Traffic Dept. contemplating centre lane for buses

24 January 2016 04:57 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 19 Bookmark

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The Police Traffic Department is looking at plans to allocate the centre lane only for buses in Battaramulla, in a bid to reduce the extreme traffic congestion in the area.

Traffic DIG Amrasiri Senarathne, speaking to the Daily Mirror said at least 475,000 motor bikes, cars and vans travel to Colombo each day. However, the number of individuals entering Colombo by 21,000 buses outweighed the number of individuals coming into the city using other modes of transport.

"Three wheelers and bikes use the left lane and adding buses to the equation causes congestion" the DIG said.

“We are thinking of allowing buses to use only the centre lane and to find a way for passengers to get on and off at the yellow lines,” he said. The plan was being looked at only for the Battaramulla area and not the entire city, the DIG added.

The new rush hour traffic plan for Jayawardenapura Road and Pittala Junction along Dharmapala Mawatha was a success, he said.

“We only allow another lane to be used for traffic leaving Colombo at the time. It was successful, there was a smooth flow of traffic,” he said.

The new plan which began last Wednesday is implemented from 5 to 6.30 p.m. along the Jayawardenapura Road and from 4.30- 6.30 p.m at the Pittala Junction in Dharmapala Mawatha.(Darshana Sanjeewa)

Comments - 19

KAPPA Sunday, 24 January 2016 06:19 PM

Yep Agreed, Best bus lane would be the left lane. Also they should charge a fine for those who use bus lanes (other than busses) This would mean during traffic jams busses keep moving and would encourage people to use buses more.

1 15

vasaliya Monday, 25 January 2016 09:35 PM

Unknown to the Traffic Police, the buses are anyway using the center lane at the moment.....

0 0

kumaran Monday, 25 January 2016 06:22 AM

Yet another crazy idea by these helpless, untrained police!! Imagine the casualties when the embarking and disembarking passengers CROSS the main carriageway!!

0 4

sanjeewa Sunday, 24 January 2016 09:56 PM

who says the new traffic plan on baththaramulla road is a success. its a disaster. it has increased traffic & more complicated via DM Android App

0 2

CitizenPerera Sunday, 24 January 2016 09:42 PM

Are these bloody fools in charge of city planning and traffic think from their central cerebral or anal?

0 8

Lanka Sunday, 24 January 2016 09:22 PM

Are these particular buses keep moving without stopping for passengers to get in and off?

0 3

Sincere Sunday, 24 January 2016 08:12 PM

So will the passengers have to embark and disembark from buses in the center lane as well? Egollanta deviyangema pihitai

1 2

Govia Sunday, 24 January 2016 07:44 PM

You want be able to implement this system in Sri Lanka. I know Moratuwa University was grab Rs.8.0 Milion for this proposal.

0 2

Gamarala Sunday, 24 January 2016 06:59 PM

As explained by DN above using and stopping buses in the center line is more likely to lead for more traffic congestion and accidents. Let the city service buses travel on left line and long distance buses in the center line and to move to left line for loading and unloading when necessary. The public is very much disturbed due to sound pollution created by 3wheelers and motor bikes at large while modifying the ex-host pipes. We would like to know if the traffic department can find a solution to this matter and inform the public a telephone number to report such matters. Good luck

0 4

iemerald Sunday, 24 January 2016 06:22 PM

is this dig off his rocker. he wants to find a way for passengers to get on and off. he must be crazy. use the left lane for buses stupid.

2 7

DN Sunday, 24 January 2016 11:42 AM

Centre lane is a not a good idea. It will block both centre and left lane when passengers get in and off. Also it is a risk for passengers.It is much better if police allow centre lane for long distances buses and other heavy vehicles..

0 42

Nuke Sunday, 24 January 2016 05:53 PM

What a stupid solution.

1 12

sujee Sunday, 24 January 2016 05:42 PM

This is NOT a good idea at all. The least you can do is to dedicate the outer lanes for buses. Else, you need to implement Rapid Transit lanes that should be accessed only through over or underpasses.

1 2

wet otter Sunday, 24 January 2016 05:12 PM

system in Jakarta is best. center lane is completely reserve for buses. door of the bus is on right side. bus stops are on the middle of the road at places and elevated like train stations. center lane is separated from the rest of the left lanes by a concrete elevation. other vehicle cannot cross in to it and buses cannot over take as well. so combine time table with this type of system will work.

2 9

Dee Sunday, 24 January 2016 04:06 PM

Can you please fine all those vehicles who just park on the roads where there is no parking bay. Especially near shops, supermarkets , schools and tution joints. This is the major cause of traffic

1 13

Koltha Herath Sunday, 24 January 2016 04:05 PM

Sri Lanka is talking all the time about the traffic congestion in Colombo but they are not doing any effective thing about this. They should take a lesson from what India has done in New Delhi. They say that the even or odd numbers allowed in on alternate days has worked well to reduce the congestion.

0 3

onlooker Sunday, 24 January 2016 02:30 PM

As it is people are run over at pedestrian crossings. This new proposal will increase it ten fold.

0 23

Coconut Republic Sunday, 24 January 2016 02:03 PM

Agreed. The best would be to allow to overtake and get back to the left lane. No racing though.

4 13

Sapu Sunday, 24 January 2016 12:53 PM

Why not make a BT system as recommended by Japanese and moratuwa Uni studies of colombo

1 9

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