Driving to work this morning, I sat and seethed at the habitual "bus lane offenders" i.e. the cars etc. that feel it is their God given right to speed merrily on their way in the bus lane, while us mere law abiding mortals dutifully queue.................

Which led me to think; there has been many a rant on this forum about the relative pro's & con's of bus lanes. Do they speed up traffic flow/hinder traffic flow. They do seem to be empty most of the time!!

How about buying a 'Bus lane license'; for a given fee, paid directly to the council you are entitled to use the bus lane during the restricted times. This means less traffic queuing in the 'normal' lanes hence a quicker commute for the none payers, and Sheffield council coffers get more revenue!

Please feel free to rip this idea to shreds!

Driving to work this morning, I sat and seethed at the habitual "bus lane offenders" i.e. the cars etc. that feel it is their God given right to speed merrily on their way in the bus lane, while us mere law abiding mortals dutifully queue.................

Which led me to think; there has been many a rant on this forum about the relative pro's & con's of bus lanes. Do they speed up traffic flow/hinder traffic flow. They do seem to be empty most of the time!!

How about buying a 'Bus lane license'; for a given fee, paid directly to the council you are entitled to use the bus lane during the restricted times. This means less traffic queuing in the 'normal' lanes hence a quicker commute for the none payers, and Sheffield council coffers get more revenue!

Please feel free to rip this idea to shreds!

1. Bus lane enforcement via cctv cameras will be happening in Sheffield quite soon. In the summer I believe. So abuse of bus lanes should fall dramatically. They've been enforcing them in London for quite a while and offence levels have fallen to a tiny amount.
2. The capacity of any road is lagely governed by the capacity of the junctions. You'll notice that most bus lanes end just before the junction, so general traffic has 2 lanes of throughput into the junction, thus capacity is maintained, but buses get to the front of the queue.
3. You couldn't buy a licence to use a bus lane. The types of vehicles allowed to use bus lanes are stated in a legal order and described on signs. Anything "non-standard" has to be approved by the Department for Transport. They would never approve somethig like that. Bus lanes are for public transport, just what constitutes that varies quite considerably from place to place.

Lots of motorists dont read the bus lane signs. Many a time have i been abused for using the bus lane before the time it actually turns into a bus lane- Eccy Road at Hunters Bar roundabout into town being the place.

Im just gonna buy an old taxi when it gets too bad driving through town.

Lots of motorists dont read the bus lane signs. Many a time have i been abused for using the bus lane before the time it actually turns into a bus lane- Eccy Road at Hunters Bar roundabout into town being the place.

Happens all the time, these so called observant motorists who decide to dish out abuse because you are using the bus lane when allowed. The one from Woodseats into town (Past homebase) is a classic for this.

I really dislike people who dont read the bus lane signs and dont use them when they can. Did you know that if you do this on your test you would fail.

Im just gonna buy an old taxi when it gets too bad driving through town.


I have 2 friends in London who have done this and as long as you complete and renew your taxi license its well within the law. They dont have to pay congestion charge either and they get let out at junctions.

Nothing gets more on my thre'penny bits than Bus Lanes. Not in themselves, although I do feel the vast majority are a waste of space and an inconvenience to motorists, but the fact that, IMO, over 70% of motorists simply fail to understand when and when not to use them.

I can guarantee that I can drive from Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet into town along Abbeydale Road (South) in the bus lane when I am not only allowed to but according to the Highway Code am meant to and I will be the only person doing so.

Naturally, there may be a car or a van or two parked in the lane as the restrictions allow but that's okay; indicate, pull out into the outer lane - ie, the one with all the other non-plussed motorists in - and continue. (Maybe, I wonder, some folk stay in the outer lane because they are turning right when they get to Newcastle?)

I can manage a similar feat on Ecclesall Road (South) and so on.

What is it that makes these bus lanes and their signs so hard to understand?

The central city-bound lane at Hunter's Bar roundabout - there's hardly ever a car or van using it! Why?

Ditto the bus lane opposite Crookes Valley Park (city bound). Every single Saturday morning when I'm driving to work I come up this way toward Walkley. There is hardly ever anything parked on this road but what do drivers do who are approaching the University Roundabout? They use the middle/offside lane!! One after the other totally oblivious.

As for pointless bus lanes, don't get me started. I'd be typing till Christmas.

I hate bus lanes can not for the life of me see the logic of them at all to me they just create traffic jams. The rest of the time you can not use them because they are choc a block with parked cars. The amount of buses I see using them while I am sat in the traffic backed up Ecclesall Road for hours probably could be counted on one hand.

As for the statement they go into two at the junction yeah great you still have to sit waiting until you get to the junction no logic what so ever.

Just another way of annoying motorists if you ask me and it works!

Well i drive to work every morning. I drive past i think its crookes valley park the one wi the big deep pond. Anyway The traffic is always backed up right to the top most mornings with "law abiding" herd like drivers who dont use the bus lane. Im not one of these people I see it as a total waste of time having this particular bus lane here as in the total amount of time the lane is reserved for buses i would guess that it is used less than 3% of the time by buses. And to make matters worse the buses cant get to the bus lane because the traffic is always backed up to the very top of the road by the idiots who wanna queue up. So I use the bus lane every morning and i couldnt give a monkeys who wants to abuse me for it. The flow of traffic is totally impeded by them and i dont think they work at all. The other week there was even a bus inpector stood there taking the registrations of all of the cars that were using the bus lane. So i expect one morning very soon there will be police or traffic wardens enforcing this lane and the traffic jam will stem right back to south road and probably further. Just proving one thing they are a waste of time. The last time they enforced the bus and tram gates at hillsbro it was an absolute nightmare......I rest my case!

What time was your drive to work? Some bus lanes don't come into force until 8:00am

I think in fact that every one should use the bus lanes in protest at how rubbish they are and then maybe they would take them off.

No one is going to think oh I have got a car but I will get on a crap bus service because it goes down bus lanes give me a break.

GET RID OF THEM THEY ARE RUBBISH

I have 2 friends in London who have done this and as long as you complete and renew your taxi license its well within the law. They dont have to pay congestion charge either and they get let out at junctions.

Hmmm, I bet. :rolleyes:

Bus lanes are a great idea. The problem is the poor implementation of them and the resentment that the poor implementation generates. If a bus lane is to be built, it should be built. The problem is that an *existing* amount of tarmac is taken for the purpose. Seldom are they done properly and actually built.
It does annoy me when people look at me like scum when I'm using lanes outside of the restricted hours. It's the same with a lot of these things - they either need to be properly enforced and understood, or be got rid of.

1. Bus lane enforcement via cctv cameras will be happening in Sheffield quite soon. In the summer I believe. So abuse of bus lanes should fall dramatically. They've been enforcing them in London for quite a while and offence levels have fallen to a tiny amount.


This sounds like good news. As with many of the rules of the road they should either be enforced or scrapped. In many cases scrapped would be the right option but people picking and choosing which rules apply to them is at best frustrating for everyone else and at worst extremely dangerous.

aye enforce them properly they are only in effect in rush hour and encorage people to use public transport. keeps the silly sods who want to drive the 1 mile to work on there own congesting the roads and only ******* themselves off

What time was your drive to work? Some bus lanes don't come into force until 8:00am
ill be on the bus lane evry morning at 8.15

Lots of motorists dont read the bus lane signs. Many a time have i been abused for using the bus lane before the time it actually turns into a bus lane- Eccy Road at Hunters Bar roundabout into town being the place.

So have I!

I always check the clock on the dash to make sure I'm adhering to the times on the road signs as I'm coming up to the roundabout.

Thing is, by not using the bus lanes during the permitted times don't motorists realise they are contributing to congestion?!

It's scary that so many motorists don't check their road signs - they're there for a reason. No wonder there are so many accidents. People seem to drive about with their head in the clouds or with their ears stuck to a mobile phone!!! Don't start me on that one!!!

Does anybody feel the same frustration I do when each morning as I pass Abbeydale Road South near the Beauchief Hotel. The Council have created a bus lane with the outer lane for turning right up Abbey Lane. Only, the buses use the outer lane as nobody sticks to the rules and nearly all the car drivers sit in the bus lane. I'm never sure what to do, if i abide by the law, nobody ever lets me in and I get honked or people shake their heads at me and if I sit in the bus lane I add another 15 mins onto my journey in the morning. Why oh why did they put a bus lane here anyway? There was never any problems with congestion until they did this.

As for the statement they go into two at the junction yeah great you still have to sit waiting until you get to the junction no logic what so ever.



