Bus Lane...

Well worth checking the signs - if it doesn't have a bike on and it was in operation at the time, then you might have to lump it.

On a general thing, it is annoying. The evidence that Ealing used to duck out of the trial is ridiculous at best, as there were no additional accidents directly caused but there was an increase in accidents - the council claimed that the only change was the ongoing trial, so cancelled it. Up here in Sheffield, all city bus lanes are to be considered open as both of their trials showed a significant drop, but I haven't managed to convince Rotherham to even start a trial yet. Quite a few other LA regions have bus lane access, and Department of Transport advice is that the authorities should consider each case on its own merits (annoying, as central guidance would be ideal)

[Shawthing]

Originally Posted by Steve_God

I work up at Oldham Council and know that all AGMA Council's have never taken up the ability to enforce Bus Lanes in the same way that other authorities have been doing (Eg, in London) and had previously been left to the police.

They have now all started to take up the Bus Lane Enforcement, so they're starting to implement it.
That's pretty quick by Manchester though considering it was only approved a couple of months back I think?


Which road was it out of curiosity?

I havn't seen an increase recently. For at least last two years i have regularly seen ( ~ Once or twice a week) one of the enforcement smart cars with camera on a pole sticking ot of the top sat between Newton Heath and Colyhurst, on the Oldham Road, forcing all the trafic into one lane and to back up half a mile on way into Manchester. Just cos there's a nice parking spot for the box on wheels.
Total Madness when bus lane is used about once every ten minutes!

[Biker Biggles]

Originally Posted by Tommy H

Needs a national policy to allow bikers to use them.

Gets confusing going from one council area to another not really knowing whether you're allowed to use them or not. And the signs aren't particularly big.

Round here there are some that have been suspended, but the road markings are still all there....... bloody confusing.

Too right.What sort of transport policy allows a certain set of rules in one area and a totally different set a few roads further on?

Originally Posted by Steve_God

Which road was it out of curiosity?

It was outside Manchester Victoria Station; 'Location: Victoria Station Approach (From Long Millgate to Hunt's Bank)'. It heads towards the MEN from the City Centre.

Originally Posted by Bluepete

No, don't bother. if the pic shows it's you when pay it.

May be worth checking the sings are correct.

Pete

There are two CCTV photo's of me that are as clear as day. I'm gonna have a ride in early next week and check the signs out; if there is any way I can avoid paying those scrounging turds then I will exploit it.

Originally Posted by specialone

Especially when they put them on busy but perfectly moving roads until the bus lane goes in, traffic problems increase ten fold, bus along every 15 mins at best, so the lane is sitting there doing bugger all.

Manchester Council, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put a bus lane all the way along Salford Crescent (On the A6, one of the main routes into Manchester) around a month ago. Along with this unnecessary bus lane they also reduced the speed limit from 40 to 20 and put absurdly large speed humps all along the Crescent. Ok it goes past the uni but there is no need for a 12 foot pavement!

The amount of traffic this has created is unbelievable and after this fine I have recieved for the Vicoria Station bus lane I am jubious about filtering (They can say that I was once again riding in the bus lane).

Bikers get such a hard time...

[Bluepete]

That location is notorious now for the cameras.

We used to use it as a cut through, but even a liveried traffic car gets a ticket now, and we have to pay it ourselves!

Pete

[andrewsmith]

Originally Posted by Bluepete

That location is notorious now for the cameras.

We used to use it as a cut through, but even a liveried traffic car gets a ticket now, and we have to pay it ourselves!

Pete

Not been tempted to arrest them?

Originally Posted by ant-g

It was outside Manchester Victoria Station; 'Location: Victoria Station Approach (From Long Millgate to Hunt's Bank)'. It heads towards the MEN from the City Centre.

That's an awkward bit of road, it's fine to go in one way (West to East) but it's a bus lane only through the other way (East to West).
And from looking at the signage on google maps (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=hunt...2,334.7,,0,2.1) all the signage looks to be in correct order unfortunately

Originally Posted by ant-g

Manchester Council, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put a bus lane all the way along Salford Crescent...

Tell me about it, it's an absolute joke! One of the main trunk routes into central Manchester that's 3 lines wide only a mile or so previous, down to 1 lane... ridiculous...

Originally Posted by ant-g

...after this fine I have recieved for the Vicoria Station bus lane I am jubious about filtering...

I wouldn't worry about filtering too much, it's all about knowing when and where, and in most cases it's as simple as being well aware of the Highway Code in knowing which lines you can legally pass on, and which you can't. If there's a bus lane on one side, I'll always filter on the other side, 'just in case'.

[timwilky]

I wonder if it is only buses in that direction how this cheeky chappy got where he was

In Belfast bikes are allowed to use all the bus lanes except 2, and TBH they're very seldom policed because it's still the PSNI charged with enforcing and they usually can't be arsed, the only one that would be a bit more often enforced has a nice hidey hole for the police car, the rest you can usually spot the cops so far away they can't tell if you were in the lane before it became a bus lane.

The only problem is the local lycra mafia have taken to covering up the symbols on the signs saying that bikes can use the bus lane, and actually videoing bikes using them. Dunno about the legalities of this.

The really ironic thing is that you are much more in danger from the buses than a bike when you cycle on them, and half the time the serious cyclists don't use them in case they damage their expensive rims.

Originally Posted by specialone

Especially when they put them on busy but perfectly moving roads until the bus lane goes in, traffic problems increase ten fold, bus along every 15 mins at best, so the lane is sitting there doing bugger all.

This is pretty naive thinking. The point is for the lane to be empty when the bus comes past, so it becomes a more attractive option for travel. Unless you can think of a way to clear it every 15 minutes when the bus arrives, and let traffic in between trips?