A queue jump is a type of roadway geometry typically found in bus rapid transit

Bus rapid transit

Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...

 systems. It consists of an additional travel lane on the approach to a signalised intersection. This lane is often restricted to transit vehicles only, though some variations may permit bicyclists, mopeds, and/or motorcycles. The intent of the lane is to allow the higher-capacity vehicles to cut to the front of the queue, reducing the delay caused by the signal and improving the operational efficiency of the transit system. A queue jump lane is generally accompanied by a signal which provides a phase specifically for vehicles within the queue jump. Such a signal reduces the need for a designated receiving lane, as vehicles in the queue jump lane get a "head-start

Head start (positioning)

In positioning, a head start is a start in advance of the starting position of others in competition, or simply toward the finish line or desired outcome...

" over other queued vehicles and can therefore merge into the regular travel lanes immediately beyond the signal.

As mentioned above, some queue jump lanes permit vehicles such as bicycles to use the lanes. The purpose of such a policy is to encourage would-be motorists to opt for bicycles, for example, in lieu of their personal cars. In some cases, users of small vehicles may use the queue jump lanes to bypass the regularly queued traffic, at which point the vehicle can then maneuver back into the regular lanes at the front of the queue. Such a scheme is commonly found in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. Increasing utilisation of smaller vehicles can reduce the required headway

Headway

Headway is a measurement of the distance/time between vehicles in a transit system. The precise definition varies depending on the application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance from the tip of one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it, expressed as the time it will take for...

 for vehicles, subsequently increasing the densities and therefore capacities supportable by the roadway, and ultimately increasing the overall efficiency for all users of the system.

See also

• Advanced stop line
  Advanced stop line
  An advanced stop line , also called advanced stop box or bike box, these are road markings at signalised road junctions allowing certain types of vehicle a head start when the traffic signal changes from red to green.-Description:...
  
  
• Bus lane
  Bus lane
  A bus lane or bus only lane is a lane restricted to buses, and generally used to speed up public transport that would be otherwise held up by traffic congestion...
  
  
• Straddling bus