New Variable Message Signs (VMS) installed on South Street in the Bull Creek/Leeming area will be switched on from Monday, giving road users up-to-date information on bus lane operating times and road conditions.
Transport Minister Simon O’Brien said the signs would display the following messages:
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From 6:30am-9am and 4pm-6:30pm (Monday to Friday): ‘Bus Lanes in Operation’ and ‘Buses and Bicycles Only’
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For the first two weeks, between 9am and 4pm when bus lanes are not operating: ‘Bus Lane 6:30-9am, 4-6:30pm’.
“The State Government is linking the VMS to those on the freeway network to improve incident management, keep traffic flowing and improve reliability and predictability,” Mr O’Brien said.
“We will also use the VMS to advise motorists on current traffic conditions, travel speeds and road safety messages and to provide advanced warning on traffic crashes, unusual traffic congestion, roadworks or other hazards, to help people better plan their journey.”
Only buses and cyclists would be able to use the lanes from 6:30am-9am and 4pm-6:30pm from Monday to Friday, beginning next week.
The initiative was the second stage of the South Street Bus Lanes Project, which started in 2006 with the introduction of a priority bus/bike lane to cater for increased bus services. This left two lanes instead of three in each direction for motorists in peak periods.
The South Street corridor between Bannister Road and Kwinana Freeway formed part of a high frequency public transport route that increased efficiency for bus services along South Street between Roe Highway and Kwinana Freeway. The aim was to encourage people to reduce car use by choosing to walk, cycle or use public transport.
The Minister said this would be of great benefit to people living in the rapidly expanding South East Metropolitan Area and future major destinations near the intersection of South Street and Kwinana Freeway.
“Murdoch Station is the busiest on the Perth-Mandurah Rail line, with train services operating at a peak hour frequency of five minutes,” he said.
“The South Street Bus Lanes Project has allowed Transperth bus services to bring people from surrounding suburbs more efficiently to this intermodal transport facility.”
The joint initiative of the Public Transport Authority, Main Roads and the Department for Planning and Infrastructure came from the 2003 Southern Metropolitan East-West Public Transport Study, which identified future public transport corridors between the Perth to Armadale railway, Fremantle railway and future Perth to Mandurah railway.
Minister's office - 9213 6400