The guided bus system
that exists between Eindhoven Airport and the centre of the city and
the bike path alongside
Meerhoven is a new development of around 7000 houses just outside
Eindhoven. When I took these photos and videos in 2006 it was roughly half built, but in typical Dutch style the infrastructure already existed - including schools, shops and a fully working guided bus. Also of course there were excellent cycle paths all around. Access between the Airport, Meerhoven and the centre of
Eindhoven is very easy and very fast by either bus or bike. It really is a very
efficient system, and of interest to Cambridge people because we also
have a guided bus which is being built. Whether the Cambridgeshire
guided bus will work so well as this one is something we will only find
out after it's been built.
The style of development is very modern with well insulated and energy
efficient houses. Also, the transport is very efficient. The guided bus
uses an LPG fuelled hybrid system for much better than normal
efficiency. The guided bus route is largely separate from the rest of
the traffic all the way through to the central station in Eindhoven - a
true transport interchange where in one place you can hire bikes, take
coaches, buses, trains and taxis.
The bus itself is quite remarkable. Just like when cycling in this area, you
find it seems to be able to travel non-stop despite the snarled up
traffic around it. At most major road junctions the lights all go red
to allow the bus to drive through at speed. At one roundabout the bus
goes straight
through the middle.
Note that this and other videos include explanatory captions which are visible only on computers and not on mobile devices.
Approaching Meerhoven from the Eindhoven direction. At the
lights the road turns into a bus only lane which goes straight on, as
does the cycle path. The road goes off to the side and takes a longer
way around.
A little further along we turn off the path in order to go past a
school. Note the small scale CHP (Combined Heat and Power) power
station which appears on the left. This is one of the reasons why most
of these houses don't have central heating boilers. Waste heat from the
power station is used to heat homes and provide hot water. The other
reason is that they are very well insulated. Also note the bus stop. We
end up going past a school.
From the school to some houses.
Heading south from just outside the airport into Meerhoven. At first we
have an access road alongside, but after a while it's just the guided
bus line again. Nice and direct path.
Note how the roads give way to both the cycle path and guided bus path.
Through some junctions, at which motorists give way to
the bike and bus paths, past a bus stop which has cycle parking. All
the time with the bus lane to the left and minor roads for housing to
the right.
Leaving Meerhoven and heading towards Eindhoven. Note how the traffic lights change for us as we come up to the junction with a road. Don't worry about the lights which remain red as those are the pedestrian lights and we're on a bike. If as a cyclist you get a green light on a Dutch crossing you can cross the entire road, with no central reservation, even at large junction where there are four lanes each side.
The bus service is quite regular and has these useful real time
information boards at each stop.
Typical modern energy efficient home in Meerhoven with cycle path
outside.
More about Meerhoven
More about the Guided
Bus (click on projects and then Eindhoven for this particular
system)
A promotional video for the bus has recently been uploaded:
