Intelligent bus priority in London: progress on large-scale implementation.

The policy of the Mayor of London is to produce a step change in the efficiency and attractiveness of bus services in London. This has led to an expanding program of bus priority initiatives, building on the substantial infrastructure already in place. Applications of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) comprise an essential part of these initiatives. This paper begins with a summary review of ITS applications for buses in London, describing the systems and strategies adopted and evidence of their effectiveness. The paper will then outline current and planned initiatives, including advanced priority and congestion management strategies using Urban Traffic Control (UTC) and applications based on fleet-wide Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL). A concluding discussion will cover medium and longer term policy and strategy issues.