Hampshire Now - your County Council magazine

Be safe on the busway

Tuesday, 23 October 2012

As winter approaches and the nights draw in, Hampshire County Council is warning people to take extra care when using the Eclipse Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) busway between Fareham and Gosport.

The successful busway has already attracted many thousands of passengers, and cyclists can also use the route to avoid congestion on the busy A32.

Darker evenings

Councillor Mel Kendal, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Environment and Transport, said:

"With darker evenings at this time of year and poorer visibility, now is a good time to remind people about staying safe when using the Eclipse BRT busway. Cyclists are welcome to use the route during the day but not overnight between 11.15pm and 05.45am, when the busway is closed. Cyclists should always use lights and wear bright, reflective clothing to ensure they can be seen.

I would also remind pedestrians that they are not permitted to use the busway as a footpath as, potentially, this could be very dangerous. Similarly, private vehicles are not allowed on the busway at any time day or night. The police, Hampshire County Council and the local Safer Neighbourhoods team patrol the busway in the interests of safety."

Frequent and reliable service

The Eclipse Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) was developed to provide a viable public transport alternative to the congested A32 and has delivered a frequent and reliable route between Fareham and Gosport. The Eclipse BRT Phase 1 project includes new bus priority points, 134 upgraded bus stops, larger shelters near Fareham Rail Station and Creek Road in Gosport and improvements to both Fareham and Gosport bus stations. Passengers have given the service a thumbs up, with 16% more people travelling on the BRT than on previous bus services.

Low-emission, state-of-the-art buses whisk travellers between Gosport and Fareham and provide onboard Wi-Fi and easy access for wheelchair users, while the brightly coloured bus shelters are easy to spot and offer real-time arrivals and local news displayed on infotainment screens. The project was mainly funded by the government's Homes and Communities Agency's Community Infrastructure Fund.

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