A guided bus is a dual-purpose vehicle – on normal roads it functions as a ‘normal’ bus, but it is also able to run on its own special guidance track using its special adapted guide wheels.

In our proposal, for a London Guided Busway, we plan to use land alongside railway tracks, converting them to a guided bus track. These guided bus tracks consist of twin track made from reinforced concrete with vertical guide kerbs.

The guided bus enters the track from the road and the guidance system automatically takes over the bus’s ordinary steering. The guide wheels maintain contact with the vertical guide kerb and steer the bus using the steering arms on the wheels.

There are seven operational examples of kerb guidance in the United Kingdom including major schemes in Cambridgeshire and connecting Luton and Dunstable. A key advantage of kerb guidance is that a two lane, two way guided busway can fit in the same space as a double track railway and make use of unused rail alignments.

Because the guided bus is kept within a guideway, it can travel safely at cruising speed within a narrower space. A normal bus would either need a wider road, or need to travel much slower. This makes a difference if a bus is on a disused rail alignment (of which there are many in the UK). Similarly, tunnels can be constructed to a narrower width, and so be less costly.

Guided busways also give a smoother ride than the normal road. There are none of the dips at the side of the road for drains, while the construction is to a high standard.

The reserved track means there is no other traffic to cause delays. The service is swift, punctual and reliable.

Guided buses are simpler to use on their tracks than ‘normal’ buses are on the roads, so a guided bus actually requires less driving skill. Once on the guided track they don’t even need to be steered. However, bus drivers are always given comprehensive training.

The proposal is for a new busway using kerb guidance to provide a fast and congestion-free route for buses and coaches from the M1 motorway, A1 and the North Circular Road near Staples Corner (Brent Cross) through to Central London at Marylebone Station.

To cause minimum disruption and keep costs down the plan makes use of the underutilised railway alignment next to the former Great Central route between Marylebone Station and Finchley Road. It then uses the land alongside the Midland Main Line (MML) between West Hampstead and Brent Cross to construct a two-way kerb guided busway.

This will connect to the local road network at Marylebone enabling buses and coaches to continue their journeys to the West End and the City.

If you would like to know more please read our proposal in full.

If Transport for London provides bus services on the busway, Oyster Cards, Travelcards and bus passes will be accepted as they are on all other London bus services.

Oyster Cards and Travelcards will not be accepted for travel on any commuter or long distance coach services (e.g. National Express, megabus.com) using the busway.

Construction will probably take 3-4 years.

There would be extra construction traffic to be accommodated. Most of the works take place on a segregated alignment away from the local main and secondary road networks and so the impact on congestion on the existing road system will be minimal.

By utilising land next to the existing railway the impact on the network should be minimal – as much of the work as posible will be accommodated at times when Network Rail plan to undertake maintenance works on their lines, thereby minimising disruption to passenger train services.