Bus priority scheme turned down
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• The failure of the Coventry transportation and highways committee to proceed with a bus priority traffic scheme has aroused considerable criticism from the Labour group. The scheme covered Tile Hill Lane, Hearsall Common, Queensland Avenue, Allesley Old Road, and Hearsall Lane.
Labour CHI% Joseph Thompson, who had tried unsuccessfully to get the scheme reconsidered, said that it was turned down in view of the marginal nature of the benefit, compared with its cost. They were told that, by 19'75, there would be traffic chaos. The Ministry of Transport were prepared to pay 75 per cent of the cost, leaving Coventry to pay £4,600.
The time to do something was now, he said. Bus priority lanes, or something lie them, had to come. For £4,600 this experiment would give them the information they required. Some 60 buses an hour used the route at peak times. Cllr. P. W. G. Robinson (Lab.) said it was an experiment at the Ministry's request and could provide valuable information. It would benefit everybody, particularly people of the Tile Hill area, who experienced interminable delays at peak periods. Ald. Ralph Clews (Con.) said that there would be additional annual maintenance costs of £2,550, plus 25 per cent of the cost of any subsequent modifications. Motorists, he said, would have a long detour—buses, a short cut. It was good for saving money for the corporation, but not for the motorists. Another point, said Aid. Clews, was that road improvements were already planned for Tile Hill Lane and the effect of these on traffic flow should be seen before makinf any other move.
Cllr. Gordon Spencer (Lab.) said the cost would be half the cost of a bus; yet the scheme could save two or three buses on the road, as bus journeys would be quicker. He said they should not champion the cause oi the motorist—he was one himself—bui think of the benefit to the community. Cart carried one-and-a-half people on average buses-60 people.
Experts, he claimed, said it was an idea part of the city for such an experiment, a buses from the whole of the west an south-west passed Hearsall Lane ant Hearsall Common.
Cllr. K. A. Whitehouse, committet chairman, said in reply that "transportatior had certainly not gone out of the window" He said there might be other parts o Coventry where an experiment could hi made.