Christmas present from Transport for London

[orose]

Full release: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/redroutes/10151.aspx

Following the completion of two trials, it has been decided that motorcycles will be given permanent access to bus lanes on the majority of the Capital's red routes from 23 January 2012.

We will now make a permanent traffic regulation order to reflect the decision.

Benefits include reduced journey times for motorcyclists and less carbon dioxide emissions. The safety of motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users is unaffected.

Just need to spread the good word to the rest of the country now.

[Jayneflakes]

Bravo...

[maviczap]

blimey a bit of common-sense

[Dave20046]

wahey

[squirrel_hunter]

blimey a bit of common-sense

There must be a catch.

[Dave20046]

There must be a catch.

the fact it took so long?
Sheffield's had it for around 5 years

[Cursed]

Bristol has had it for ages too :)

[SoulKiss]

ONly a month and a half too late...

Reminds me, must pay that Bus Lane fine I got a week ago :smt068

[Biker Biggles]

Its not all bus lanes though.You need to have your wits about you as to whether you can or cant go in and at what time.

[littleoldman2]

Great stuff

[Fruity-ya-ya]

the fact it took so long?
Sheffield's had it for around 5 years
Thought so (phew), I was just thinking I'd been a naughty boy and Santa might not bring me any gifts.

[andrewsmith]

Its took long enough, Newcastle's been that way for about 6 years

[orose]

Thought so (phew), I was just thinking I'd been a naughty boy and Santa might not bring me any gifts.

Strictly, the Sheffield scheme was only made permanent in January, but it has been a city-wide trial for about 3 years. Next target for us is the other side of the M1 :)

[Stonesie]

Still a big fine in doncaster if I forget and take the bike through a bus lane...

[Biker Biggles]

Still a big fine in doncaster if I forget and take the bike through a bus lane...

And that is the big problem with all this.Surely the rules of the road should be the same throughout the country?Next we will have the nearly French residents of Dover wanting to drive on the Right:D

[wyrdness]

Ealing (in West London) had a bikes-in-bus lane trial, but they recently decided to end it, as they claimed that bike accidents had increased.

[Nick_69]

Finally TFL are doing this only 5 years late

[Stenno]

Bout blooming time!

[Messie]

Has always been thus in Colchester

[-Ralph-]

Its not all bus lanes though.You need to have your wits about you as to whether you can or cant go in and at what time.

OK, so which bus lanes are we still not allowed in? Is there any rule of thumb to it or do we still have to look at every sign?

[ophic]

Full release: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/redroutes/10151.aspx

OK, so which bus lanes are we still not allowed in? Is there any rule of thumb to it or do we still have to look at every sign?
There's a set of maps available from the TFL website link.
edit: altho it doesn't show the bus lanes you're not allowed in...

[Biker Biggles]

OK, so which bus lanes are we still not allowed in? Is there any rule of thumb to it or do we still have to look at every sign?

You have to look at the signs and keep looking.A TFL bus lane can suddenly turn into a local authority one where you cant go as the street name changes or boundary alters.
Unpopular I may be but I think this is such a mish mash that we would be better off telling them to ban bikes from all bus lanes or none of them and make it national policy and stick it in the highway code.That way we could all ride by the same rules in London,Doncaster,Ealing,Colchester and everywhere else.What we have is likely to be turned into a nice little earner for councils issueing tickets to people who ride in bus lanes when they quite reasonably thought the could.

[nikon70]

about bl00dy time!

[orose]

Just a new addition - Westminster council have decided to follow the TFL lead as well, with a trial starting on the 6th of March

[454697819]

ipswich havent worked out what these two wheeled machines are, I have heard them called roundy noisy go fast machines by the locals, a they eat thier ploughmans at lunch.

[Bluefish]

What's a bus lane? :D

[ophic]

What's a bus lane? :D
Don't worry about it. You might spot a bus about once every 4 years up north if you're lucky. Less if you're actually waiting for one.