MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT &

COMMUNICATIONS QATAR
Technical Affairs Department

PLANNING STANDARDS FOR

PROVISION OF BUS SERVICES
BUS STOPS AND RELATED
INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN GUIDELINES

March 2017

Notice
The Ministry of Transport & Communications of the State of Qatar (the Authority) have the copyright of this document. This document shall
remain the property of the Authority and is responsible for any modifications to the document.
The document is prepared to guide and assist transport professionals, planners, engineers, designers and all related stakeholders when
planning and designing for public bus infrastructure in new and existing developments in the State of Qatar.
 Planning Standards for Provision of Bus Service Version 4
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CONTENTS

GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................................................................ 5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................... 6

1 GENERAL .................................................................................................................................................. 7

1.1 PUBLIC TRANSPORT VISION ...................................................................................................................... 7

1.2 OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................................................................... 7
1.3 APPLICATION OF THESE GUIDELINES ............................................................................................................ 8
1.3.1 Interpretation of Terminology .................................................................................................... 8
1.3.2 Effects on Existing Bus Operations .............................................................................................. 8
1.3.3 Exempt Services ......................................................................................................................... 8
1.3.4 Bus Operation Types & Areas ..................................................................................................... 9
1.4 INTEGRATED PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICE .................................................................................................... 9
1.5 OTHER REGULATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 10
2 BUS STOP PLANNING & DESIGN ............................................................................................................. 11

2.1 BUS STOP TYPES .................................................................................................................................. 11

2.1.1 Regular Stops .......................................................................................................................... 11
2.1.2 Intermediate Stops .................................................................................................................. 11
2.1.3 Premium Stops ........................................................................................................................ 11
2.1.4 Signature Stops ........................................................................................................................ 11
2.2 BUS INFORMATION FOR PASSENGERS ........................................................................................................ 13
2.3 BUS STOP LOCATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 13
2.3.1 Locating a Bus Stop.................................................................................................................. 13
2.3.2 Restrictions on Bus Stop Locations ........................................................................................... 14
2.4 BUS STOP SPACING .............................................................................................................................. 18
2.5 BUS STOP AREA .................................................................................................................................. 19
2.6 BUS STOP LAYOUT TYPES ....................................................................................................................... 20
2.6.1 Kerbside Bus Stops ................................................................................................................... 20
2.6.2 Bus Boarders ........................................................................................................................... 20
2.6.2.1 Full Width Boarder.............................................................................................................................. 21
2.6.2.2 Half Width Boarder ............................................................................................................................. 21
2.6.3 Bus Lay-bys .............................................................................................................................. 21
2.7 BUS INTERCHANGES/TRANSFERS.............................................................................................................. 22
2.8 BUS SHELTERS ..................................................................................................................................... 22
2.8.1 General ................................................................................................................................... 22
2.8.2 Bus Shelter Dimensions ............................................................................................................ 23
2.8.3 Bus Shelter Climate Control ...................................................................................................... 23
2.8.4 Bus Shelter Security ................................................................................................................. 23
2.8.5 Bus Stop NOC Process .............................................................................................................. 24

3 INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BUS STOPS ......................................................................................................... 25

3.1 KERBING PROFILES & HEIGHTS ................................................................................................................ 25
3.2 FOOTWAYS AND HARDSTANDINGS ............................................................................................................ 26
3.3 CARRIAGEWAY MARKINGS ..................................................................................................................... 26
3.4 ENFORCEMENT CAMERAS ....................................................................................................................... 27

4 STREET AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT..................................................................................................... 28

4.1 LANE WIDTHS ..................................................................................................................................... 28

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4.2 HORIZONTAL CURVATURE ...................................................................................................................... 28

4.3 VERTICAL CURVATURE ........................................................................................................................... 28
4.4 TRAFFIC CALMING ................................................................................................................................ 28
4.5 VERTICAL CLEARANCE ........................................................................................................................... 28
4.6 BUS TURNAROUNDS ............................................................................................................................. 29

LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE 1 - SITING OF BUS STOPS AT JUNCTIONS ......................................................................................................... 16
FIGURE 2 – MINIMUM SEPARATION ........................................................................................................................ 19
FIGURE 3 – BUS STOP NOC PROCESS ...................................................................................................................... 24
FIGURE 4 – TYPICAL ACCESSIBLE KERB DESIGN ........................................................................................................... 25

LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1 – COMPONENTS FOR BUS STOP TYPES .......................................................................................................... 12
TABLE 2 – BUS STOP SITING DIMENSIONS ................................................................................................................. 16
TABLE 3 – PRIMARY FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION WHEN LOCATING NEW STOPS, OR REVIEWING EXISTING STOPS ....................... 17
TABLE 4 – SECONDARY FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION WHEN LOCATING NEW STOPS, OR REVIEWING EXISTING STOPS ................... 18
TABLE 5 – TYPICAL BUS STOP SPACING..................................................................................................................... 19
TABLE 6 – BUS SPACES PER STOP ............................................................................................................................ 22

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX A – BUS STOP LAYOUTS FOR KERBSIDE STOPS .............................................................................................. 30

APPENDIX B – BUS BOARDERS ............................................................................................................................... 33
APPENDIX C – STANDARD BUS LAY-BYS .................................................................................................................... 36
APPENDIX D – BUS STOP NOC CHECKLIST ................................................................................................................ 39

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GLOSSARY

Abbreviation Meaning
BRT Bus Rapid Transit
CCTV Closed Circuit Television
MME Ministry of Municipality and Environment
MoTC Ministry of Transport & Communications
NOC No Objection Certificate
QHDM Qatar Highway Design Manual
QNDF Qatar National Development Framework
QTCM Qatar Traffic Control Manual
QPTP Qatar Public Transport Program
QIBAP Qatar Interim Bus Action Plan
TMPQ Transport Master Plan for Qatar

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
These Guidelines provide guidance for designers of supporting infrastructure for bus services in Qatar.

The MoTC issues these Guidelines to other Government Agencies, land developers, external stakeholders, and
design consultants, to facilitate design of bus infrastructure facilities in new developments, and urban and rural
areas. Designers should submit all proposed new or altered bus infrastructure designs to the MoTC for approval
prior to installation or construction.

All public bus infrastructure should comply with these Guidelines (unless the MoTC approves specific
exemptions), and such updated, additional and replacement guidance notes, instructions and legislation as may
be issued from time to time. The Guidelines detailed here will lead to a higher quality, more consistent, more
accessible, and better-connected network of stop facilities over time: project-by-project and stop-by-stop.

MoTC recognizes that every location is unique, and that a given bus stop’s physical context may offer
opportunities to meet these Guidelines in some ways but not in others. In cases where there are site-specific
constraints, some flexibility and professional judgement will need to be exercised. In such cases, it will be a
requirement to demonstrate why a deviation from the Guidelines is necessary, and all such cases shall be subject
to MoTC approval. As a result, designers should view this document as a guidance report, offering templates
for desirable facilities and amenities wherever it is possible to provide them.

