Editing Fastway (bus rapid transit)

{{Short description|Bus rapid transit scheme in Surrey and Sussex, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox Public transit
| name            = Fastway
| image           = FastwayBus.svg
| image2          = Fastway hydrogen powered bus on Lucerne Drive (geograph 8028287) (cropped).jpg
| caption2        = A Fastway [[Wright GB Kite Hydroliner]] [[fuel cell bus]] in Crawley in April 2025
| locale          = [[Crawley]]
| transit_type    = [[Bus rapid transit]] and [[Guided busway]]
| began_operation = October 2006
| lines           = 3
| system_length   = {{convert|24|km|mi|1|abbr=on}}
| vehicles        = 
| stations        = 150
| operator        = [[Metrobus (South East England)|Metrobus]]
| map             = 
| map_state       = 
| website         = [http://www.fastway.info www.fastway.info]
}}
'''Fastway''' is a [[bus rapid transit]] network in [[Surrey]] and [[West Sussex]], United Kingdom, linking [[Crawley]] with [[London Gatwick Airport|Gatwick Airport]] and [[Horley]], the first to be constructed outside a major city. It uses specially adapted buses that can either be steered by the driver or operate as "self steering" [[guided bus]]es along a specially constructed track. Fastway is operated by [[Metrobus (South East England)|Metrobus]], using [[Wright GB Kite Hydroliner]] [[fuel cell bus]]es.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metrobus.co.uk/download/7807.8/fleet-list/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-07-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116071805/http://www.metrobus.co.uk/download/7807.8/fleet-list/ |archive-date=16 January 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gardner |first=Andrew |url=https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/23444862.crawley-metrobus-begins-testing-wright-hydroliner-fleet/ |title=Crawley Metrobus begins testing of Wright Hydroliner fleet |work=The Argus |location=Brighton |date=11 April 2023 |access-date=3 June 2023}}</ref>

==Overview==
Fastway aims to improve bus services in the Crawley, Gatwick and Horley area.  The project included construction of new bus lanes, including guided bus lanes, construction of new bus waiting shelters and provision of electronic real-time passenger information and a fleet of new low-floor buses for Metrobus (part of the Go Ahead Group)
[[File:Metrobus 578 YT09 BKV.JPG|right|thumb|[[Bus priority]] includes this bus lane over the middle of Tushmore Roundabout in Crawley, allowing buses to by-pass other traffic.]]
[[File:Metrobus 550 YN05 HCF and Crawley London Road A23 guided busway.JPG|right|thumb|A stretch of guided Busway on the A23 London Road in Crawley. This leads up to the bus lane over the roundabout.]]

Construction work began in May 2002, and was scheduled to be completed by June 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fastway.info/creating/phasing.htm|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20021209002321/http://www.fastway.info/creating/phasing.htm|archive-date = 9 December 2002|title = Metrobus}}</ref>  In October 2006, major work stopped, having completed around 60% of the planned work - 1.5&nbsp;km guided and 5.8&nbsp;km unguided bus lanes were constructed,<ref>Fastway Official Newsletter 13, ''"1.5km guided and 5.8km unguided bus lanes were constructed"'' {{cite web |url=http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/content/roads-and-transport/public-transport/fastway/news-archive.en?page=2 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2007-08-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927011731/http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/content/roads-and-transport/public-transport/fastway/news-archive.en?page=2 |archive-date=27 September 2007 |df=dmy-all }}, retrieved 9 August 2007</ref> of the planned 2.5&nbsp;km guided and 8.8&nbsp;km unguided lanes.<ref>Fastway Official Website 12 August 2002, ''"Fastway Facts and Figures, as announced in 2002"'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20021208230313/http://www.fastway.info/creating/facts.htm], retrieved 12 August 2002</ref> The planned 24 traffic lights and 11 roundabouts were changed to 40 traffic lights and 2 roundabouts.

==History==
Phase 1 (Service 10) commenced in September 2003 between Bewbush and Gatwick, £50,000 over budget and four months behind schedule.<ref name="2003Launch">{{cite news |title=Fastway to Gatwick |url=http://www.busandcoach.com/64news3.html |url-status=dead |work=Bus & Coach Professional |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041021225834/http://www.busandcoach.com/64news3.html |date=2003 |archive-date=21 October 2004 |access-date=3 June 2023}}</ref> The opening was attended by Tony McNulty MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport{{Citation needed|date=August 2008}}, and local dignitaries. The service was extended from 21- to 24-hour operation in May 2004 and now runs every 7 minutes during the day and every 20–30 minutes in the early morning, evening and Sunday.

