Bus lanes open to all vehicles except motorcycles

All vehicles can use bus lanes except motorcycles, motorcyclists have been told.

A blundering council has announced motorcycles are banned from bus lanes even when they’re not operational, effectively making them no-motorcycle lanes. 

In an advert in a local newspaper, the local authority said: “The council is allowing all types of vehicles, except motorcycles as well as hire taxis, to use five town centre bus lanes when only a few buses are running…

“Councillors were informed that accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists could increase if motorcyclists use them.”

But the council’s road safety team said it was a mistake. Road safety officer Christine Davy said the council had decided all vehicles including motorcycles could use bus lanes outside peak hours.

Davy said officials had separately considered whether motorcycles should be allowed to use bus lanes at all times and that communication officers had muddled the two issues.

Davy said: “What may have been the confusion is that we did a report about motorcyclists using bus lanes and the executive decided not to allow it.”

The decision not to allow us to use bus lanes at all times was taken on safety grounds.

Davy added: “There’s not enough evidence to show there won’t be any accidents following objections from police and safety auditors.”

A leaked report on a London trial of motorcycles in bus lanes states accidents fell by 42 per cent.