The development of these Guidelines has been prepared after careful review of relevant transportation policies
and design principles proposed in the Integrated Transport Policy and Strategy for Qatar, the Qatar Interim Bus
Action Plan (QIBAP), the Qatar Traffic Control Manual (QTCM), the Qatar Highway Design Manual (QHDM), the
Mowasalat Bus Stop Design Guidelines 2014, and a review of best practices detailed in various internationally
published guidelines. For the avoidance of doubt, these Guidelines supersede bus stop infrastructure details and
layouts in all of the above documents.

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1 GENERAL

1.1 PUBLIC TRANSPORT VI SION

Rapid development of the urban area of Doha and very high rates of population growth has manifested
themselves on Doha’s road network as increasing levels of traffic congestion. It is widely accepted that future
development of the city is only possible by developing sustainable public transport modes. Qatar’s public
transport vision is set down in the Qatar National Vision 2030, expanded in more detail in the Qatar National
Development Strategy. Key strategic planning objectives were established by the Qatar National Development
Framework (QNDF) to: “Establish a high quality and integrated public transport network that results in a modal
shift from private motor vehicles to public transport across Qatar, whilst recognizing the right and desire of
Qataris to transport choice”. More detailed public transport strategies were developed in the Transport Master
Plan for Qatar (TMPQ) which is being updated at the time of writing of these Guidelines. This is fully supported
by the objectives of the Qatar Public Transport Programme (QPTP).

In the short term, up to the opening of Qatar Metro in 2020, buses will be the only form of mass-public transport.
The existing bus system needs significant upgrading, to catch up with recent land developments and population
growth. In addition, to affect a desired modal shift, bus services need to attract new users, many of them current
car users. In the longer term, bus services will continue to be an important part of the public transport network.

1.2 OBJECTIVES

These Guidelines should be used to design and deliver high quality, cost effective bus stop infrastructure to
support bus services which are responsive to travel demand, and fully integrated with other modes.These
Guidelines are intended to augment and supplement the QHDM guidelines.

These Guidelines are intended to:

i. Outline the preferred requirements of infrastructure design to comply with all relevant standards and
regulations;
ii. Provide traffic engineers, urban planners and road designers with a framework to design and implement
bus friendly infrastructure and traffic management measures;
iii. Encourage collaboration between key stakeholders and delivery partners to harness collective knowledge
to provide high quality bus infrastructure outcomes;
iv. Provide a basis for a well-designed bus network, to enable operation at good frequencies and with reliable
travel times;
v. Provide infrastructure design guidance to assist the expansion of the bus network and to make interchange
between modes safer and easier;
vi. Ensure that new road based infrastructure meets the requirements of the MoTC and Mowasalat for the
operation of bus services; and
vii. Provide guidance on the design of bus infrastructure with a consistent set of principles that considers
passengers convenience, safety and access, as well as safe bus operations and efficient traffic flow.

A well-designed bus stop will:

i. Be fully accessible. This means step and gap free access (if possible) to buses at the bus stop itself, and
accessible and safe walking routes to and from the bus stop;
ii. Be optimally located for public transport interchange;
iii. Have a consistency in design and provision, making it easy to identify, safe, comfortable, attractive and easy
to use;
iv. Help reduce bus travel times and improve reliability by providing optimal operational solutions for the type
of road, type of bus service, and volume of passenger demand;

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v. Provide sufficient information on bus services and (where applicable) other public transport services
available from the stop;
vi. Make a positive contribution to the community streetscape; and
vii. Be designed to take other road users into consideration, e.g. the through movement of pedestrians.

1.3 APPLICATION O F THESE G UIDELINES

1.3.1 INTERPRETATION OF TERMINOLOGY

Throughout these Guidelines, the following verbs have the following meanings:

i. “shall” is mandatory and must be done;

ii. “should” indicates something that is recommended;
iii. “may” indicates options;
iv. “will” indicates something that is going to happen; and
v. “would” indicates something that will happen if something else happens to require or oblige it to happen.

In these Guidelines, any reference to the:

i. “bus” means a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine, or electric motor or motors; that is
constructed or adapted for the conveyance of 9 or more passengers;
ii. “coach” means a single door vehicle, normally provided for fully seated inter-urban and airport express
services;
iii. “bus stop” is a designated place where buses stop for passengers to board or alight from a bus;
iv. “bus lay-by” is a designated spot on the side of a road where buses may pull out of the flow of traffic to pick
up and drop off passengers;
v. “bus box” is the portion of a roadway marked and signed along the kerb line for bus use;
vi. “bus boarder” is an arrangement by which a sidewalk or pavement is extended outwards for a bus stop;
vii. “bus route” means a fixed path routinely followed by buses travelling from one place to another via a
sequence of intermediate fixed points. A route is designated by a number or letter, or combination thereof,
and such designations shall be borne by every bus using each route;
viii. “bus service” means the service provided on a bus route. Service details include schedules of departure
times, headway/frequency, the times of first and last buses, and any fare applicable to that service or part
thereof;
ix. “bus lane” means an on-street traffic lane that is marked out and designated for use solely by buses
(however, this may include other specified classes of vehicle or traffic, such as taxis and emergency service
vehicles, as determined by MoTC, in coordination with relevant stakeholders); and
x. “bus layover” means a stop which may be used by buses to stand and wait for short periods, for purposes
such as schedule readjustment, commencement of route service, or waiting to pick up passengers

1.3.2 EFFECTS ON EXISTING BUS OPERA TIONS

While these Guidelines do not apply retrospectively to existing bus infrastructure, it would be highly desirable
to upgrade the existing facilities to modern standards in due course. All new or altered provisions for bus
services should comply with these Guidelines.

1.3.3 EXEMPT SERVICES

For the purposes of these Guidelines, a “bus service” means that daily bus service which is available to the public
for travel within the State of Qatar. This definition of “bus service” excludes:

i. a private tour service that uses separate fares where passengers travel together for the greater part of the
journey on a non-routine basis;

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ii. an international passenger service for international passengers, for their escorts or for airline, shipping or
railway agents travelling to or from any airport, railway station, ferry pier, port, hotel, airline office or in-
town terminal, or similar terminal;
iii. a hotel service for the carriage of passengers residing at a hotel where every passenger is taken up or set
down at the hotel;
iv. a school service for the carriage of students, of persons accompanying them, or in charge of them, or of
those who teach at such establishments;
v. an employees' service provided by an employer for his staff;
vi. a residents' service provided by or on behalf of the management, residents or owners of any residential
development for the carriage of passengers to or from that development;
vii. a demand responsive transport, an on-demand public transport service which does not follow fixed routes
or schedules; and
viii. event related shuttle/bus services.

