Ever wondered why our pedestrian
bridges are so high? Well, the planners of years ago deserve HIGH praise
- they're tall enough for full size double decker buses to drive under
them! Because, enthuses David Hardy, double deckers are the most efficient
way of moving large numbers of people by road.
2 decks, 2 doors, 6 wheels and 72 seats.
How would a fleet of these transform Chiangmai?
Ten years ago a Thai lady married a Londoner and went there to live
with him. On her first day in the British capital, he took her on a double
deck bus tour - one of the best ways to see the famous places she knew
from films and TV. Ideal for tourists, this form of sight-seeing has become
a London 'must'. Sitting near the rear of the top deck, they paid the fare
to the conductor and the engine started up. The Thai bride peered forward
suspiciously and saw that no-one was sitting on the front seats. The conductor
rang the bell and the bus began to move forwards. "No driver!"
shrieked the lady - and ran for the stairs. True story!
If only Thailand had double deckers she would not have panicked. If
only Chiangmai had double deckers we'd be able to move the human contents
of 27 tuk-tuks and 40 seelors per bus road-space. And at a fraction of
the cost of light railways, skytrains, underground trains etc etc. In addition
to the purchase price of the buses (about the same as a long distance coach)
Chiangmai would need only to slightly raise a few kilometre lengths of
overhead cable and trim some trees to avoid mishaps. Double deckers are
statistically just as safe as singles and much more economic to buy and
run. Here in South East Asia, crowded Hong Kong has enjoyed their advantages
for decades (along with trams!) and they can be fan-cooled or air-conditioned,
with clean and quiet exhausts. They don't have to be green of course. We
thought a nice pale saffron colour for Chiangmai…….........
And as a London bus exec said: "Double deckers even have a hidden
advantage when they're off duty. You don't need much road space to park
enough seating for 72 people!"
TRANSLATION: THAI-ENGLISH / ENGLISH-THAI
Top value service from the English
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"Good Morning Chiangmai News"
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A perfect city for bus routes!
Little did he know, but when he designed Chiangmai over 700 years ago,
King Mengrai drew the map for one of the easiest and best city bus systems
that any modern planner could wish for! The square of the old defensive
moat, the almost circular Superhighway and the main routes fanning out
to the 4 points of the compass make up an ideal blue-print for bus services
which could be the envy of all Thailand.
One of many Chiangmai
city streets grid-locked at school time. But the bridge WILL take
tall buses!
Just check the map and imagine the future! In the old city centre we have 2 circular routes. The inner circle runs anti-clockwise around the
inside of the moat with strategic stops at main intersections (where incoming
routes turn around), plus other busy points. The outer circle runs clockwise
around the outside of the moat with similar stops. Rest halt and change-over
point for crews inside the moat could be near Buak Hard Park on Bamroongburi
Road, where parking is easy and the road wide enough. Outer circle crews
could pause on Boonruangrit Road, conveniently outside the huge Wattanotaipayap
School.
The same principle would be repeated around the Superhighway, also in
opposite directions, using Mahidon Road as the link to the south of the
city. Until and unless the Air Force allows the "missing link"
of the Superhighway to be built over their land, a rare brain teaser is
presented in this south west corner. Suggestion: the 'outer' buses simply
use the southern half of Boonruangrit, turn left into Suthep Road then
right into Nimmanhemin Road to connect with the 'loose end' of Superhighway.
And the 'inner service'? Well, this area could get a bonus if that route
turned left from Suthep into Boonruangrit, U-turned across the moat into
Arak Road, round the corner past the Park, another U-turn into Changlor
Road and left towards Airport Plaza and Mahidon Road to complete the loop.
Extra good news and service for Wattanotaipayap School and all who enjoy
the unique Buak Hard Park! Main routes in from Chiangmai's suburbs follow
the same principle at their city termini, looping into the moat square,
inter-facing with the circular routes and turning back out again. The city
end of Chotana Road might have to revert to 2-way flow again, but strict
enforcement of parking laws by 'Chiangmai's finest' should ensure smooth
progress!
So what do the people get?
Just 2 examples. Khun 'Ay' lives in Borsang and works at THAI
Airways near Chang Puak Gate. He catches our 'Number 9' to Thapae Gate.
He alights after it U-turns into Moon Muang Road and catches an 'inner
circle' (the stops would be within 30 metres of each other), riding around
anti-clockwise to his destination.
Khun 'Bee' needs 3 buses for her commuting journey, but it's
no hassle. She lives in Sansai and works at the Novotel. Her incoming bus
drops her at the Superhighway, where she catches the anti-clockwise route
across the river to the junction with the Mae Rim road, changing to that
inbound service for the last leg to the hotel, part way down Chotana Road.
Other advantages? No big, expensive new bus station or huge garage is
needed. Only the smallest fleets - the 2 'moat circulars' - need a small
garage/parking area near the city centre. Quite enough vacant land on the
outside near the Chinese Consulate. The Superhighway circulars need a base
and there's quite enough land to choose from out there, also for the essential
maintenance depot.
The 'straight line' suburban services all have their bases at the far
ends of their routes, all parking overnight in the right places to meet
the early morning inbound demand.
How many buses and crews, running at intervals of how many minutes
and between what hours? Bus-only traffic lanes and more pedestrian bridges
at every main junction? How much are the fares, where does the capital
investment come from and will it ever make a profit? Over to you……..!
David
Hardy
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