I joined puzzled passengers as they took their first trip on Bradford's £12 million guided bus lane yesterday - and some struggled to understand the new system.
The Manchester Road Quality Bus Initiative, with its futuristic "talking shelters", left some people wondering where to wait as buses weaved in and out of the new guided bus lane.
I boarded the 363 bus at Bradford Interchange for a trip on the state-of-the-art lane - one of just six in the world. Reporters require a car and it must be years since I ventured on a city bus, so I was quietly looking forward to zipping up the middle of the road past other traffic.
But the reality outbound is different. As one passenger commented: "It goes half way up before it goes into the lane. What's the use of that?"
The bus system is designed to combat congestion, and drivers bound for Bradford make use of four sections whereas buses outbound use just one. So technically, where cars clog up the road into the city, the bus will be able to carry on.
One woman waiting at a bus shelter in the protected guideway voiced her confusion at the driver. Three services to Halifax had zoomed past her on the outside while she waited - getting angrier - on the new route, she said. Drivers have been trained to use their new route and First Bradford are keen to know if the "rules" are being broken.
But taking a peak hour trip will surely be made easier by the bus priority traffic signals which change to stop the cars and let the bus through.
Some passengers were unaware of a slight jolt as the bus switched from the road onto a stretch of the lane for specially adapted buses and the guide wheels clicked into place and touched the sides of the 'track'.
The Super shelter at St Stephen's Road junction and smaller shelter at Ripley Street use colours to trigger musical sounds and words but were dismissed by some as too gimmicky. I liked the novelty element and the idea that you have entertainment while waiting for a bus, but I wasn't too keen on the leak in the roof which was splashing water into a puddle.
The sounds echoing round take away the traffic noise, while another Supershelter has a digital display which changes with the time and gives out messages about events in the city.
My journey from the Interchange to Odsal Top took 12 minutes, arriving at 10.21. Brandon Jones, First Bradford spokesman, said all existing services should use the route except the 268, 624 and 845. Anyone unsure about which stop to use is advised to check details on the shelter.
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