1.3.4 BUS OPERATION TYPES & AREA S

These Guidelines apply to all types of bus services in the State of Qatar, except those exempted in Section 1.3.3
above. It is also intended that these guidelines will help practitioners evaluate existing facilities and should be
used as a design tool when developing new bus stops or upgrading/relocating existing ones.

The types of Public Bus service are broadly as follows:

i. Station Connector services - which provide express services that will stop at future Metro stations, and
connect with local bus feeder services, to build ridership for the future Metro. These will be withdrawn
when the Metro opens, and redeployed to increase frequencies on Trunk Routes;
ii. Trunk Route Services (Radial) - high frequency express bus services along key main roads into the city not
served by Metro. Bus priority measures will be implemented, and these services will act as Bus Rapid Transit
(BRT) lines without the high cost infrastructure;
iii. Trunk Route Services (Orbital) - high frequency express bus services along key main roads around the city
not served by Metro, enabling cross-city travel. Bus priority measures will be implemented, and these
services will act as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines without the high cost infrastructure;
iv. Feeder Route Services – which will support the Metro and Trunk Bus Routes by connecting passengers in
local areas to Metro stations and bus interchange points. A secondary role for the feeder network will be to
provide access to local community facilities, like hospitals and Government buildings;
v. Local services – any other services circulating around or connecting local urban or suburban areas, not
covered by feeder services;
vi. Regional services – circulating around smaller urban centres and villages; and
vii. Inter-Urban services – long distance services that link towns and rural areas, stopping only at major
intermediate hubs.

1.4 INTEG RATED PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVI CE

Bus infrastructure shall be designed in such a way that:

i. due consideration is given to known future rail alignments and station safeguarding, concept and detailed
designs for Metro, LRT or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) stations and corridors, and any other multi-modal
interchanges;
ii. appropriate interchange opportunities are considered between transport modes (e.g. bus-bus, bus-rail, bus-
taxi, bus-car, bus-cycle);
iii. safe road crossings are provided to all bus stops; and
iv. due consideration is given to current and future road concept and detailed designs.

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Public transport infrastructure for the various modes of transport in the State of Qatar shall be coordinated to
ensure the provision of a coherent, integrated and comprehensive network for the benefit of the travelling
public. In particular to ensure:

i. the location of bus stops in close proximity of stations for Metro, LRT or any such services;
ii. appropriately located bus stops between more widely spaced metro stations, to ensure maximum
accessibility to services for all passengers;
iii. convenient, safe and well-designed pedestrian connections between bus stops and rail stations; and
iv. the coordination of signing and passenger information to maximize convenient interchange and transfer
between public transport facilities.

1.5 OTHER REGULA TI ONS

Unless granted written exemption by the relevant authorized agency or authority responsible for enforcing the
regulations listed below, bus infrastructure shall be subject to all applicable legislation of the State of Qatar.
Regulations and standards which are applicable to bus infrastructure will include:

i. vehicle construction and use;

ii. regulations in respect of electrical components;
iii. road traffic laws;
iv. on-street parking regulations;
v. traffic regulations;
vi. road sign regulations;
vii. construction regulations;
viii. health and safety regulations;
ix. environmental regulations; and
x. accessibility for persons with special needs.

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2 BUS STOP PLANNING & DESIGN

This chapter contains the planning and design standards for bus stops and associated infrastructure. These
Guidelines have been developed following a review of best international practice, and consideration of
guidelines incorporated in the Qatar Interim Bus Action Plan (2014), Mowasalat Bus Stop Design Guidelines
(2014), and the Qatar Highway Design Manual (2015), and in collaboration with other stakeholders to provide
high-quality, practical standards for bus stop design, to improve access to bus services on the road network.

These Guidelines are intended to ensure that bus stops along all bus routes are accessible to an acceptable
standard, to maintain equitable access for all passengers.

2.1 BUS STOP TYPES

The different types of bus stops are based on known (or anticipated) demand; bus service types; and the
infrastructure specification used at the stop. MoTC has established a stop hierarchy that identifies four (4)
different types of stops as follows:

i. Regular stops
ii. Intermediate Stops
iii. Premium Stops
iv. Signature Stops

2.1.1 REGULAR STOPS

Regular stops have low frequency bus services (typically 30 minutes or more between services), and low
passenger volumes, and are normally in outer suburban or rural areas. These stops have fewer mandatory
components, as detailed in Table 1. These stops do not normally require lay-bys, but this will be dependent on
posted speed limits of the roads in question. Some regular stops may require lay-bys, on a case by case basis,
dependent on site conditions.

2.1.2 INTERMEDIA TE STOPS

Intermediate stops typically service locations where there is moderate passenger demand. These stops have
moderate frequency bus services (typically 15 to 20 minutes between services) moderate passenger demand,
and are predominantly in sub-urban and urban areas. These stops do not normally require lay-bys, unless there
are site-specific issues. Such cases shall require the approval of MoTC.

2.1.3 PREMIUM STOPS

Premium stops are predominantly located at major attractions (such as shopping malls, tourist attractions and
Government buildings etc.) which have a moderate to high level of passenger demand. The designer should
consider these stops on bus routes operating at moderate to high frequencies (5 to 15 minutes), high passenger
demand, and at interchange points where feeder routes and trunk routes connect, and at all Metro stations.
These stops will have air-conditioned shelters, and require lay-bys with one or more bus boxes, and other
components as detailed in Table 1.

2.1.4 SIGNATURE STOPS

Signature stops are typically located on high frequency priority corridors and iconic locations such as airports,
integrated public transport interchanges, and at major developments, as determined by MoTC. These stops may
be iconic in design with a distinguishable artistic & thematic design, relevant to the surrounding land use and
respecting Qatari culture & tradition.

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Table 1 – Components for Bus Stop Types

S- Site Specific; P – Preferable; M- Mandatory

Category Component Regular Intermediate Premium Signature

Bus Stop Layout Kerbside Stop M P - -
Bus Boarder P P - -
Lay-by - S M M
Regulatory signage Bus stop sign (with no parking) M M M M
Bus box area (Road marking) M M M M
Coloured surface treatment of bus box M M M M
Stop-specific Stop marker/number/name M M M M
Stop-specific time table M M M M
Stop-specific route diagram M M M M
Real-Time Information P P M M
Information telephone number M M M M
Network-specific Public transport and locality map, M M M M
including feeder route information
Fare information M M M M
Accessibility Pedestrian refuge/crossing S P P P
Footpath M M M M
Tactile ground surface indicators M M M M
(TGSI)
Wheelchair access M M M M
Audio and Visual Aids M M M M
Street Furniture Shelter M M M M
Seating P M M M
Trash Receptacle/Bin M M M M
Air-Conditioning S S M M
Fare Card Vending Machines P P P P
Bicycle Infrastructure S P P P
Shopping Trolley Bay - - - P

Safety & Security Shelter lighting M M M M

CCTV/Security Camera - P M M

Other Drinking facilities - P P P

Enhancements
Commercial vending machine - S P M
Public Art - P P M
Solar panel P P P P
Landscaping/Hardscaping P P P M
Public Toilets - - - P

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2.2 BUS I NFORMATION FOR PASSENGERS

All bus stops shall be provided with a bus route map at the shelter and shall clearly define the main stopping
points and terminus of the routes, so that it can be easily read and understood by the waiting passengers.
Locations should be clearly defined on the route map where interchange or transfer with other bus routes or
rail systems are available, together with route numbers.