Yes, but once you get near the junction the one lane expands into two and both discharge together when you get a green signal. That is the important factor. It's the discharge rate at the stop line which governs the capacity of the junction.

What difference do you think it makes that you sit in a queue in one lane or two when you're approaching the junction, the discharge rate at the junction is exactly the same (because the one lane becomes two near the stop line), so you queue for the same time whether it's one lane or two! The queue is longer because it's in one lane, but the journey time is the same. ie longer queue in one lane, but moves faster than it would if it were in two lanes.

Yes, but once you get near the junction the one lane expands into two and both discharge together when you get a green signal. That is the important factor. It's the discharge rate at the stop line which governs the capacity of the junction.



At Hunters Bar roundabout it's often the inability of traffic to get off the roundabout because of the pedestrian signals (and the two lanes going down to one) immediately after the roundabout that governs the capacity.

What difference do you think it makes that you sit in a queue in one lane or two when you're approaching the junction, the discharge rate at the junction is exactly the same (because the one lane becomes two near the stop line), so you queue for the same time whether it's one lane or two! The queue is longer because it's in one lane, but the journey time is the same. ie longer queue in one lane, but moves faster than it would if it were in two lanes.

Note true if the tailback grows long enough to bung up the previous junction, then you have gridlock, and as ducatiboy pointed out the bus can't even get onto the bus lane in the first place when that happens.

It's the discharge rate at the stop line which governs the capacity of the junction.

That surely can't be the only factor? How about the wonderful junctions such as the one on the Wicker with bus lane on the left, other traffic on the right approaching Ladys Bridge? At the lights there are effectively three lanes going into the junction, but unfortunately at this point the buses are trying to cross from the left lane to the right whilst the other traffic is trying to to go the other way!

if you look on the new stagecoach 57/58 buses there is a cctv camera behind the windscreen, its attached to the front of the driver's instrument consul, it cant see into the bus at that postion so its probably going to be used to film cars in bus lanes or parked in bus stops (gps allows the camera to know when they are in a bus lane) i have seen a film with a london bus filming motorists who later were fined

Does anybody feel the same frustration I do when each morning as I pass Abbeydale Road South near the Beauchief Hotel. The Council have created a bus lane with the outer lane for turning right up Abbey Lane. Only, the buses use the outer lane as nobody sticks to the rules and nearly all the car drivers sit in the bus lane. I'm never sure what to do, if i abide by the law, nobody ever lets me in and I get honked or people shake their heads at me and if I sit in the bus lane I add another 15 mins onto my journey in the morning. Why oh why did they put a bus lane here anyway? There was never any problems with congestion until they did this.

I feel your pain Span. It is incredibly annoying sitting on the bus watching the car drivers queuing in the bus lane when their legal lane is free and empty. I inwardly cheer when the bus scoots down the outside then pushes back it at the merge point.
On the few occasions I get to use a vehicle I always make sure that I use the correct lanes and push back in, hoping for a bit of misguided abuse!
It always helps that I am a 5'2'' female driving a fully loaded tipper truck...

if you look on the new stagecoach 57/58 buses there is a cctv camera behind the windscreen, its attached to the front of the driver's instrument consul, it cant see into the bus at that postion so its probably going to be used to film cars in bus lanes or parked in bus stops (gps allows the camera to know when they are in a bus lane) i have seen a film with a london bus filming motorists who later were fined

Don't know what the bus mounted camera is for, but it isn't for bus lane enforcement. The rules are different in London, there is no approved equipment for enforcing bus lanes in that way, outside of London, it has to be done via an attended CCTV camera. Most use fixed cameras, Manchester also have a suitably equipped Smart Car which is parked in a suitable location to film offences. Sheffield are going to be using fixed cameras.

if you look on the new stagecoach 57/58 buses there is a cctv camera behind the windscreen, its attached to the front of the driver's instrument consul, it cant see into the bus at that postion so its probably going to be used to film cars in bus lanes or parked in bus stops (gps allows the camera to know when they are in a bus lane) i have seen a film with a london bus filming motorists who later were fined

There was a program on this a while back, bus companies are getting so many claims from other motorists they are fitting cameras to collect evidence in the event of an accident. There were pieces of film where cars pulled in front of the buses and deliberately slammed on the brakes to try and cause the bus to run into the back of them. Result - nice compensation claim and an insurance payout.

