Your views on the proposed bus lane and new bus stops on Grimston Road

In October/ November 2024 we ran a public consultation about our plans to add a new bus lane and bus stops on Grimston Road as part of Norfolk County Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

Respondents to the consultation were generally in favour of the uncontrolled crossing and two new bus stops. The addition of pathways were well supported as good safety interventions.

The main objections raised to the scheme were:

• The scheme was a waste of public funding
• Concern over the proposed banned right hand turns
• There was not enough improvement to warrant changes
• The plans will cause more congestion to other road users or elsewhere on the highway.
• People would prefer bus laybys/pull ins to bus lanes
• An uncontrolled crossing would be unsafe

All responses were read and analysed and fed back to our design team. On the main objections, the following responses were given.

Concern over the proposed banned right hand turns.

Following the consultation, it was agreed that the right turn out of the Knights Hill hotel will be not be removed and will remain in place.

The scheme was a waste of public funding.

This funding has been allocated to Norfolk directly from the Department for Transport and can only be spent on improvements to local bus services. If the project does not go ahead the money will likely be given back to Government as it is ringfenced and cannot be used to support other frontline council services or wider highway improvements. Specifically, the National Bus Strategy aims to improve bus journey times and reliability which will be achieved by this scheme.

There was not enough improvement to warrant changes

The proposed design achieves the overall objective of improving bus journey times and reliability at this location when measured against current and future traffic flows.

The plans will cause more congestion to other road users or elsewhere on the highway.

The bus lane is an additional and dedicated lane for buses using space from the adjacent grass verge. The new bus stops are off the main carriageway and therefore an improvement on the current layout. Therefore, the proposed design will improve bus journey times and reliability with minimal impact to general road users.

People would prefer bus laybys/pull ins to bus lanes

The inbound bus stop is a layby and the outbound stop is within the bus lane therefore not affecting the flow of general traffic.

An uncontrolled crossing would be unsafe

Currently there is no safe area to use the bus facility or cross the road. The design has been subject to a safety audit that did not raise any concerns.

Work on the scheme is scheduled to commence in autumn 2025, more details can be found at www.norfolk.gov.uk/grimstonroad

We thank everyone who took the time to respond to the consultation.