Timetable information shall be provided at all bus stops. All bus stops should eventually include visual and oral
real-time information indicators to inform passengers of the expected arrival times of at least the next three
approaching buses.

The designer responsible for providing bus information at a particular stop or shelter will need to refer to the
Qatar Public Transport Wayfinding Standards document (at the time of writing under preparation by MoTC) for
detailed design information.

2.3 BUS STOP LOCATIONS

2.3.1 LOCATING A BUS STO P

When considering the location of bus stops, it is important to take into account convenience of access, the safety
of passengers, and avoidance of conflict with other road users. In assessing the suitability of a potential site, the
prime considerations will be road and pedestrian safety. The designer shall consider other issues such as
environmental intrusion, and road and pavement constraints. All bus stops shall be wheelchair accessible and
cover other requirements of people with special needs.

Designers shall submit all new proposed bus stop locations with full supporting information to the MoTC
Technical Affairs Department for review and approval. No new bus stops shall be incorporated in Transport
Master Plans, Traffic Impact Assessments, or planning documents, or erected on street, without prior approval
from MoTC Technical Affairs Department

The following factors can influence the final location of a bus stop and need to be considered at the planning
stage:

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Bus transfer points;

proximity to adjacent junctions;
proximity to major trip attractors or generators;
proximity to pedestrian crossings;
integration with other modes of transport;
Travel demand and catchment analysis;
bends or crests in the road;
sight distance;
on-street parking;
existing accesses to residential and business properties;
footway or verge width;
presence of road humps or rumble strips;
space on footways to install shelters or lay-bys; and
space on roads to mark out a bus box (see Section 2.4) enabling buses easy access to and egress
from the kerb.
Bus stops should generally be located close to major trip generating land uses such as shopping malls, hospitals,
offices, rail stations, etc.

2.3.2 RESTRICTIONS ON BUS STOP LOCATIONS

The following restrictions shall apply to bus stop locations:

i. Pedestrian crossing: No bus stop shall be placed within 6 metres (measured from the end of the pedestrian
crossing to the start of the bus lay-by, bus box or bus boarder) of a pedestrian crossing on a dual
carriageway. However, on an undivided carriageway (street) this requires more distance and depends on
the operating speeds of traffic, and road user sight distances. Any uncontrolled pedestrian crossings should
be located at least 15 metres from the bus stop, and to the rear of the bus stopping position, to provide
sight of pedestrians for other traffic.
ii. Nearside of a road junction or intersection: In general, it is preferable that bus stops are located on the far
side of a junction, or on both sides of a major junction subject to the considerations outlined in this section.
Disadvantages of near-side stops include:

blocking of free flowing right turn traffic;

blocking of traffic when signals are green; and
obstruction of sight of crossing pedestrians
iii.Far-side stops are also preferred where bus priority is provided at traffic signals. Long boarding/alighting
delays at nearside stops can cause green times to expire and bus priority requests to impact on a second
cycle of the signals, or for a need to place detection equipment too close to the signals to provide absolute
priority.
iv. Siting shall comply with Figure 1 and Table 2 wherever possible. When installing a bus stop on the nearside
of a road junction or intersection, the bus stop should be sufficiently far from the stop line to ensure that:

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a bus waiting at the stop should not obstruct the visibility of motorists from the side road or
pedestrians crossing from the main road at the junction;
other vehicles making a right turn should not be obstructed by buses (see minimum distances in
Table 2); and
a bus turning left after leaving the stop has sufficient room to cross safely to the left-turning
traffic lane (see minimum distances in Table 2).
v. Parking and pick-up/drop-off: Parking places should not be within 12 metres of a kerbside bus stop, to
safeguard bus approach and departure paths, and to ensure that a bus can stop close and parallel to the
kerbside for wheelchair users. Pick up and drop off by other vehicles should also not be permitted within
this distance, and this shall be enforced by the imposition of stopping restrictions.
vi. Midblock bus stop locations are not desirable unless associated with key pedestrian access to major transit-
oriented activity centres, and where signalised pedestrian crossings are provided.
vii. At bus transfer points, bus stops for intersecting routes shall be located as close as possible to each other,
to minimise walking distance.
viii. In cases where it is not possible to place a bus stop close to the intersection on an arterial road, due to
project constraints, stop locations should be identified along local or feeder routes in the vicinity that are
close to the intersection.
ix. Signalised junctions in Doha typically have long left-turn lanes, thereby forcing the placement of bus stops
away from the intersection if left-turning buses need to be allowed for. An integrated network of bus routes
in future will minimise left-turning buses by allowing for transfers between major intersecting bus routes.
It is essential to have stops closer to the intersection where the bus lines intersect and no alternative
pedestrian crossings are available.
x. Unless it is otherwise not possible to provide a bus stop, bus stops shall not be located in auxiliary turning
lanes or turning tapers at a junction.

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Figure 1 - Siting of Bus Stops at Junctions

Table 2 – Bus Stop Siting Dimensions

Distance Bus Turning Movement No. of Major Junction Minor Junction

Element at junction manoeuvring
Desirable Minimum Desirable Minimum
lanes at
junction
A - - 60m 50m 50m 30m
Straight on or Right turn 90m 60m 60m 50m
B 1-2 150m 120m 100m 80m
Left turn
3 or more 210m 150m N.A. N.A.
Note: Designers should also refer to QHDM Vol.1 Part 3, Section 2.5 for consideration of minimum intersection
sight distances for different types of junction control.

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Table 3 and Table 4 respectively list the primary and secondary to be considered when locating new bus stops,
or when reviewing/potentially relocating existing bus stops.