3. You couldn't buy a licence to use a bus lane. The types of vehicles allowed to use bus lanes are stated in a legal order and described on signs. Anything "non-standard" has to be approved by the Department for Transport. They would never approve somethig like that. Bus lanes are for public transport, just what constitutes that varies quite considerably from place to place.

Question, do bus companies like First, Stagecoach, taxi's etc, pay anything for the use of the bus lanes, after all they are private businesses making profits etc, why should they get preferential treatment as opposed Joe Bloggs delivery company also in business making a profit but can't legally use the whole of the road space.

It's a well known fact that a blinking left indicator allows you to drive down the bus lane....

Nothing gets more on my thre'penny bits than Bus Lanes. Not in themselves, although I do feel the vast majority are a waste of space and an inconvenience to motorists, but the fact that, IMO, over 70% of motorists simply fail to understand when and when not to use them.

I can guarantee that I can drive from Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet into town along Abbeydale Road (South) in the bus lane when I am not only allowed to but according to the Highway Code am meant to and I will be the only person doing so.

Naturally, there may be a car or a van or two parked in the lane as the restrictions allow but that's okay; indicate, pull out into the outer lane - ie, the one with all the other non-plussed motorists in - and continue. (Maybe, I wonder, some folk stay in the outer lane because they are turning right when they get to Newcastle?)

I can manage a similar feat on Ecclesall Road (South) and so on.

What is it that makes these bus lanes and their signs so hard to understand?

The central city-bound lane at Hunter's Bar roundabout - there's hardly ever a car or van using it! Why?

Ditto the bus lane opposite Crookes Valley Park (city bound). Every single Saturday morning when I'm driving to work I come up this way toward Walkley. There is hardly ever anything parked on this road but what do drivers do who are approaching the University Roundabout? They use the middle/offside lane!! One after the other totally oblivious.

As for pointless bus lanes, don't get me started. I'd be typing till Christmas.

I agree with you 100%. If car drivers read the road signage properly and realised that the vast majority of Bus Lanes are only operational at peak hours Mon-Fri and realised that we drive on the left, traffic would flow more freely and they wouldn't be starting rants on this forum. As a professional licence holder, I see this every day.

Yes, but once you get near the junction the one lane expands into two and both discharge together when you get a green signal. That is the important factor. It's the discharge rate at the stop line which governs the capacity of the junction.

What difference do you think it makes that you sit in a queue in one lane or two when you're approaching the junction, the discharge rate at the junction is exactly the same (because the one lane becomes two near the stop line), so you queue for the same time whether it's one lane or two! The queue is longer because it's in one lane, but the journey time is the same. ie longer queue in one lane, but moves faster than it would if it were in two lanes.

How on earth have you reached that conclusion how can it be quicker to sit in one lane rather than have two lanes all the way down Ecclesall Road. I dont even know why I am answering that comment that is exactly why people think Sheffield Council are pants!

I really dont know why people keep voting them in year after year.

I agree with you 100%. If car drivers read the road signage properly and realised that the vast majority of Bus Lanes are only operational at peak hours Mon-Fri and realised that we drive on the left, traffic would flow more freely and they wouldn't be starting rants on this forum. As a professional licence holder, I see this every day.
Fully agree as well.

When I'm teaching my pupils about bus lanes and using them as we should, I often see people pointing and laughing, obviously saying 'look at that stupid learner in the bus lane'. Different matter when we get through the queues faster though....;)

Does anybody feel the same frustration I do when each morning as I pass Abbeydale Road South near the Beauchief Hotel. The Council have created a bus lane with the outer lane for turning right up Abbey Lane. Only, the buses use the outer lane as nobody sticks to the rules and nearly all the car drivers sit in the bus lane. I'm never sure what to do, if i abide by the law, nobody ever lets me in and I get honked or people shake their heads at me and if I sit in the bus lane I add another 15 mins onto my journey in the morning. Why oh why did they put a bus lane here anyway? There was never any problems with congestion until they did this.

I agree, this section is all wrong. I've had the same experience many a time.

If the powers that be need a bus lane there at all they should swap it over to the right hand lane, as the greatest volume of traffic is heading into town and not turning right up Abbey Lane.

There could then be a change of priority or a give way sign or extra traffic lights to allow the buses to move back from the right hand lane to the left and then head straight on (in a similar way to the permanent bus lane outside Sheffield University on Weston Bank).

