MayorWatch

London News and Comment

Boris opens bus lanes to motorbikes

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‘Boris Johnson has confirmed details of an 18 month pilot scheme to assess the impact of allowing motorcycles into bus lanes on red route roads – those roads controlled by Transport for London.

Mayor Johnson says he has “long been staggered that while motorcyclists can use bus lanes in many other cities and some of our Boroughs they were not allowed to use the Transport for London red routes that crisscross the capital.”

Johnson claimed the change, opposed by some cycling groups, will help “ease congestion”.

The scheme does not cover bus lanes on roads operated by London’s boroughs which  remain inaccessible to motorcycles and TfL is advising motorcyclists to familiarise themselves with the bus lanes open to them as well as checking the signs before entering any bus lanes.  Bikers who stray into closed lanes could face a penalty charge of £100.

In March former Mayor Ken Livingstone ruled out allowing motorcyclists to ride in bus lanes, citing a report into a previous trial which suggested such a move could lead to increased dangers for cyclists. The results were disputed by political rivals including Johnson.

The London Cycling Campaign has previously said they were “seriously concerned that putting motorbikes in bus lanes will undermine plans…to make cycling a major transport mode in London.”

The new rules come into effect from 5th January 2009.

Comments

  1. Whilst annoying, generally motor cycles obey the law and allowing them into Bus lanes will help keep them away from driving in between lines of traffic, zig zagging to avoid wing mirrors.
    Something though, has to be done about the death-traps known as rickshaw bikes. They cause bad congestion Look cheap and nasty and its only through the careful driving from motorists, bus and taxi drivers that we have not seen a terrible catastrophe so far.
    The Rickshaws plague the night streets, most with insufficient lighting, some with no lights at all, make the centre of London look like a third world township, blocking fire exits from theatres and restaurants in Covent Garden and the West End.

    If cyclists want to be taken seriously then they must start coming up to scratch. They have to stop jumping the traffic signals and must have lights on their cycles at night. Over 50% of cycles at night currently have no lights. Offenders should have their cycles confiscated and they should be made to walk home in their lycra pants as punishment.

    It does nothing for their case when the ambassador for cycle safety Green Party member (unelected) Jenny Jones is involved in a traffic accident completely naked of any safety pads or helmet. A case of do as I say not do as I do.

  2. While we’re bashing road users – how about the numerous illegal u-turns black cabs do on a frequent basis – or perhaps the emergency stops they perform without indicating? or the classic drifting around the road trying to spot a mug – sorry I meant fare.

    People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

    I would much rather take my chances as a pedestrian with a rickshaw any day than a motorist or motorbike.

    Your angst with the rickshaw is clearly they take your business – well maybe you need to look at your pricing structure and it’s uncompetitiveness before you start trying to get the competition removed unfairly?
    That’s the same reason illegal taxis sprung up – because it became worth the risk. When you’re faced with a £50 journey home of 9 miles in a black cab at 3am – the temptation to use the competition is enormous.

  3. TawkinonSenz,again.
    Taxis do not do illegal U-turns, if they do the CCTV cameras would pick that up. We are entitled to U-turn and it is one of the conditions of fitness that we have a turning circle of 24 feet.
    If you are travelling behind a Taxi you must realise that we do stop for passengers just like if you were following a bus. As for competitiveness, our pricing structure is not based around one single passenger, it has to take into account the fact that five people can travel for the same price as one which is the same in many cities around the world. Five passengers travelling from Centre point to Marble Arch is actually cheaper in a cab than on the tube or bus.
    The present pricing structure is not perfect as it was constructed by the former Mayor Ken Livingstone in a bid to buy the vote of the London Taxi Trade.

  4. BTW Tawkin, 9 miles does not go £50 at 3 am in any direction. Its approx £31-33, depending on the traffic signals that Kens admin mess about with. I hope you never claimed that on your expenses, cause that is fraud old love.
    Good news though, Boris is re-phasing the lights so it should get more affordable for you soon.