Table 3 – Primary factors for consideration when locating new stops, or reviewing existing stops

Primary factors
i. Route to bus stop should be as direct as possible.
ii. Locate stops near intersections, side/minor roads, where possible,
to maximize coverage and reduce distance that passengers have to
walk.
Convenient to access and maximizes iii. Co-ordinate location of bus stops with neighbourhood walking and
1 accessibility of the catchment area cycling path connections and building entrances.
(and potential ridership) iv. If there are no existing paths, investigate the feasibility of creating
new pedestrian and cycling ‘short cuts’ that lead directly to bus
stops. Look for opportunities to link these with the wider pedestrian
and cycling network.
i. A more frequent stopping pattern is appropriate in urban areas that
are major trip generators or serve key community facilities.
Close proximity to all major trip ii. Major trip generators include employment, retail, commercial and
2 generators and key community educational centres, etc.
facilities iii. Key community facilities include sports centres, parks, libraries, day-
care centres, laboratories, hospitals, pharmacies, etc.
i. Bus stops should be located at or close to the interchange between
Close to where there are likely to be different bus routes or public transport modes (e.g. Metro Stations
3 and Feeder Buses), to minimise walking time for transferring bus
journey transfers
passengers.
i. Bus stops should be located near to and on the departure side of
pedestrian crossings, but shall not be on, or within 6 metres from
the tail of the bus stop to a pedestrian crossing.
Close to intersections and pedestrian ii. Consideration shall also be given to the location of barriers or pinch
4
crossing facilities points that may increase actual walking distances, such as the
need/ability to cross a busy road where no crossing has been
provided.
i. In densely populated areas, no resident should need to walk more
than 400 metres to a bus stop. In low rural density areas, the walking
5 Population density and land use form distance to bus stops should be no more than 600 metres. The
appropriate spacing should ultimately be determined by demand
generators, identified needs and safe locations for buses to stop.
i. Bus stops should be located where the road geometry provides safe
sightlines for oncoming vehicles and bus drivers. All the visibility
requirements shall be according to QHDM 2015 standards.
ii. Bus stops shall not be located near a corner, curve, hill/gully, traffic
island or intersection, if that creates ‘blind spots’/blocks sight lines
for pedestrians and vehicle drivers along the road.
iii. Bus stops shall not be located near driveways and access roads.
6 Road Safety However, bus stop shelters, especially ones with non-transparent
advertising panels on the ends can impact on driveway sightlines of
on-coming traffic, especially where bus stop shelters are located to
the left of the driveway.
iv. The appropriate (and feasible) visibility splay for each site will need
to be considered on its own characteristics. However, it is worth
noting that set-back from the road carriageway may be more
important than the distance from the driveway
i. Locate stops in clearly visible locations, e.g. away from vegetation
and other street furniture.
ii. Locate stops near existing activity centres, e.g. service stations, local
Minimise opportunity for crime and retail, where natural public surveillance can occur – although it
7 increase perceptions of personal should be acknowledged that some residential properties will prefer
security some screening from stops.
iii. Locate stops in well-lit areas, e.g. near street lighting or other
existing sources of illumination
i. Stops shall not be located closer than 0.5 metres to a fire hydrant.

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Primary factors
ii. Stops should be located away from sewer and electricity pits, and be
8 Located away from certain other
free from storm water drains or pits (to prevent buses from
infrastructure items
splashing pooled water when approaching and departing).
iii. If a bus stop shelter needs to be installed closer than 2.2 metres from
a power pole/line, prior written consent is required from Kahramaa.
9 Bus service coverage and frequency
i. Location of other bus routes should be considered when bus stops
are being located, so that bus stops on all routes are co-ordinated
to ensure convenience for bus passengers transferring between
routes.

Table 4 – Secondary factors for consideration when locating new stops, or reviewing existing stops

Secondary factors
i. Some commercial and industrial businesses are more compatible
with bus stops than others. The type of business in the surrounding
area should be considered when bus stops are being positioned.
ii. Bus layover stops can negatively impact on adjoining landowners
due to extended noise, fumes, etc.; and on the operation of
intersections. Where possible, bus stops used for layovers should be
Consider bus stop ‘type’ and potential located away from residential or other sensitive frontages, i.e. where
1
impact on surrounding land use ongoing noise and disturbance are undesirable. Bus layover stops
should not be located in front of driveways.
iii. Bus stop signs should not be positioned directly adjacent to the front
door of a property, if possible, to maintain privacy. Consider existing
hedges/fences of private property as much as possible, without
compromising too much on appropriate bus stop spacing.
i. Bus stops shall not be located between a signal detector and a stop-
2 Consider location of signal detectors line, where vehicle detection/signal pre-emption (bus priority) is in
use. See Figure 1 for recommended distances.
i. Where possible, bus stops should be sited on footways that are
sufficiently wide to avoid obstruction to pedestrians by waiting bus
passengers. This is especially important where bus stops are located
alongside retail activity.
3 Footway widths ii. If the existing footpath is not wide enough, consideration should be
given to locating the bus stop where the footpath can be widened,
without compromising appropriate spacing/other location criteria.
The use of bus boarders should also be considered).
i. Some sites may be undesirable for bus stops due to usage by other
potential conflicting users. Avoid siting stops adjacent to areas that
generate large amounts of short-term high-turnover parking.
Examples include mosques, ATMs, local retail and take-away/tea
shops. This is because visitors to such locations often park illegally
Consider potential use by other within bus stops.
4
conflicting users ii. Locating a bus stop adjacent to a tourist facility may lead to an
unnecessary conflict between public buses and coach/charter
operations. Where there is demand for access to the tourist facility
by both public bus and coach/charter services, both should be
provided for separate but nearby locations.

2.4 BUS STOP SPACING

Bus stop spacing should reflect the passenger demand for bus travel. When determining bus stop spacing, the
following considerations should be taken into account:

i. There should be a compromise between shorter passenger access distances to closely spaced bus stops and
the potentially higher operating speed of buses with widely spaced stops. The ideal walking distance to a
bus stop should preferably not exceed 400 metres in Doha Metropolitan Area and new high-density urban

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areas. In rural areas, it will often be necessary to accept longer distances, and the location of bus stops
should be related to key transport nodes and junctions, and major attractor/generator land uses.
ii. The spacing of bus stops should reflect the relative volumes of passengers boarding and alighting in a
particular locality with the volume of passengers who wish to travel through that locality. Hence, there
would be a consideration to space stops more widely apart if the majority of passengers wish to ride through
a particular locality rather than board or alight there. In such circumstances, stop spacing should be such
that, on average, at distances of 500 metres.
iii. Bus stops may be closer in densely built-up districts, but frequent stops make it economically and
physically difficult to provide shelters and information signs, and affect overall bus journey times. In such
locations, the minimum spacing is 300 metres.

The development type, such as residential area, commercial, and /or core areas of town centres will determine
spacing between bus stops. Table 5 gives the typical bus stop spacing to be used in different type of areas.

Table 5 – Typical Bus Stop Spacing

Areas Preferred Range (in metres) Typical Spacing (in metres)

Town Centres/ Business districts/ Residential areas 300 to 500 400
Urban Areas/Arterial Roads 400 to 600 500
Sub-Urban/ Rural areas / Expressways 500 to 600 600

It is generally not advisable to position bus stops opposite each other on a two-lane carriageway. Safety and
sightline considerations suggest a minimum separation of three bus lengths (36 metres) as shown in Figure 2,
with the stops positioned in such a way that the buses stop ‘tail to tail’ and move off away from each other.

