Design considerations

Important design considerations for layovers also include safety and security, road safety and inclusive access, street furniture and utilities, and electric bus charging.

Safety and security

The location of bus layover facilities should minimise the opportunity for criminal activity and enhance all elements of safety for users and drivers. Safety and security are important considerations because bus services can operate late into the night and bus drivers are required to carry cash boxes as part of their job.

Bus layovers should be located in areas which are:

• clearly visible with unobstructed sightlines to and from surrounding mixed-use activities or passing pedestrians and motorists
• well-lit, near street lighting or other sources of illumination
• possibility of security cameras to improve surveillance at the location.

Road safety and inclusive access

Bus layovers and driver facilities should be located in a way that does not negatively impact on road safety or the efficient operations of the transport network.

When selecting the location of bus layovers consider: 

• how buses will access the site and whether turning movements present a hazard to other road users
• ‘desire lines’ (direct and desirable routes) for people on foot or bikes so that people do not walk or cycle through the bus layover area
• whether parked buses or driver facilities will obstruct sight lines for nearby driveways, intersections or crossings.
• if driver facilities are separate from the bus layover then the safety of the walking route between the layover and driver facilities should be considered.

Street furniture and utilities

Street furniture, including but not limited to benches, bus shelters, cycle parking, and signage, are required to be installed in locations that do not interfere with bus front or rear overhang.

More detail is covered in the bus stop design guidelines:

Corridor clearance

Bus stop design

Existing utilities such as stormwater sump and service covers will ideally be clear of any bus movements within the layover area to avoid disruption to the layover space during utility works. A layover space must not be located in such a way that a parked bus can obstruct a fire hydrant, as bus drivers may lock and leave the bus while taking their break which limits emergency service access.