Done for the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), the study analysed behaviours between people on bikes and pedestrians getting on and off buses at 'island' stops.
'Island' stops are raised platforms where buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. They improve safety but can still require pedestrians to cross cycle paths to access the bus stop.
To understand the scale of unsafe interactions between bus passengers and cycle lane users, WSP behavioural science experts looked at footage of more than 1,100 people at different island bus stops in Wellington where separated cycleways met bus stops. They also looked at design features that could support or inhibit harmonious interactions.
While the study found that 85 percent of interactions are managed by having more space and cyclist behaviour, conflicts do still happen.
Understanding where things could be improved is important. The country is developing a more mature cycling network and, by 2060, public transport and micro-mobility trips on bikes and scooters are expected to grow from 1.3 billion to 1.8 billion. More trips mean more potential unsafe interactions between bus passengers and cycle lane users.
Optimising pedestrian and rider interactions when separated cycleways and bus routes share transport corridors can be a tricky design challenge - one often exacerbated by the limited amount of road space available.
But the study found areas where design can improve safety. Wider bus user island spaces, for example, reduce unsafe interactions. Paint markings such as mini zebra crossings, edge lines and colour changes can also reduce conflict by encouraging more predictable bus user crossing behaviour.
Putting research into practice, the study's findings now feature in NZTA's guidance on design options for island bus stops. The results of the study also complement design recommendations created by WSP Canada, who have run island bus stop user trials with the blind and low vision community.