In July 2005 the project was more than £6 million over budget. An independent inquiry was launched to investigate the losses, led by a task force from [[East Sussex County Council]]. The results of the inquiry were published in December 2005. ESCC concluded West Sussex had shown a pattern of "ineffective accountability, complacency, ineffective risk management and a lack of clear ownership of the financial management responsibilities".<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/southern_counties/4553724.stm BBC NEWS | UK | England | Southern Counties | Staff 'not to blame' for bus cost<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

On 27 August 2005 Fastway service 20 was introduced, running between [[Broadfield, Crawley|Broadfield]], [[Three Bridges, West Sussex|Three Bridges]], [[Manor Royal, Crawley|Manor Royal]], Gatwick Airport, Horley and Langshott.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-03 |title=METROBUS - Service Revisions |url=http://www.metrobus.co.uk:80/service_revisions.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051003221410/http://www.metrobus.co.uk:80/service_revisions.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=2005-10-03 |access-date=2023-03-18 }}</ref> On Mondays to Saturdays it runs approximately every 20-30 minutes during the day, and every 30 minutes in the early morning, late evening and all-day Sunday. Service 20 runs now 24-hours.<ref>{{Cite web |title=20 - Pease Pottage - Horley (Langshott) |url=https://www.metrobus.co.uk/services/MB/20 |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=www.metrobus.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>

==Decision making process==
[[Bus rapid transit]] was chosen to minimise start-up costs, and remove the need for public consultation exercises.
{{Citation needed|reason=where is this from? ''"The relative costs of Fastway-type schemes as opposed to tramways are very attractive, and they can be constructed under existing Highways Act powers."'' - West Sussex County Council Fastway project director Paul Wreyford, September 2004.|date=August 2008}}
Fastway is the first bus rapid transit system in the world to be built outside a major city by a partnership of local authorities and private companies with automatic vehicle location, pre-trip and in-trip passenger information and automatic traffic signal priority from the start.{{Citation needed|reason=where? As stated by the www.idea-knowledge.gov.uk website?|date=August 2008}}

==Funding==

In June 2002 the official Fastway website was updated to show a cost of £27 million, with just under £10 million provided by the government.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20021106192334/http://www.fastway.info/about_fastway/cost.htm Fastway - How much will it cost?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

In September 2003, the Go-Ahead group withdrew their £3 million commitment to the project. The government increased its contribution to cover this as well as other rising costs, raising its contribution to £16.642 million.<ref>[http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/CS/cabinet/Cab060104i4Appendix2.pdf West Sussex County Council - Local Transport Plan Settlement 2004-05] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927012033/http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/CS/cabinet/Cab060104i4Appendix2.pdf |date=27 September 2007 }}</ref><ref>[http://crawleytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=496&ArticleID=1095425 Fastway Scheme is £6M Over Budget 27 July 2005]{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

By July 2005, West Sussex County Council's share of the project's cost had increased five-fold from £6.2 million to almost £30 million, resulting in external audit and probe into the programme.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2005-07-22 |title=Inquiry into travel scheme costs |language=en-GB |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/4707511.stm |access-date=2023-03-18}}</ref> The inquiry found no wrongdoing by a single employee of the council when it concluded in December 2005, however did state that the council had "ineffective accountability, complacency, ineffective risk management and a lack of clear ownership of the financial management responsibilities".<ref>{{Cite news |date=2005-12-22 |title=Staff 'not to blame' for bus cost |language=en-GB |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/southern_counties/4553724.stm |access-date=2023-03-18}}</ref>

==Services==
[[File:Au Morandarte Flickr IMG 2871 (14679031557).jpg|right|thumb|Three Fastway [[Volvo B7RLE]] [[Wright Eclipse|Wright Eclipse 2]] buses at [[Gatwick Airport]] on routes 10 and 20.]]

The Fastway system is currently formed of three bus routes, all of which are operated by [[Metrobus (South East England)|Metrobus]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/metrobus/MB/20-map-20210828-eb298eac.pdf|title=Fastway Network Map|work=Metrobus|access-date=10 February 2022}}</ref>

===Route 10===
Route 10 is the most frequent service on the network. It operates between [[Kilnwood Vale]] and [[Gatwick Airport]] via [[Bewbush]], [[Broadfield, Crawley|Broadfield]], [[Crawley|Crawley Town Centre]] and [[Manor Royal]]. It runs every 10 minutes during daytime on weekdays and Saturdays, every 12 minutes on Sundays and every 30 minutes overnight.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metrobus.co.uk/services/MB/10|title=Fastway 10: Kilnwood Vale to Gatwick Airport|work=[[Metrobus (South East England)|Metrobus]]|access-date=11 April 2024}}</ref>

===Route 20===
Route 20 operates between [[Pease Pottage]] and Langshott via Broadfield, Crawley Town Centre, [[Three Bridges, West Sussex|Three Bridges]], Gatwick Airport and [[Horley]]. It runs every 20 minutes during daytime on weekdays and Saturdays, every 30 minutes on Sundays and approximately every 45 minutes overnight.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metrobus.co.uk/services/MB/20|title=Fastway 20: Pease Pottage to Langshott|work=[[Metrobus (South East England)|Metrobus]]|access-date=11 April 2024}}</ref>

===Route 100===
Route 100 is the longest route on the network. It operates between [[Maidenbower]] and [[Redhill, Surrey|Redhill]] via Three Bridges, Crawley Town Centre, Manor Royal, Gatwick Airport, Horley and [[East Surrey Hospital]]. It runs every 20 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays, every 30 minutes on Sundays and hourly overnight.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metrobus.co.uk/services/MB/100|title=Fastway 100: Maidenbower to Redhill|work=[[Metrobus (South East England)|Metrobus]]|access-date=11 April 2024}}</ref>

==Promoters==
{{unreferenced section|date=February 2016}}
The Fastway project was promoted and funded by a [[public-private partnership]]. The consortium included [[West Sussex|West Sussex County Council]], [[Surrey|Surrey County Council]], [[Crawley|Crawley Borough Council]], [[Reigate and Banstead|Reigate and Banstead Borough Council]], [[BAA Limited|BAA Gatwick]], [[British Airways]]. There is also support from the UK Department for Transport.

