Bikers bid to use Brighton and Hove bus lanes

9:53am Friday 30th November 2012 in News

Motorcyclists are demanding to be allowed to use bus lanes across Brighton and Hove.

Lobbyists have been in discussion with Brighton and Hove City Council about relaxing the restrictions for more than a year.

Advocates claim the plan for motorised, two-wheeled vehicles will reduce congestion, improve road safety and cut down on air pollution.

Despite some raising concerns about potential casualties, the local authority’s transport committee has approved a 12-month trial scheme on two-and-a-half miles of the city’s busiest roads.

These would be a one-mile stretch of the A23 from Carden Avenue to Preston Drove, Brighton, and a 1.5-mile section of the A259 coastal road from the city’s boundary in Saltdean to the Ovingdean roundabout.

But John Mitchell, Motorcycle Action Group’s (MAG) south east region representative, said: “Why there should not be a full roll-out across the city, given that the evidence in this country, and abroad, is that allowing two-wheelers into bus lanes reduces accidents and injury?

“As such, we are keen to continue to have a dialogue with the council, to understand the reasons for their decision.

“However, until the council can release the study and the corresponding data to us to review, we are unable to draw our own conclusions.”

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Comments(5)

mdj747 says...
10:31am Fri 30 Nov 12

They already do ? And anyone else who wants to pass a vehicle not travelling fast enough in the eyes of the undertaker.

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Kiddon72 says...
10:37am Fri 30 Nov 12

Buses in the bus lane, mini buses in the bus lane, taxis in the bus lane, motorcycles in the bus lane, mopeds in the bus lane.
I know, lets allow cars in the bus lane as well. We could even change their names to "roads"

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Bob_The_Ferret says...
12:49pm Fri 30 Nov 12

If persistent abuse of the one way regulations in North Laine is enough for the council to change the rules for cyclists, surely by the same logic if motorbikes were to just use all the bus lanes regardless, the council should simply give in and change the rules to accommodate them.

It has been shown in many other cities, including London that allowing motor bikes to use the bus lanes is safe and does not affect the bus services. The only reason the Greens are dithering on the matter is that they view motorbikes with the same disdain as car drivers, and therefore wish to punish and disadvantage them in the same way.

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Joshiman says...
1:02pm Fri 30 Nov 12

Kiddon72 wrote:
Buses in the bus lane, mini buses in the bus lane, taxis in the bus lane, motorcycles in the bus lane, mopeds in the bus lane.
I know, lets allow cars in the bus lane as well. We could even change their names to "roads"
Well said.

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bug eye says...
5:24pm Fri 30 Nov 12

motorcycles using all the bus at any time makes perfect sense and cars should use the outer city bus lanes off peak. it makes perfect sense to all, that is why this administration will not allow it, no wonder the only Green council in the country has been discounted from one planet status.

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