In May, Madrid debuts rapid bus service with green traffic lights wave technology

The authorities would like you to think of it as a tram on wheels

Come the month of May, EMT (Madrid’ public bus operator) will launch the Spanish capital’s first rapid bus service – Bus Rapid. Featuring zero emissions and a sleek modern design, the vehicles will run on a special segregated lane in the middle of the road between Sanchinarro and the Ramón y Cajal Hospital.

The entire trip of 31 kilometres is estimated to take only 30 minutes. That will be possible because the rapid bus will not have to stop at the traffic lights of the 68 intersections it will cross on its way. And that, in turn, will be possible due to a pioneering technology that will ensure an intermittent wave of green lights specifically for its lane.

The future of urban surface public transit?

The electric and fast bus, with a modern and minimalist design (likened to a tram), represents a further step towards sustainable mobility and includes Madrid in the group of cities in the world that have implemented BRT systems (Bus Rapid Transit). The latter refers to the creation of high-capacity green transport corridors with traffic light priority in urban axes mainly located on the periphery. 

Thanks to the segregated road lane and the traffic light priority, the rapid bus transit has the capacity to offer an attractive alternative to private transportation on the busy city streets.

The traffic light priority implementation requires the installation of 12 kilometres of fibre optics and ten new cameras connected to the Mobility Management Center, in addition to operating at 68 crossings with 390 Rapid Bus detectors. 

The only exception to the priority of the bus will be at the intersection of Pi y Margall Avenue with Príncipe Carlos Street, where it intersects with the light rail and where the latter will have priority.