Or maybe just get rid of the bus lane altogether :huh:

Question, do bus companies like First, Stagecoach, taxi's etc, pay anything for the use of the bus lanes, after all they are private businesses making profits etc, why should they get preferential treatment as opposed Joe Bloggs delivery company also in business making a profit but can't legally use the whole of the road space.

This argument is complete nonsense. Most public transport in this country is delivered by private companies. That's what successive Governments have wanted. Something to do with cost savings, efficiency and competition isn't it??

The Government also REQUIRES Local Authorities to give priority to buses and other forms of public transport. It is widely thought that continued unrestrained growth in the use of the private car is unsustainable. It's therefore imperitive that the public transport network is as quick and above all reliable as possible. Bus priority measures, like bus lanes, help with this.

Private companies pay their taxes just like the rest of us, that's what pays for the roads.

How on earth have you reached that conclusion how can it be quicker to sit in one lane rather than have two lanes all the way down Ecclesall Road. I dont even know why I am answering that comment that is exactly why people think Sheffield Council are pants!

I really dont know why people keep voting them in year after year.

This is one of the big problems which traffic engineers / transport planners are up against. People generally don't understand the reasons why they are in a queue or the dynamics of traffic movement. Traffic engineers do, but when they try to explain it, people still don't understand and call them liars!

All these kinds of measures are modelled on computer simulations before they are put in and then checked after instalation to see whether the theory worked. They're ususlly based on things which have been done eslewhere, so we have a reasonable degree of certainty theat they'll work here.

Traffic engineers and transport planners are Council Officers, you don't vote for them, they are employed by the Council. You vote for the Councillors.

If you're talking about voting the Labour party in year after year, you've obviously forgotten that the Lib Dems were in power here for a couple of years quite recently. Did anyone notice huge changes in policy on the roads at that time? Ever wonder why? It's because (a) the Council's Officers are doing the best that can be done within the budgets available and (b) the Council have to go along with Government requirements or they don't get any more money! The Government can and will send in Traffic Commissioners to take over the running of the Council's highways if they don't like what is being done (or not being done) in an Authority.

You might not like what's been done, but it's pretty much the same all over the country. It's national policy.

I hate bus lanes can not for the life of me see the logic of them at all to me they just create traffic jams. The rest of the time you can not use them because they are choc a block with parked cars. The amount of buses I see using them while I am sat in the traffic backed up Ecclesall Road for hours probably could be counted on one hand.

As for the statement they go into two at the junction yeah great you still have to sit waiting until you get to the junction no logic what so ever.

Just another way of annoying motorists if you ask me and it works!

their not a bad idea if your one of those folk who for whatever reason have to travel on the bus to get places, that is when they arn't clogged with motorists that seem to be unable to read the appropriate signage.
by the way i drive too.

Does anybody feel the same frustration I do when each morning as I pass Abbeydale Road South near the Beauchief Hotel. The Council have created a bus lane with the outer lane for turning right up Abbey Lane. Only, the buses use the outer lane as nobody sticks to the rules and nearly all the car drivers sit in the bus lane. I'm never sure what to do, if i abide by the law, nobody ever lets me in and I get honked or people shake their heads at me and if I sit in the bus lane I add another 15 mins onto my journey in the morning. Why oh why did they put a bus lane here anyway? There was never any problems with congestion until they did this.

Until it gets enforced everyone should just queue up in the bus lane and wait their turn. The bus has no problems as it just sails down the right hand lane and cuts back in.

As I wait for the bus on Chesterfield Rd every morning I see the people who think they're too important to wait in the queue zoom past in the bus lane. Usually one man in a car. Selfish. I Wish there was CCTV so they could get fined.

As I wait for the bus on Chesterfield Rd every morning I see the people who think they're too important to wait in the queue zoom past in the bus lane. Usually one man in a car. Selfish. I Wish there was CCTV so they could get fined.
Thats a very selfish opinion as you say you are waiting. Therefore there are no buses in the bus lane or you would be on the bus. So the motorist has used his brain and decided to use a lane that is empty hes not causing an obstruction. So whats the problem?

Walking into town the other morning, I was taking note of the junction on queen's road turning right onto eastbank/park grange road. About 10 cars turning right and an empty bus lane. The road in front was empty all the way to the traffic lights at the roundabout, but everyone was stuck behind the right turners at the junction because of the bus lane.
How is this easing congestion?