Figure 2 – Minimum Separation

2.5 BUS STOP AREA

The bus stop pole at a bus stop will indicate the stopping line for the bus.

Every bus stop, either on the road carriageway or in a lay-by, shall be marked with a bus box on the road. Such
road markings will consist of intermittent yellow lines that indicate the limits of the bus stop and they will be
accompanied by the term “BUS STOP” written in both Arabic and English to indicate the limits of the bus stop to
vehicular traffic.

The presence of bus box road markings indicates that stopping, parking, and waiting by any vehicle other than a
bus shall be prohibited at the particular location at all times.

Further emphasis of the bus box extent will be done by installing red coloured surfacing within the bus box edge
markings.

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2.6 BUS STOP LAYOUT TYPES

Kerbside bus stops are preferred due to the difficulties of bus drivers emerging back into the traffic stream.
However, kerbside stops mean some delay for following traffic. To mitigate this, kerbside stops are limited to
roads with lower frequency bus routes and lower overall traffic volumes. Kerbside bus stops are only permitted
on roads where the posted speed is 50 kph or less.

Bus Boarders are to be also on roads of posted speed 50 kph or less, and where low frequency routes operate,
but in areas where parallel parking restricts availability of kerb space, or visibility of waiting pedestrians, or is
likely to cause illegal parking or waiting on the bus stop.

Bus lay-bys are to be used on all roads with posted speeds greater than 50 kph, up to 80 kph. No lay-bys shall be
provided on high speed roads with posted speeds above 80 kph. Stops for any bus routes using such roads shall
be provided in service lanes.

2.6.1 KERBSIDE BUS STOPS

These stops shall be marked by a bus stop box, either on the traffic lane, or in parallel parking bays indented
from the nearside lane. In such cases, the designer shall consider the volume of traffic using the road.

A bus stop box is the portion of a roadway marked and signed along the kerb line for bus use. The typical bus
box width varies from 2.5 metres to 3 metres. The permitted length will vary according to the specific
requirements and the location of the bus stop. For a single bus stop, the minimum permitted length of a bus box
should be 16 metres if the stop is located in the traffic lane, and this should be extended up to 37 metres if the
stop is located in the parallel parking bays.

Kerbside bus stops should be set out according to the layouts as shown in Appendix A.

2.6.2 BUS BOARDE RS

Bus boarders are generally an extended built-out area from the existing kerb line. These are designed to prevent
illegal parking at bus stops, to facilitate a straight run-in to the kerb (and exit) by buses, and to facilitate boarding
and alighting. The designer shall consider Bus Boarders in the following situations, and shall also consider
whether Road Safety Audit may be required, on a case by case basis:

i. Where the proposed stops are located in parallel parking bays,

ii. Where on-street parking prevents access to the kerb,
iii. Low bus frequency areas
iv. Low to moderate traffic volumes
v. On service roads

There are two conventional types of bus boarders:

i. Full width boarder

II. Half width boarder

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2.6.2.1 FULL WIDTH BOARDER

The full width boarder is recommended as it provides a solution for both bus and passenger access while
minimising the kerb length required. The width of the boarder should be projected up to the actual carriageway
edge or vehicle parking bay.

The benefits of a full width boarder are:

i. deters illegal parking,

ii. maintains the place of the bus in the traffic stream, and avoids the delay re-joining the traffic stream,
iii. allows the bus to stand parallel to the kerb, without manoeuvres,
iv. creates additional footway space for passengers to wait and queue,
v. creates additional space for shelter and other infrastructure

A full width boarder should not be used where the frequency of buses or their dwell times will cause delay to
following buses. In addition, it is not recommended in areas where ‘overtaking’ is prohibited. Reflectorized
bollards should be placed at the upstream ends of the boarder for the safety of passengers in the waiting area.

2.6.2.2 HALF WIDTH BOARDER

The half width boarder design is often a useful compromise solution where a build-out from the kerb ranges
from 1 metre to 1.5 metres. These should be used where frequent delays to other vehicles are to be avoided.
As half width boarders are a compromise design, they use more kerb space, as some manoeuvring of the bus is
required. Half width boarders are only to be used on one-way roads, and one-way service roads.

The advantages of half width boarders are

i. deters illegal parking,

ii. allows free flowing traffic
iii. caters for more than one bus stopping at the same time.

The consultant needs to consider the safety implications of constructing a bus boarder on free-flowing traffic.
The bus stopping area should be clearly marked with red asphalt or coloured surfacing, carriageway markings,
and reflectorized bollards to ensure safety of the users. Reflectorized bollards should be 1m high and
incorporate a clear colour contrast with the general environment. These boarders should be designed and
constructed in relation to carriageway and footway drainage.

The typical arrangements of full width and half width boarders for standard buses are shown in Appendix B.

2.6.3 BUS LAY-BYS

A bus lay-by is an indented bay incorporating a rectangular stopping zone that is parallel to the adjacent
carriageway and of appropriate length to accommodate a bus or buses. Upstream of each stopping zone is a
‘run-in’ and downstream of each stopping zone is a ‘run out’. Bus lay-bys shall only be provided in urban areas
on free-flowing high speed roads where the posted speed limit is greater than 50 kph, up to 80 kph, or on a
case-by-case basis (as determined by MoTC) near busy signalised junctions, roundabouts, and locations with
poor sight distance. The permitted width of a bus lay-by should be 3m in all cases.

On roads with heavy bus flows, the length and number of individual stands at bus stops may be a problem where
more than one bus route stops, leading to ‘bus-on-bus’ congestion and passenger confusion. The designer
should also consider longer bus boxes or double stops.

Evidence shows that bus drivers will not use a bus bay when traffic volumes exceed 1000 vehicles per hour per
lane. Heavy volumes make it extremely difficult to manoeuvre a bus out of a midblock or near-side bay, and the

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bus must wait an unacceptable period of time to re-enter the traffic lane. Consideration should be given to these
concerns when contemplating the design of a bay on a high-volume road. Using acceleration lanes, signal
priority, or far side placements are potential solutions.

Bus lay-bys may be justified for traffic management or safety reasons, whilst from an operational perspective
bus lay-bys are useful:

i. at on-street termini where the bus can be expected to lay over for a period;
ii. at driver changeover points;
iii. wherever several buses need to stand for extended periods, such as at sports arenas; and
iv. on bus lanes with a mix of local and regional routes, to allow buses to overtake each other.

Bus lay-bys should be set out according to the layouts shown in Appendix C.

Generally, no bus lay-by should comprise more than four bus lengths. When considering stopping volumes of
buses of over 90 per hour, it may be necessary to provide more than one bus stop, staggered and divided
appropriately between services, or an off-street station facility. The number of spaces provided at a bus stop
should comply with Table 6.

Table 6 – Bus Spaces per Stop

Number of Buses using the stop Number of Bus Spaces at Stop

15 1
30 1-2
45 2
60 2-3
75 3
90 3-4

For each additional bus space, 16 metres length shall be added to the bus standing position for the layouts
shown in Appendix C.

