998), Stationsarchitectuur in Nederland 1938-1998, Walburg Pers,

Zutphen, 352 pp.

FGSV (1994), Empfehlungen fuer Planung, Bau und Betrieb von Busbahnhoefen,
Koeln.

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Landelijk Bureau Toegankelijkheid (2000), Busstations, bruikbaar voor iedereen,
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Thesis TU Delft, 103 pp.

VROM (2006), Progress report New Key Projects (Voortgangsrapportage Nieuwe

Sleutelprojecten, in Dutch), 40 pp, The Hague.

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