Bus-only lanes separate buses from mixed traffic to help improve transit reliability and frequency, reduce congestion, and support mobility. Designated bus lanes provide transit priority for rapid transit and local buses, and unrestricted access to emergency vehicles.
In London, dedicated bus lanes are being installed immediately at the curb (curbside-running), and in an offset configuration in the middle of the road (centre-running lanes). Red paint, signs and other pavement markings help recognize bus-only lanes.
Bus-only lane benefits
Bus-only lanes have a number of benefits, including:
- Reliability – reduce travel time and increase service, as frequently as every 90 seconds during peak times.
- Reduce congestion – allowing buses to travel on dedicated lanes help reduce delays and ease congestion in general traffic lanes.
- Increase capacity – there are more opportunities for other road users to travel in general traffic lanes.
- Smooth ride – separating buses from other vehicles help riders get where they need to go easier and faster.
Contraflow bus-only lane (King Street)
Two curbside bus lanes have been built on King Street between Downtown and Old East Village as part of the East London Link project to accommodate transit operations, allowing buses to travel in both directions (east and west) on King Street from Wellington Street to Ontario Street.
LTC buses are now travelling in both directions (westbound and eastbound) on King Street between Old East Village and Downtown. Unless you're driving an LTC bus, you should ONLY be travelling in ONE direction on King Street - that's eastbound!
Remember:
- Watch for signs, red paint, diamonds and arrows to recognize bus-only lanes
- Keep ALL red bus lanes clear for safe and smooth transit rides
- Look both ways when crossing
- Avoid fines. Driving, parking or stopping on the red bus lanes is not permitted.
Above: An aerial photo of the curbside bus lanes on King Street and Ontario Street.
The new road configuration
King Street remains one-way only (eastbound) for general traffic, and the two curbside red bus lanes are for LTC and rapid transit buses only (as shown in the conceptual graphic below).
Using specialized transit service?
Upon booking, riders will be directed to the safest stop near them. For questions, please contact LTC’s Customer Service at 519-451-1347 or ltc@londontransit.ca.
Emergency vehicle coming?
If an emergency vehicle is approaching from behind with lights and sirens on, you should safely pull over to the right (into the red bus lanes) to let it pass - just as you would on any other street.
In these situations, you are allowed to enter the bus-only lane if needed to make room. Emergency vehicles always take priority, and it's important that they can get through safely and quickly. If you must enter a transit lane to clear the way for an emergency vehicle, do so cautiously and return to your lane as soon as it is safe.
Biking through the Core Area?
People biking through the Core Area are encouraged to use Dundas Place and the Dundas Bikeway for east-west connections. Cycling is permitted in curbside bus lanes, where there are no dedicated cycling facilities on that street, and where the curbside bus lane is in the same direction as general vehicle traffic (King Street contraflow lane excepted). Regulatory white signs are posted along the bus lanes that show the reserved diamond lane can be used by both buses and bikes, or only buses.
Cycling is permitted in the following bus lanes:
- King Street (eastbound only)
- Queens Avenue
- Wellington Street (downtown only)
- Ontario Street
- Dundas Street, west of Egerton (westbound only)
- Dundas Street, east of Egerton (both directions)
Cycling is not permitted in the following bus lanes:
- Wellington Street/ Road (outside of downtown); bus-only lanes are centre-running
- King Street (westbound only); bus-only lane is contraflow, opposite the direction of vehicle traffic.
- Ridout Street; there are dedicated cycling facilities on Ridout Street
- Dundas Street, west of Egerton (eastbound); there are dedicated cycling facilities in the eastbound direction
Above: A map of the Core Area cycling connections. This map indicates in grey where cycling is permitted along the red bus lanes.
Above: An aerial photo of the new curbside bus lanes on King Street near Beal Secondary School.
Above: An aerial photo of the King Street red bus lanes.
Recognizing bus-only lanes
Pavement markings
Pavement markings are essential to help differentiate bus-only lanes from other traffic lanes. Pavement markings combined with road signs and traffic signals provide important information about the direction of traffic, and where vehicles may or may not travel.
In addition to road signs and traffic signals, red paint and diamond symbols are applied to help road users recognize bus-only lanes.
Signs
Reserved lane symbol indicates a lane is reserved for buses and help enforce the use of this lane. These signs can be ground-mounted, or installed overhead to notify road users of the restrictions.
This sign indicates that only buses can travel in that lane and driving, parking or stopping are not permitted.
This sign indicates that people biking can use the dedicated bus-only lane when cycling infrastructure is not in available within a close proximity to their destination.
Making turns
Right and left turns have changed at some intersections to ensure safety for all and to support efficient transit operations. Watch for pavement markings, signs and other elements to recognize where right/left turns are permitted along rapid transit routes.
Above: Aerial view of the King Street bus-only lanes approaching the Waterloo Street intersection.
Above: Aerial view of the King Street bus-only lanes approaching the Colborne Street intersection.
Line markings and right turns
Diamond symbol and solid white lines (No right turns)
Indicate that only buses are permitted in this lane. Drivers are not allowed to drive, park or stop in bus-only lanes.
At intersections with solid white lines and diamond lanes, right-turns are not permitted. In these locations, continue to the next intersection for an opportunity to turn right.
As part of the Downtown Loop corridor, right turns are restricted at the following intersections:
- King Street and Ridout Street
- King Street and Talbot Street
- King Street and Wellington Street
- Queens Avenue and Clarence Street
- Queens Avenue and Talbot Street
- Queens Avenue and Ridout Street
Shared lanes and dashed white lines (right turns permitted)
A dashed white line indicates that vehicles are permitted to cross the transit lane to enter or exit driveways or to access a right-hand turning lane.
There are also some shared right-turn lanes along the rapid transit corridors, where the corridor was too constrained for a dedicated right-turn lane. At these intersections, the white line is dashed and the red paint is pulled back from the intersection to indicate that vehicles can enter the transit lane and make their right-turn from there.
Dedicated right-turn lanes and dashed white lines (right turns permitted)
As part of the Downtown Loop corridor, right-turns are restricted at the following intersections:
- King Street and Clarence Street
- Queens Avenue and Richmond Street
Frequently asked questions
What do bus lanes look like?
Bus lanes are marked with a white solid diamond, which indicates the lane has been reserved for special purposes. Road signs and traffic signals are also installed to help road users recognize a bus-only lane. The sign has a diamond on it and a bus symbol. Red paint may also be applied to differentiate bus lanes from general traffic lanes.
Can other motor vehicles use bus lanes?
Dedicated bus lanes are just for buses to travel. It allows buses to get riders where they need to go faster and safer. Other motor vehicles are not permitted to park, stop, or drive in this line. Emergency vehicles excepted. Paving markings and road signs are used to indicate when a bus lane can be shared with other motor vehicles.
Can emergency vehicles use bus lanes?
Emergency vehicles can use the red bus lanes to respond to emergencies.
Can other non-LTC buses use the rapid transit lanes?
Red bus-only lanes and other transit infrastructure are for LTC and future rapid transit buses only. Non-LTC buses (e.g., yellow buses, inter-community transit, private service, etc.) will continue to use general traffic lanes.
Please remember that driving, parking and stopping in the bus-only lanes are not permitted.