The project initially included a £3 million contribution by [[Metrobus (South East England)|Metrobus]], the bus operator, and its parent company, the [[Go-Ahead Group]], but this was withdrawn after construction had started, and the money was replaced by West Sussex County Council.

The projected cost started at £27 million and was later revised to £32 million, then £35 million, with between £7.5 and £10 million from West Sussex County Council. The final cost of the scheme is still unknown, but has risen from the original estimates and was described as £6 million over budget

Metrobus has stated that passenger figures are up 10 percent, with 35 percent of journeys being to and from Gatwick.  One million passengers were carried in the first seven months of operation.

==Opposition==
[[File:Metrobus 475 YN53 RYD.JPG|right|thumb|Sometimes, when not enough Fastway vehicles are available, standard buses have to substitute. Seen here is a double-decker operating route 100 outside Horley Library.]]

It has been noted{{by whom|date=September 2011}} that, while successful at reducing road traffic, Fastway has not tackled gaps in the existing public transport network, particularly [[Pound Hill]].<ref>[http://www.crawley.libdems.org.uk/news/66.html Fastway - response to Labour's claims (Crawley Liberal Democrats)<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120723010755/http://www.crawley.libdems.org.uk/news/66.html |date=23 July 2012 }}</ref>

==Accidents==
On 31 October 2005 a Fastway bus travelling along Breezehurst Drive crashed into a terraced house. Two elderly residents were evacuated, and the damage required the house to be demolished. Four passengers suffered minor injuries.<ref>[http://www.crawleytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=496&ArticleID=1238095 Crawley Observer - Bus Crashes Into House]{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Another accident was reported in the same place in 2008.<ref>[http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/bewbush/Fears-of-bus-crash-couple.3969929.jp Crawley Observer - Fears of bus crash couple]</ref>

==Passenger numbers==
A survey in 2006 showed average passenger numbers during the 7-9am peak were 5, one for each bus
<ref>{{cite news|title=SURVEY SHOWS JUST ONE PASSENGER PER FASTWAY BUS|url=http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/news/local/survey-shows-just-one-passenger-per-fastway-bus-1-972105|access-date=20 August 2012|newspaper=Crawley Observer|date=22 June 2006 <!-- 13:32 --> |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109213821/http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/news/local/survey-shows-just-one-passenger-per-fastway-bus-1-972105|archive-date=9 November 2013}}</ref> By 2008 as the system became established the West Sussex County Council indicated that bus use in Crawley had increased by 25% following quality improvements.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.crawley.gov.uk/pw/Council_Services_and_Democracy/Council_Meetings/Committee_Documents/INT146749?ssSourceNodeId=409 |title=Crawley Borough Council |access-date=2 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413143224/http://www.crawley.gov.uk/pw/Council_Services_and_Democracy/Council_Meetings/Committee_Documents/INT146749?ssSourceNodeId=409 |archive-date=13 April 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of guided busways and BRT systems in the United Kingdom]]
* [[List of bus operators of the United Kingdom]]
* [[Fastrack (bus)|Fastrack]] - similar sized but unguided scheme in north-west Kent

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
*Official site from November 2002 on Archive.org [https://web.archive.org/web/20021208230951/http://www.fastway.info/creating/building.htm], retrieved 5 August 2005.
*Edmund Nuttall Ltd (fastway contractor), September 2004 news [https://web.archive.org/web/20050415234934/http://www.edmund-nuttall.co.uk/news/september2004/fastway.html], retrieved 5 August 2005.
*Local Transport Plan Settlement 2004-05 (PDF) [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927012033/http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/CS/cabinet/Cab060104i4Appendix2.pdf], retrieved 5 August 2005.
*Fastway will use £19 million public money and £14 million private money, and will used untested technology.[http://www.idea-knowledge.gov.uk/idk/aio/791370]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, retrieved 5 August 2005.
*Fastway protest 'snowballs' [http://icsurreyonline.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200surreyheadlines/tm_objectid=14744177%26method=full%26siteid=50101-name_page.html], retrieved 5 August 2005.


==External links==
{{Commons category|Crawley Fastway}}
*[http://www.fastway.info Fastway - Official Site]

{{Crawley}}
{{UK busway}}
{{Bus companies in South East England}}

{{coord missing|West Sussex}}
[[Category:Transport in Crawley]]
[[Category:Guided busways and BRT systems in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Gatwick Airport]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Crawley]]
[[Category:Airport bus services in the United Kingdom]]