There has been for quite some time a lobby to allow motorcycles in bus lanes in the City of London.  The idea being that it will reduce congestion and allow freer flow for motorcyclists. Motorcyclists in a few other UK cities already enjoy this freedom, most notably Bristol since 1996.

I’ll admit I don’t live in a large city and because I work from home I rarely have to tangle with commuter traffic so my idea of travelling in a bus lane fills me with visions of negotiating diesel-belching buses and I find myself at a loss as to why anyone would want to do that.  I also happened to be in London a couple of months ago and was travelling by taxi to my destination, and as you may or may not know taxis are allowed to use bus lanes in London, so I paid particular attention to what the experience was like.  I can tell you it was very bumpy.  I don’t know if I was just unlucky but the condition of the road in the bus lanes seemed far inferior to the relatively smooth tarmac outside of the bus lanes.

Now then, don’t get me wrong, I am all for increased freedom of movement for motorcyclists and I know there are many in London who travel to work by motorcycle and indeed motorcycling is their work in the case of couriers, but surely the very nature of a motorcycle already allows a certain amount of freedom of movement?

My opinions aside I thought I would take a look at where this particular campaign has got to.

• The original campaign ground to a halt when former Mayor of London, Ken Livingston, alleged that a Transport For London (TFL) report commissioned on the subject showed that allowing motorcycles into bus lanes posed increased risks to pedal cyclists and pedestrians.  Mr Livingston had in fact misunderstood the reports findings, whether deliberately remains a matter of controversy, but the decision was made and motorcycles were not allowed into London’s bus lanes.
• The TFL report actually stated that accidents of all road users reduced by 42% in areas where motorcycles in bus lanes were trialled.
• Boris Johnson MP, took up the issue as part of his election campaign for Mayor of London. Immediately motorcyclists lobbied him to reverse the current Mayor’s decision should he be elected, which Boris agreed to do.
• Following his election as London Mayor, Boris Johnson started preparing to open all bus lanes in the capital to motorcyclists but then came under pressure from the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) who fear that allowing motorcycles in bus lanes will put more vulnerable road users at risk, this is despite the fact that the TFL report stated otherwise.  LCC presented Johnson with a 3,500 name petition and immediately Motorcycle News (MCN) countered with a petition of their own which looking at their website is still running. (See link below)
• Two London Boroughs – Lewisham and Hackney – subsequently opposed the decision to allow motorcycles in bus lanes. Boris Johnson in an article in the London Cyclist magazine said that his decision to allow motorcycles in bus lanes was not final.
• The Motorcycle Action Group have made representations to the Mayor aimed at getting him to follow through on his pre-election commitment.
• Boris Johnson has stated his aim to open up bus lanes to motorcycles by January 2009 but Transport For London will currently not commit to this.

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