In January 1997, a 2-year EU DG7 project called ICARO (Increase in CAR Occupancy) commenced. As a full partner in that project, Leeds City Council welcomed the opportunity to demonstrate a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane on an all-purpose urban road in Leeds. On 11th May 1998 the HOV lane opened in the Leeds-bound direction on the A647 - a dual carriageway road linking Bradford and Leeds. It is the first of its type in Europe and provides priority for buses and, more innovatively, permits cars to use the priority lane on the basis of occupancy. The Leeds HOV lane is, therefore, available to cars with two or more occupants. The HOV lane operates in the morning and evening peak periods and has been implemented using an experimental Traffic Regulation Order. The basic components of the scheme are: (1) 1.6km HOV lane; (2) bus measures, including half lay-bys; (3) pedestrian improvements; (4) 3km of new cycle measures; (5) community benefits; and (6) safety measures.
Abstract