2.7 BUS I NTERCHANGES/TRANSFERS

Travel between many locations will involve bus-to-bus interchange where the passenger can typically catch
buses for a range of destinations, thus they can interchange or transfer easily between the bus services, as well
as interchange from bus to other rail-based modes of travel. These interchange/transfer points are generally
sited at key junctions and locations where routes and public transport modes intersect. The designer should
locate these points such that the interchanging passengers walk generally no more than 50 metres to transfer
to the new route or mode. Appropriate signage and waiting facilities shall be provided to assist interchanging
passengers. If more than one route operates along the same road, which may facilitate bus-bus interchange,
the bus stops for routes with similar destinations should be located close to each other, or use a common stop.

2.8 BUS SHELTERS

2.8.1 GENERAL
Bus shelters and associated infrastructure play a key role in attracting public transport users, and making their
experience as comfortable and convenient as possible. The design of bus shelters shall be based on passenger
volumes, various site demands, and the type of stop.

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Bus shelters shall be provided at all bus stops, unless space or other constraints prevent, in which case, approval
should be sought from MoTC. A range of bus shelter types may be utilized, ranging from simple cantilever open
type to air-conditioned shelters with seating areas.

Bus shelters can be air-conditioned or passively cooled. Air-conditioned bus shelters should not normally be
provided on roads where bus services are high frequency, and passenger waiting times will be short. Therefore,
air-conditioned bus shelters shall normally be provided on roads where bus services are low frequency, and
passenger waiting times will be long, as well as all Premium and Signature stops.

Locations should also take into account where bus routes cross or interchange, and where passenger numbers
are likely to be moderate or high. Air-conditioned shelters can be provided in small, medium and large sizes,
depending on patronage levels. Bus stop flagpoles and route information panels shall be provided at all shelters.

2.8.2 BUS SHELTER DIMENSIONS

Each bus shelter shall offer sufficient capacity to accommodate normal numbers of waiting passengers, assuming
a comfortable standing density of 1 person per m2 and a crowded density of 2 persons per m2. This is generally
equivalent to Fruin Level of Service C.

2.8.3 BUS SHE LTE R CLIMATE CON TRO L

When providing air-conditioned bus shelters, they shall be climate-controlled, with automatic doors that
passengers may open and close via push-button control. In particular, the climate control shall provide a
temperature inside the shelter that should not exceed 24 ±1 oC.

2.8.4 BUS SHELTER SECURITY

The design and installation of bus shelters should ensure that it does not present a risk of entrapment, prevents
vandalism and hinders anti-social behaviour towards any user of the bus shelter. The walls of the bus shelter
shall be made of vandal-resistant, transparent material.

The bus shelter shall be sufficiently lit in the hours of darkness. All bus shelters/stops should be lit to 75 lux on
average, 50 lux minimum, and have at least one self-contained emergency light fitting. All luminaries should be
of vandal-resistant type and conform to the IP68 standard. All exterior areas of the bus shelters/stops shall be
well-lit to a minimum lux level equal to that of adjacent street lighting, or 40 Lux. Where CCTV cameras are
being used to monitor bus shelters/stops, the illumination level should be sufficient to allow CCTV image capture
to a standard acceptable as evidence in a court of law.

Persons within bus shelters shall be clearly visible from outside. Any objects or features that block such visibility
should be eliminated or modified, or the shelter should be relocated.

Any street furniture adjacent to bus shelters should be situated such that persons within the bus shelter are
visible and the view outwards of persons within the bus shelter is not blocked.

While advertising may be permitted on bus shelters, it shall be consistent with the above conditions, and
sensitive to local cultural values.

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2.8.5 BUS STOP NOC PROCESS

Through these Guidelines, MoTC is formalising the
NOC process for bus stops and/or bus shelters, to
meet the following objectives.

Ensure that all future road projects

have provision for bus stops and bus
services;
Give a mechanism to retro-fit bus
stops and shelters on existing roads
where provision has not been made;
Safeguard the provision of bus stops
and shelters at the earliest possible
design stage;
Promote collaboration between
agencies to deliver an integrated
transport network;
The bus stop NOC process shall apply to all roads
in Qatar, all design and re-design projects,
including temporary or interim works.

The process is shown in the Flow chart in Figure 3.

The designer will submit the bus stop/shelter
proposals based on the Guidelines, along with a
checklist of information, as included in Appendix D,
to MoTC Technical Affairs Department. MoTC - TA
will review the proposals in liaison with Ashghal and
Mowasalat, holding meeting(s) with the designer if
required. Once approved, MoTC will issue the NOC
to the designer, and forward the approved bus stop
details to Mowasalat for implementation.

Figure 3 – Bus Stop NOC Process

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3 INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BUS STOPS

3.1 KERBING PROFILES & HEIGHTS

The kerb height at bus stops has an impact on bus accessibility. The vertical gap between the kerb and the floor
of the bus should be at a convenient height for passengers to be able to alight or board a bus. Convenience of
access to buses requires that the bus draws up parallel with the edge of the footway so that passengers can step
easily across between the kerb and the bus platform.

The current trend in bus design is for the ultra-low floor type, which are able to “kneel” or lower the entrance
step towards the footway. Steps or ramping within the vehicle are virtually eliminated, consequently benefiting
passengers with mobility impairment. Such designs also facilitate the movement of wheelchairs within the
vehicle. However, the problem of access to the entrance step itself remains, and the arrival of the low floor bus
concept has increased awareness of the importance of achieving consistent high quality access between
footways and the entrance step.

The gap between a low bus floor and the carriageway level is 300mm to 400m and the bus kneeling mechanism
lowers the entrance step by 50mm to 80mm. To achieve a target step height of 100mm, and a ramp gradient
of 1:8 for wheel chair users between top of the kerb and bus floor, the kerb height shall be 180 mm (see Figure
4), and shall be constant over the length of the entire bus stop. This is necessary to achieve near level boarding
from the bus stop platform to the bus floor.

Figure 4 – Typical Accessible Kerb Design

The approach lane to bus stops should be kept clear (by restriction of parking or loading/unloading) such that
the bus is able to travel parallel to the bus stop kerb, thereby avoiding the risk of physical contact between parts
of the bus and the kerb. The lateral distance between the kerb face and the low bus floor at the entrance step
shall be no more than 200mm

Dropped kerbs or flat kerbs should not be used in the immediate area of a bus stop or bus lay-by.

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3.2 FOOTWAYS AND HARDSTANDINGS

All bus stops need to be properly connected with good pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure to enhance
passenger accessibility, convenience and demand. Footways should be hard surfaced and well drained. If the
proposal is to install a bus stop on a sand or grass verge, hardstanding provision should be made for boarding
and alighting of passengers.