Oh and I'm sorry Planner1, but any valid points you may make were completely negated to me by your views on the Woodseats road "improvements". The road planners in Sheffield are a joke.

Grrrrrrrr

Walking into town the other morning, I was taking note of the junction on queen's road turning right onto eastbank/park grange road. About 10 cars turning right and an empty bus lane. The road in front was empty all the way to the traffic lights at the roundabout, but everyone was stuck behind the right turners at the junction because of the bus lane.
How is this easing congestion?

Oh and I'm sorry Planner1, but any valid points you may make were completely negated to me by your views on the Woodseats road "improvements". The road planners in Sheffield are a joke.

Grrrrrrrr

Giving priority to a bus with 70 people on it, but having to hold up 10 single occupant cars, gives a very large overall saving in PERSON DELAYS, which is how the Government measures congestion. Bus lanes are needed to help the speed and reliability of bus services, to ensure that they are a viable alternative to the private car.

The road planners in Sheffield are very good at their jobs. The fact that you don't like the outcomes of their schemes doesn't make them incompetent. The fact that you drive a car doesn't make you a highways expert. By all means ask the question why? But don't call people names for doing their job well.
Grrrrrrr!

Giving priority to a bus with 70 people on it, but having to hold up 10 single occupant cars, gives a very large overall saving in PERSON DELAYS, which is how the Government measures congestion. Bus lanes are needed to help the speed and reliability of bus services, to ensure that they are a viable alternative to the private car.

The road planners in Sheffield are very good at their jobs. The fact that you don't like the outcomes of their schemes doesn't make them incompetent. The fact that you drive a car doesn't make you a highways expert. By all means ask the question why? But don't call people names for doing their job well.
Grrrrrrr!

If you read the quote, I didn't say 10 cars were held up, I said 10 turning right. The queue was way longer. And as for road planners doing a good job, have you been up Chesterfield Road at tea time??? Since the road "improvements" were implemented it has become a nightmare. Please explain to me how it was improved and that the whole affair isn't a joke.
Maybe when you've sat in the queues there night after night you may understand the "Grrrrrrrrrrrrr"...(more r's added for effect!!:hihi: )


Oh, and where did I say in the original post that I drive a car??

i definately think they should make some crunchy nut lanes:hihi:

I find it very irritating when sat in traffic and some smart ass comes up the bus lane and tries to cut in, i personally dont let them, they can wait like everyone else, but you always get that nice considerate driver who lets them in:rant:

If you read the quote, I didn't say 10 cars were held up, I said 10 turning right. The queue was way longer. And as for road planners doing a good job, have you been up Chesterfield Road at tea time??? Since the road "improvements" were implemented it has become a nightmare. Please explain to me how it was improved and that the whole affair isn't a joke.
Maybe when you've sat in the queues there night after night you may understand the "Grrrrrrrrrrrrr"...(more r's added for effect!!:hihi: )


Oh, and where did I say in the original post that I drive a car??

The journey times are better for the whole corridor at all times of the day. The Council placed automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras along the corridor from Meadowhead to Queens Road. They logged every single vehicle which used the route for an extended period. The times for all segments of the journey were better after the schemem was implemented. ANPR cameras don't lie, the data is good and valid. The Council have concrete proof that the scheme has worked.

There have been queues at Woodseats for as long as I can remember, no-one can make them go away, there are just too many vehicles. What the scheme does is queue the vehicles on the periphery to prevent the shopping centre area from becoming clogged with traffic, it also gives some progression through the various sets of traffic lights once drivers are through the "gateways".

People think that because they are queuing in a different place for perhaps slightly longer at that point than before, that the whole journey is slower. It isn't. Keeping the centre from clogging up improves the journey times, resulting in overall gains. The survey figures prove it, they aren't made up, they are HARD FACTS.

ANPR cameras don't lie

Actually ANPR cameras, like any piece of hardware that needs software to run it, can have bugs in them. They might not lie, but they can be mistaken.


What the scheme does is queue the vehicles on the periphery to prevent the shopping centre area from becoming clogged with traffic

And this explains why there's standing traffic at rush-hour in and around the shopping area?


it also gives some progression through the various sets of traffic lights once drivers are through the "gateways".

Eh? Obviously it's going to give 'some progression' through the traffic lights or you'd just sit at the lights and go nowhere.