  5. Tawkin, why do you persist in the myth that London’s cabbies cut everyone up without indicating, don’t give way, U-turn in front of oncoming traffic and generally tear about like lunatics.
    The London Cab trade has the best safety record of any transport system in the world. Our record speaks for itself . Percentage wise, we have less convictions for speeding or traffic transgressions than any other motoring group.
    You should be proud of the standard of Licensed Taxi you have in London and stop knocking it.

  6. Jason

    Of course cabs don’t speed, they know the routes full of traffic to clock the meter up.

    Good on boris letting motorcycles into bus lanes, it will I won’t have one coming towards me in my lane.

    The next job for boris is to start reducing the bus lane network and give the road back back to drivers.

    That should be followed by removing all the traffic lights livingston installed but were not needed, only installed to slow up traffic.

    Its about time cyclist had to pay road tax and have insurance. They jump red lights, have no respect for other road users and then cry the driver should of seen me.

  7. Well done mike, only took you three months to come up with that piece of wit. Spoken like a true mini cab driver.
    Other than that we are in complete agreement

  8. I drive a scooter in London everyday and I think that allowing us on bus lanes is a very good idea, we can ride safely with the pace that bikes allow, which is faster than for cars. Most of us are careful drivers, if only because if we crash we die. I understand that some cyclist don’t like it but they would like to have the road for their own. Cabbies are very arrogant and do a lot of dangerous staff but they know they are and are careful. The real danger are buses, I think they recently hired a lot of drivers without giving them a proper training as they just pull out as if nobody was coming. Ahhh, and as regards Boris he is a joker, how about the new parking fees for bikes?

  9. What you’re all failing to realise is this whole move is a pointless waste of time.

    The facts are that it’s more dangerous to pass on the left than on the right (as all motorcyclists know) – mainly because the motorist is just coming round (after years of hammering) that ‘look out for bikes when you turn right’.

    However, as someone who has been using the bus lanes for a while – I know motorists haven’t even started to look in their mirror when turning left – other than for something huge – like a bus.

    Therefore I have witnessed since the change on Jan 1st was introduced a very bad takeup by motorcycles to use the bus lanes (they’re not stupid you know).

    Most importantly there motorbikes are not impeded by traffic – and where they are, it’s usually where there is no bus lane.

    Thie makes the WHOLE THING POINTLESS. It’s not safer, it’s not quicker for the biker and it’s no difference to motorists.

    Well done – you’ve all been fooled by the oldest trick in the book – make a big fanfare welcome for a change that DOES NOTHING FOR ANYBODY.
    If anyone had bothered to observe the York Road bus lane – where motorbikes have always been allowed – they would have seen very few motorbikes use the bus lane.

    As for all the cabbies agreeing above – well there’s no surprise there as you are all TOLD what your opinions should be by the newspaper you all read.

    The bottom line is that we all have to share our road space – however those who moan the most are also the ones who take most of that road space up. I have to laugh at one of the comments above – blaming Ken’s lights for the traffic speed in London. I don’t have any problems with my road speed and I stop at the lights – I think you’ll find the road speed is due to something called congestion – which you all contribute to – and then blame on someone or something else.

  10. I have been living in london from last May and seen a lot of things about driving cars and motorbike also HGV 1 in london. I had a 600 cc till i changed it for 1400cc. it is not the motorbike or car that is dangerours it is the person on it or behind the wheel and the bad training in this country we are trained to pass a test and are not trained to driveafter you pass then you learn to drive. it is more dangerours to pass on the right like most the nutters on the small bikes and scooter do against the oncoming traffic. you always catch them up at the next lights. like on the A3 as the cycle lane is on the path and in the rush hour a lot of the motorbike use the cycle lane that is on the path and it is this short of person that ends up in an accident. till the training in this country is better then the driving will stay the same. you can train a monkey to pass a test. but you cant train him to drive a car/bike in a safe manner.

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