The passenger waiting area, or platform, where bus passengers board and alight needs to be designed to allow
sufficient space for the stop infrastructure, such as shelters, as well as pedestrian through movements,and
should be kept clear of street furniture or other obstructions.

The general recommendation for footway width is 3 metres in the bus stop vicinity to allow passenger queuing
and alighting, as well as passing pedestrians. An absolute minimum of 1.8 metres should be maintained where
space is restricted. The needs of wheelchair users accessing the bus stop, and space requirement for
manoeuvring on and off any boarding ramp fitted to the bus, shall be considered. Bus stops shall have
wheelchair access ramps and appropriate wheelchair space with no obstacles, from the nearest footpath.
Footway connections to bus stops shall be fully completed to ensure accessibility from all adjacent buildings for
wheelchair users.

The landing area shall be a continuous, unobstructed solid area contiguous to the kerb, which measures at least
2.5 metres perpendicular to the street. This is the minimum dimension required to deploy a lift or ramp, and
allow a customer in a wheelchair to board or exit the vehicle.

The slope of the bus landing area shall be parallel to the slope of the road carriageway, in order for the bus
wheelchair lift or ramp to be effectively deployed. The bus landing area shall be firm, stable and slip-resistant.
Concrete is the preferred surface.

Where the kerb heights are changed, at transition kerb areas, the footway cross falls are to be carefully designed
to avoid steep back-fall from the kerb. The MoTC recommends a gradient no more than 1 in 25 (or 4%). .

‘Tactile Ground Surface Indicators’ (TGSI) are to be installed at all bus stops to assist identification of stopping
and waiting areas for visually impaired people. All the TGSIs shall be either terracotta or yellow in colour and
made of polyurethane material that is 5mm thick, unless specified by Ashghal. The surface of the TGSI shall have
30% luminance contrast to the adjacent boarding point surfaces. When TGSIs cross an uninterrupted pathway,
a dual row of colour contrasting 400mm x 400mm x 5mm directional tiles is required leading up to the bus stop.
The dual row will lead into a single centred row of colour contrasting 300mm x 300m x 5mm. TGSIs which are to
be positioned 300mm from the end of kerb inset (back of kerb) and start of the hardstand.

3.3 CARRIAGEWAY MARKINGS

The standard ‘Bus Stop’ carriageway marking comprises a rectangular box parallel to the kerbside and contains
a bus symbol or symbols. For typical bus stop carriageway marking refer to markings M345, M346, M347 and
M348 in Volume II Part 6 “Road Markings” Section 4.4.3 of the Qatar Traffic Control Manual (QTCM 2015).

Bus stops are subject to the repeated movement of buses accelerating and braking, and shall be constructed
from appropriate road construction materials to ensure that rutting or break-up of the road surface does not
occur.

The bus stop box shall be highlighted to indicate to other road users that it is an area for use by buses only. This
can be achieved by providing a red coloured surface treatment within the box, through either a coloured surface
dressing or a coloured bituminous surface course. This can be affective in deterring illegal parking and reducing
enforcement problems.

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3.4 ENFORCEMENT CAMERAS

Illegal parking, waiting and unloading on bus stops is currently very widespread. Designers shall incorporate
enforcement cameras capable of taking and relaying pictures of offenders to MOI for enforcement action and
fines. One camera shall be installed at each end of the bus stop, pointed down at an angle to read the offending
vehicle number plate. A sign indicating the use of cameras shall also be prominently displayed.

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4 STREET AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

4.1 LANE WIDTHS

Lane widths for bus routes should preferably be a minimum of 3.5 metres. The absolute minimum width is 3.0
metres. If this is not possible to provide, MoTC will assess on a case-by-case basis.

4.2 HORIZONTAL CURVA TURE

All roads designated, constructed or adapted for the operation of buses shall have regard to the permissible
swept paths of buses built to the maximum dimensions set out in these Guidelines, which means that:

i. kerbs and road markings set out to delineate traffic lanes shall have an outer radius of not less than 15
metres, and a minimum inner radius of 9.0 metres;
ii. when turning at 90 degrees the minimum outer radius is 15 metres; and
iii. the turning lane width for roundabouts and 90 degree turning are 6.0 metres and 5.5 metres respectively.
There shall be no u-turning movements on any bus route.

For the avoidance of doubt, the swept path of the buses intended for use on a route shall be defined by a suitably
qualified person using geometric plotting techniques, and if necessary:

i. by carrying out tests at specified locations with a bus of the type that it is intended for use on that route;
and
ii. a bus design vehicle (or vehicles) should be provided so swept paths can be tested on standard vehicles.

4.3 VERTICAL CU RVATU RE

No bus shall be assigned to a route where the maximum radius of vertical curvature presents a risk of grounding
or damage to the underside of the vehicle. Vertical changes in grade should be limited to approximately 13.5%
to prevent grounding as described above. This provision allows for vehicles up to 18 metre articulated buses –
but they should be tested using vertical curve analysis.

The maximum gradient for bus routes shall not be steeper than 8%.

4.4 TRAFFIC CALMING

No physical horizontal or vertical traffic calming measures (e.g. chicanes, road humps) shall be installed on bus
routes that are operated as scheduled services, unless specifically designed to accommodate buses without
delaying bus movement or without reducing passenger comfort, and unless approved by MoTC. Examples of
traffic calming measures which may be approved include “give-way controlled shuttle road narrowing”, and
“speed tables or cushions” (i.e. road humps which can be straddled by buses). Speed tables with a flat top are
preferred over rounded road humps. Details of speed tables are shown in Ashghal standard drawings, referred
to in QHDM Vol. 3 Part 23 “Design and Operations of Road safety” Section 4.7.1

Approved traffic calming measures should be used no more than four times per kilometre on a bus route. One-
lane pinch points should not be used at all. Two-lane pinch points should have a minimum width of 7.0 metres.
Rumble strips should not be used on bus routes.

4.5 VERTIC AL CLEARANCE

No bridge, overpass or other structure above a bus route shall have a vertical clearance of less than 6.5 metres,
measured from the road surface to the underside of the structure; except for rail structures, where the vertical
clearance shall not be less than 7.0 metres.

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For proposed bus routes with a vertical clearance to overhead structures of less than 6.5 metres, the bus
operator shall ensure that buses operating on the route have a height dimension (with fully inflated tires and
measured from the highest point on or protruding from the bus) that is at least 0.5 metres less than that of the
overhead structure at its lowest point above the road.

4.6 BUS TURNAROUNDS

At the end of bus routes or where buses are routed into particular development areas, provision shall be made
on the local road network for buses to turn around while in forward gear only by use of roundabouts or other
suitably orientated road layouts.

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APPENDIX A – BUS STOP LAYOUTS FOR KERBSIDE STOPS

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APPENDIX B – BUS BOARDERS

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APPENDIX C – STANDARD BUS LAY-BYS

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APPENDIX D – BUS STOP NOC CHECKLIST

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