Runcorn Busway

The Runcorn Busway is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Runcorn, England. Opened in 1971, it was the first BRT system in the world.^[1]

Runcorn Busway
An elevated section of the Busway at Runcorn Shopping City in 2008
Overview
Owner	Halton Borough Council
Area served	Runcorn
Transit type	Bus rapid transit
Operation
Began operation	October 1971
Technical
System length	22 km (14 mi)
System map v t e Crewe–Liverpool line to Widnes, onwards to Liverpool and Warrington Ethelfleda Bridge River Mersey Silver Jubilee Bridge Runcorn High Street Bridge Street  A557  Weston Point Exp'y Mason Street Runcorn railway station Eddison Road Rocksavage Way formerly busway, now road Davy Road Chadwick Road Halton Curve  A533  Mersey Gateway Bridge Brindley Road Crewe–Liverpool line Arkwright Road Handford Lane St Chad's School  A558  Halton Lodge The Barge Rolands Walk Castlefields Central The Brow Castlefields Hill Lodge Avenue Phoenix Park Halton Lodge Halton Lea South / North Norton Priory Southwood Avenue Halton Hospital Windmill Hill Palacefields Newburgh Close Brookvale Norton Gooseberry Lane Halton High Norton Village Barnfield Avenue East Station Murdishaw Parkgate Way Murdishaw Avenue Chester–Warrington line  M56  North Cheshire M'way Chester Road ( A56 ) Guinness Travel Inn  A533   A56  &  A533  Whitehouse Industrial Estate

History

First conceived in the Runcorn New Town Masterplan in 1966, it opened for services in October 1971 and all 22 kilometres (14 mi) were operational by 1980.^[1] It was the first BRT system in the world.^[2] Arthur Ling, Runcorn Development Corporation's Master Planner, said that he had invented the concept while sketching on the back of an envelope.^[3] The town was designed around the transport system, with most residents no more than five minutes walking distance, or 500 yards (460 m), from the Busway.^[4]

The central station is at Runcorn Shopping City where buses arrive on dedicated raised busways to two enclosed stations.^[5]

Technical details

The Busway has a design speed of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) and a maximum gradient of 4 percent (or 6 percent for distances under 200 m).^[6] Bus stops are at intervals of approximately 400 metres (1,300 ft).^[6]

Gallery

The Busway station for Runcorn East railway station

Elevated section of the Busway at Runcorn Shopping City

A Busway junction with a general traffic road

An Arriva bus in east Runcorn