A6 Corridor Improvements - Proposal

As part of the Leicester Buses Partnership’s aim to help make buses more reliable we are proposing a number of improvements along the A6 including:

• introducing bus lanes in both directions on Abbey Lane (between Byford Road and Beaumont Leys Lane) and St Margaret’s Way

• introducing a no stopping red route along Abbey Lane and St Margaret’s Way from Red Hill to Burley’s Way junction

The first phase of this scheme which improves the junction of Exploration Drive has already been completed,  allowing more cars to turn right from the A6  into Exploration Drive, which in turn improves outbound traffic flow along the A6.

The bus services that will significantly benefit from these improvements are:

Investment has already been made in making the 303 fully electric and First bus has invested in 8 fully electric double deckers on the 54 route, which will be delivered in May 2024. This is estimated to make carbon savings of over 500 tonnes of CO2 per annum.

Currently buses along this corridor only run 86% on time within the window of tolerance (1 minute early and up to 5 minutes late) and satisfaction is at 70% for reliability with the majority of passengers wanting improvements made in this area. Data shows that some bus journeys times can experience up to 20 minute delays on the A6 stretch due to traffic and congestion. Adding a bus lane along the length of Abbey Lane will help bus journeys become more reliable and reduce journey times, helping to make bus the mode of choice for travel.

Through this scheme, we are aiming to improve reliability to over 90% and improving customer satisfaction to over 80%. For the 303 Birstall Park & Ride service, the aim is to get sufficient time savings to enable us to extend the service to the south of the City Centre, including Leicester Royal Infirmary, to allow hospital staff and patients to travel to the hospital on the Park and Ride service.

Wider Benefits of Bus Lanes

In addition to improving reliability and journey times for the buses that operate along the route, bus lanes also:

• encourages the use of public transport

• improves accessibility

• provide a safer lane for cyclists

• provide a priority lane for emergency vehicles

• helps us to reach our goal of becoming a net zero city by reducing carbon emissions and being better for the environment by reducing car usage

• helps reach the UK’s overall climate change goal

We already have the following in place as part of the partnership scheme:

• Contactless ‘best fare’ capping in place

• Real-time information screens at all inbound bus stops (heading towards the City Centre)

• Over 500 new bus shelters in place at busy stops

• Better waiting facilities at St Margaret’s Bus Station and Haymarket Bus Station

• A more integrated unified network, allowing easy interchange

• Eye catching Leicester Buses branding in place across the network

• Free City Centre Hop! bus to encourage interchange and make the City Centre more accessible.

This is all part of the wider partnership scheme aim: make bus travel electric, frequent, reliable, easy and great value.