Linz is the capital of the Austrian region Upper Austria and its political and economic centre; the population of the greater Linz conurbation is over 250,000. It is hardly surprising that the arterial roads leading to Linz were regularly congested at peak hours as early as the 1990s (and they still are). Not only car passengers lost time but many bus passengers also suffered, and the bus time tables became increasingly unreliable.
Given this situation, more than ten years ago the idea was borne to permit public buses the use of the emergency lane of the motorway A7 leading to the city. After years of discussion about this transport policy, many obvious reservations (e.g. those expressed by rescue services) and uncertainties (e.g. how to proceed in wintry conditions) remained. Therefore, the Austrian motorway operator ASFINAG commissioned a feasibility study. It came to the conclusion that it would be both possible and useful to open the emergency lane for public buses in case of congestion on workday mornings. In 2004 the authorities took the plunge and started a 3 km trial operation; nothing like this had ever been tried before. The practical experience gained was so positive that in consequence the measure achieved not only the 'status of regular operations' but was also extended to some additional sections of the motorway.
The paper (i) provides some key findings of the feasibility study and recommendations based on them; (ii) it describes the conditions under which the measure was implemented; and (iii) it highlights the practical experience from different points of view (bus operator, fire and rescue services, police, and road maintenance department).

public bus, emergency lane, motorway, temporary use, congestion