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Printable versionShould Motorcycles be allowed to use bus lanes in Luton Town Centre?
Updated 4th February 2008
One of the actions of the Bedfordshire and Luton Motorcycle Strategy was to "formally consider the use of bus lanes by motorcycles in the light of the review of Local Transport Note 1/97" which advised local authorities to not normally permit motorcycles to use bus lanes. The Government have completed their review and issued a new Traffic Advisory Leaflet entitled "The Use of Bus Lanes by Motorcycles".
The new advice is that local highway authorities are best placed to decide whether or not to allow motorcycles into with-flow bus lanes but each case should be examined on its own merits, taking into account the positive and negative aspects in reaching a balanced view.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the consultation. A total of 140 completed questionnaires were received. 67% (89 No) who responded to the consultation were motorcyclists. 86% (120 No.) felt that motorcyclists should be allowed to use bus lanes in Luton.
A report taking into account the advise in the Traffic Advisory Leaflet was considered by the Environment and Non Executive Scrutiny Committee on 22 November 2007 and the Councils Executive on 7 January 2008. The Executive followed the officers recommendations not to allow motorcycles in bus lanes at this time but review again when more information is available. This decision was taken for the following reasons.
1) Bedfordshire Police were strongly against allowing motorcycles in bus lanes.
2) The Stage 1 safety audit carried out by Independent Safety Auditors recommended a consistent policy should be adopted throughout Luton however, they recommended that motorcycles should not be allowed to use ten out of the sixteen bus lanes.
3) The evidence from other authorities is too limited to refute the above. Transport for London published Powered Two Wheelers in Bus Lanes : Progress on experiments in 2004 which stated in its conclusion that 'further casualty data is needed in order to make a more robust assessment of the impacts other trails. The report has examined casualty data for a period of 18-months both 'before' and 'after' the trails were introduces. Studies, such as these, usually require three years of casualty data, and so it has been decided to continue the trails for the further 18 months (to enable 36-months of casualty data to be collected)'. This further report has not be published yet.
The full Executive report can be viewed at http://agendas.luton.gov.uk/cmiswebpublic/Binary.ashx?Document=12866
A further review will take place once further evidence is available.
A report taking into account the advise in the Traffic Advisory Leaflet was considered by the Environment and Non Executive Scrutiny Committee on 22 November 2007 and the Councils Executive on 7 January 2008. The Executive followed the officers recommendations not to allow motorcycles in bus lanes at this time but review again when more information is available. This decision was taken for the following reasons.
1) Bedfordshire Police were strongly against allowing motorcycles in bus lanes.
2) The Stage 1 safety audit carried out by Independent Safety Auditors recommended a consistent policy should be adopted throughout Luton however, they recommended that motorcycles should not be allowed to use ten out of the sixteen bus lanes.
3) The evidence from other authorities is too limited to refute the above. Transport for London published Powered Two Wheelers in Bus Lanes : Progress on experiments in 2004 which stated in its conclusion that 'further casualty data is needed in order to make a more robust assessment of the impacts other trails. The report has examined casualty data for a period of 18-months both 'before' and 'after' the trails were introduces. Studies, such as these, usually require three years of casualty data, and so it has been decided to continue the trails for the further 18 months (to enable 36-months of casualty data to be collected)'. This further report has not be published yet.
The full Executive report can be viewed at http://agendas.luton.gov.uk/cmiswebpublic/Binary.ashx?Document=12866
A further review will take place once further evidence is available.