Crawley's Western Boulevard bus service improvement scheme completed

The improvements, funded by the government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan, have delivered better bus facilities and bus connectivity improvements into the town centre. The scheme also completed the cycle route link from The Boulevard to existing cycle infrastructure on the High Street, along with junction improvements.

The bus infrastructure and public realm improvement scheme was delivered through the Crawley Growth Programme as an extension to the Eastern Gateway scheme completed in 2022.

The Western Boulevard improvements have included:

• a wider junction including an additional dedicated bus lane for buses turning right into The Broadway and a lane for ongoing traffic travelling eastbound, allowing cars to keep moving while buses turn
• continued segregated cycle tracks on The Boulevard, completing the link to the existing cycle infrastructure on the High Street
• a new parallel crossing allowing pedestrians and cyclist to cross safely together
• modal filters applied to one of the service roads off The Boulevard, improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists
• enhanced landscaping and quality materials, including resurfacing the road
• new paving for the pedestrian footways in the same style as the new paving at the eastern end of The Boulevard

These improvements will encourage more people to visit the town centre by bus and bike, benefitting town centre businesses.

Councillor Atif Nawaz, Cabinet member for Planning and Economic Development at Crawley Borough Council, said: “The completion of this improvement scheme will significantly improve what was previously a town centre bottleneck, reducing the time that buses are waiting at this junction and speeding up journeys for 10 million passenger journeys a year. It will also benefit all motorists, cyclists and pedestrians too and will transform the living and business environment

Councillor Joy Dennis, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “We are pleased to have worked closely with our partners, Crawley Borough Council and Metrobus, to complete the bus infrastructure and public realm scheme on The Boulevard in Crawley. The scheme promotes travel options for bus passengers and cyclists benefitting from improvements to bus journeys, bus reliability and cycle lanes with the added benefit of being more environmentally friendly.

“The Western Boulevard scheme complements the wider works being conducted through the Crawley Growth Programme, which the County Council is actively supporting through our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). The delivery of these programmes is a result of our Enhanced Partnership (EP) with bus operators collaborating with the Growth Programme partnership. It is also in line with the County Council’s priority of supporting a sustainable and prosperous economy within the county. This collaborative scheme will bring in long-lasting positive economic benefits to its residents, the town centre and its businesses.”

Nick Hill, Commercial Director for Metrobus, commented: “This section of the Boulevard was a major bottleneck for buses, causing delays and longer journeys for users. We're delighted to have worked with our partners on this great scheme which will improve the flow for buses, cyclists and pedestrians through this area. This will benefit around 10 million bus users a year through improved journey times and a more reliable service”.

Wendy Bell, Chief Executive of the Town Centre Business Improvement District, added: “We are delighted to see the Western Boulevard Scheme completed. The Crawley Growth Programme is working hard to make the town centre an impressive place for the 15 million visitors it attracts every year.”